Would my reef tank sustain a mandarin dragonet?

TbSaysNo · May 19, 2023

Hello Reef2reef,

I have always wanted a mandarin dragonet, but I have yet to buy one because my tank might not have a stable enough copepods population. My DT is 80 gallons, while my sump is 11 gallons. At night, numerous amphipods crawl on the sandbed and rocks.

Homeowners of the tank is as follows:

*Corals*
2 euphyllia glabrescens (torch)
Ricordea + green hairy mushroom
Duncan & a micromussa
A wallhammer (Euphyllia paradivisa)

*Fish*
1 purple tang
1 Foxface rabbitfish
1 Regal angelfish
2 Clowns
1 goby and a pistolshrimp

a lot of snails and 3 big electric blue hermit crabs.

my tank will be 1 year old this June.

Do you think I can pull the trigger and buy a dragonet?

Troylee · May 19, 2023

I’d think you’d be fine! You can always add some pods here and there to keep the population up.. that’s what I do anyways..

Lavey29 · May 19, 2023

Why not? You can always add copepods as needed and some mandarins adapt to other foods also. My tank is smaller but my Manny has been fine for 8 months now.

useer10202820 · May 19, 2023

my mandarin has been in my tank over 8 years. I started with seeding with pods first few years. Half bottle in display, half in sump. Did that every couple of months. after couple of years, huge population.

Over time this one started eating frozen food as well. Loves Marine Cuisine and Emerald Entree and Reef Frenzy. I didnt have to do anything. He just started eating it one day and has been ever since.

TbSaysNo · May 19, 2023

crAphroditie said:
my mandarin has been in my tank over 8 years. I started with seeding with pods first few years. Half bottle in display, half in sump. Did that every couple of months. after couple of years, huge population.

Over time this one started eating frozen food as well. Loves Marine Cuisine and Emerald Entree and Reef Frenzy. I didnt have to do anything. He just started eating it one day and has been ever since.

Great info!

this is my sump that l leave uncleaned to help copepods have a little free room.
Do you have a picture of your mandarin?

secret_reefer337 · May 19, 2023

You can try. I used to have a mandarin in a 20gal for almost two years until I sold my tank when we moved from West Coast to East Coast. It is a wild caught and after few months learned how to eat pellets. I believe they will learn how to eat pellets in no time. This is based my opinion and not a scientific observation. Right now I have a pair, the male is wild caught and too greedy eating pellets. On the side note, just few nights ago my pair are doing the courtship dance and it’s fun to watch them.

TbSaysNo · May 19, 2023

secret_reefer337 said:
You can try. I used to have a mandarin in a 20gal for almost two years until I sold my tank when we moved from West Coast to East Coast. It is a wild caught and after few months learned how to eat pellets. I believe they will learn how to eat pellets in no time. This is based my opinion and not a scientific observation. Right now I have a pair, the male is wild caught and too greedy eating pellets. On the side note, just few nights ago my pair are doing the courtship dance and it’s fun to watch them.

How big is your tank with the pair?

secret_reefer337 · May 19, 2023

TbSaysNo said:
How big is your tank with the pair?

It is 210gal, but aside from my pair I have 4 hunting pods wrasses.

I remember I used to have another pair in my 40 breeder years ago and both are wild caught too. They died when we have a power outage for 16 hours and I am out of town. They both eat pellets.

secret_reefer337 · May 19, 2023

@TbSaysNo if you are really interested in getting the mandarin, best bet is to get the Biota. They might be tiny as a needle but your chance is a bit bigger.

TbSaysNo · May 19, 2023

secret_reefer337 said:
@TbSaysNo if you are really interested in getting the mandarin, best bet is to get the Biota. They might be tiny as a needle but your chance is a bit bigger.

I would 100% buy everything from biota if i could, but sadly they are not shipping in Europe.

secret_reefer337 · May 19, 2023

TbSaysNo said:
I would 100% buy everything from biota if i could, but sadly they are not shipping in Europe.

Sorry, didn’t know you’re in Europe.

mwil79 · May 19, 2023

If you do get a Mandarin get a Target or spotted Mandarin. They will eat flat worms among other things. I just bought mine from a LFS and he now eats frozen food, pellets, pods, pretty much anything that comes near his face.

TbSaysNo · May 21, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Why not? You can always add copepods as needed and some mandarins adapt to other foods also. My tank is smaller but my Manny has been fine for 8 months now.

I also got a sixline wrasse, so perhaps my copepods population is not so high to sustain a pair?

Lavey29 · May 21, 2023

TbSaysNo said:
I also got a sixline wrasse, so perhaps my copepods population is not so high to sustain a pair?

I have 5 wrasses including a 6 line. Yes, they can eat pods to but once you have a very established tank, the pods finds ways to multiply and sustain their population especially if running a fuge two. I still like to add Tigger or some other type of pods every few weeks or so just to be safe but I've seen Manny eating frozen and he loves Ora coral feast eggs to so I broadcast feed that a few times weekly to.

Now obviously with 2 mandarins in the tank conditions may be different and require adjustments. I personally think after some months the fish learn on their own to eat other foods.