Starving Dragonette

[speedykeys]

Last time I owned a mandarin dragonette, I had to take him back after about 2 months because he started getting really skinny, obviously not enough food in the tank for him. But now that my tank is more established I decided to try one again, this time I also bought some copepods to put on the rocks just incase. But again, after about a month this ones starting the thin down and Im wondering if theres anything else these guys will eat besides copepods because If I have to buy copepods every week to keep him fed he is definitely goin back to the store, thats just too much money to keep him fed. Anyone know of any tricks to get them to eat mysis or any other type of in expensive food? Thanks.

[Reefscape]

Copepods are the primary food source for a mandarin. Some have been able to get them to go for other foods, but, its not something i would advise you to rely on...If its not feeding and thinning down, get it back to the store...

[fsn77]

In smaller tanks, it can be very hard to keep a mandarin alive for any length of time. While I've seen a few mandarins in people's homes eat frozen mysis shrimp or even small sinking pellets, it tends to be the exception more than the rule. The people that I've seen with mandarins that eat other foods didn't profess to have any secrets to it -- they just claimed to be lucky. Even in a larger tank, it can be difficult to have long term success. Unfortunately, the rather small price tag for such a good looking fish tends to lead many mandarins to their death in a hobbyist's tank.

[Catpicklesdog]

I'm afraid I have to agree with the others. I have a spotted Mandarin dragonettes (Synchiropus picturatus) and not once have I seen him eat frozen food or pellets. I'm one of the lucky ones, mine is a real fat chunker!:) But the majority of my live rock is 3 years old and for a couple of months before buying mine I added copepods to the main tank and sump.

how big is your tank, do you have a sump and how long has your tank been set up?

[speedykeys]

It's a small 24g thats been set up for about 2 years with no sump. I have added the copepods but I think they get eaten faster than they can multiply. Seeing that it looks like I don't have much of a chance of keeping this guy alive without spending more on his food than all my other fish combined and then some, I'm just going to bring him back today so he doesn't starve any more. He's a cool looking fish but his champagne taste just wont work with his water budget.

[Reefscape]

Really glad you made the decision to take it back....good call mate...

[Catpicklesdog]

That had to be a hard decision, because they are such beautiful fish.


He's a cool looking fish but his champagne taste just wont work with his water budget.

What an excellent way of describing them:)

[cam191919]

i cant get rid of pods, i always find them in the sponges i put in the hob

[Catpicklesdog]

i cant get rid of pods, i always find them in the sponges i put in the hob

Whilst pods are quick at multiplying, dragonettes are just as quick at eating them, hence why it's better to have a dragonette in a large tank that has alot of live rock to sustain the pods.

[cam191919]

hmmmm, they're in all my tanks, but in a three gallon tank i made from a water jug they dominate. the tank has no purpose and no other inhabitents, so its pretty much just a breeding tank for them. maybe with a breeding tank for pods, it would be less costly to feed the dragonette. just a thought

[Gangstafish]

Get a Refugium. They make small ones to hang on the back of the tank. There you could have a constant live food source for a Mandarin.

[cliftonsinclair]

Could you just take a hob without the filter and put some live rock in it?