brad
11/02/2001, 09:00 PM
I have only had my picturatus for 2 months, so I am certainly no expert. I have, however, observed a lot that is contrary to popular opinion, and opinions on these boards.
1. Where did the fact that they eat copepods and amphipods come from? I have yet to see a mandarin eat anything large enough to be visible, except some small white critters (If they weren't bright white crawling on dark rocks, I'd miss them - 100 could fit comfortably on the head of pin). I had large areas of seaweed, crawling with different sized pods, but the mandarin had no interest (actually, I think the mandarin is the only fish in the tank that didn't eat these critters even occasionally). My 'pod population hasn't decreased any since either. I am not saying they don't eat 'pods, but I am saying looking at the number of visible small crustations may not be a good guide as to how well you can feed this fish.
2. Many don't starve. I have noticed a very high mortality of mandarins, especially new arrivals at 2 different LFS. Most didn't have the sunken gut you sometimes see. In fact, I would say the LONGER the fish stayed at the LFS, the less likely it was to die. Mine was there at least 2 months in a far too small tank (about 30 gallon, lots of sand, no rock) and didn't look any different from the day it came in. Some were obvious victims of aggression, but some simply looked good one day, and then dropped dead the next. My first mandarin died the day after I brought him home. I tried my 2nd (and current) 2 weeks later. The boards, books and friends all told me these are easy to keep if you have enough 'pods - I really doubt they are correct.
3. Mine has never taken prepared food, methodically eats very small things, and is very active. How a fish like this gets eats more calories than it burns is beyond me (even in the ocean with all it can eat). However the mandarin appears as healthy 4 ago when introduced to captivity, no weight loss, and even shows noticeable growth. Obviously, they don't need a lot to eat.
From what I have seen, these may be a lot easier to keep than people think - assuming they have the right environment, and you get a healthy one.
1. Where did the fact that they eat copepods and amphipods come from? I have yet to see a mandarin eat anything large enough to be visible, except some small white critters (If they weren't bright white crawling on dark rocks, I'd miss them - 100 could fit comfortably on the head of pin). I had large areas of seaweed, crawling with different sized pods, but the mandarin had no interest (actually, I think the mandarin is the only fish in the tank that didn't eat these critters even occasionally). My 'pod population hasn't decreased any since either. I am not saying they don't eat 'pods, but I am saying looking at the number of visible small crustations may not be a good guide as to how well you can feed this fish.
2. Many don't starve. I have noticed a very high mortality of mandarins, especially new arrivals at 2 different LFS. Most didn't have the sunken gut you sometimes see. In fact, I would say the LONGER the fish stayed at the LFS, the less likely it was to die. Mine was there at least 2 months in a far too small tank (about 30 gallon, lots of sand, no rock) and didn't look any different from the day it came in. Some were obvious victims of aggression, but some simply looked good one day, and then dropped dead the next. My first mandarin died the day after I brought him home. I tried my 2nd (and current) 2 weeks later. The boards, books and friends all told me these are easy to keep if you have enough 'pods - I really doubt they are correct.
3. Mine has never taken prepared food, methodically eats very small things, and is very active. How a fish like this gets eats more calories than it burns is beyond me (even in the ocean with all it can eat). However the mandarin appears as healthy 4 ago when introduced to captivity, no weight loss, and even shows noticeable growth. Obviously, they don't need a lot to eat.
From what I have seen, these may be a lot easier to keep than people think - assuming they have the right environment, and you get a healthy one.