anyone know whats going on with my mandarin?
 

I just noticed yesterday that my mandarin had a white sore on its back. He is eating fine (actually just started eating frozen), plenty of pods around, he is still hunting like normal. The only fish I have in my tank are 2 ocerlaris clowns and the mandarin. I have a BTA, I was wondering if maybe he was stung by it or something. Or maybe it is some kind of disease. Can anyone help me out indentifying this?

[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g318/DavidA717/CIMG0228.jpg[/IMG]

How long have you had him? Could he be stressed from being in a tank thats to small for him? I don't think he would get stung, but you never know.

I seriously doubt that a 30gal tank will support a mandarin long term unless you have a pretty hefty fuge attached to it. I would consider the amount of stress put on the fish by not really having a large enough feeding area.

You say there's plenty of pods around..... Are you seeing them?

yeah I can see the pods around at night... I can see them in my fuge as well, but like I said, he is actually eating frozen mysis and brine as well

Either way you slice it..... 30gals is smallllll for a mandarin.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11542150#post11542150 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rustybucket145 [/i]
[B]Either way you slice it..... 30gals is smallllll for a mandarin. [/B][/QUOTE]

That doesnt really help him with his problem...

I kinda looks like he was bitten. Or it may be some sort of skin disease. Either way you might want to watch and make sure it doesnt spread. I would suggest isolating him, but then food would be a problem. Maybe wait a few days and see if it looks like it is healing, if not then you might look at treating him for infection. I dont know if you can treat saltwater fish with fishzol of fishmox but they are both antibiotics. Fishmox is actually amoxicillin, I have treated many a puppy with it. I am sure a vet or maybe a mod would know a little more about it.

The mandarin is in a smaller tank. However the tank has plenty of pods and is eagerly eating brine. I helped David setup the tank and his husbandry and paintience with the hobby is some of the best I have seen or heard of. If the mandarin does deplete the population I have a large tank and a pod culturing tank I can supply him with all the pods he needs.

Be constructive when people ask for help and dont just assume that you know everything about the situation. Dave rescued the fish from a crappy LFS, it was in a tank with all types of incompatible fish, and also a tank that wasn't fully cycled at the LFS. If anything he did a good thing and will be rewarded for it.

can't we all just get a bong?

i saw the same thing on my mandarin, it spread all over on one of its sides, it looked white and velvety, i couldnt catch him to treat him and finally died, you really need to get it out of there and treat it with antibiotics. good luck

sana

Just for the sake of information . Scott Michaels in "Marine Fishes" recommends a 20 gal as the minimum tank size for a mandarin. I think this type of fish ahs a better chance in a small tank without food competitors and a good refugium than it would in a large reef full of active feeders.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11542557#post11542557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tahlequah [/i]
[B]That doesnt really help him with his problem...
[/B][/QUOTE]

it sure does help him with his problem...he hit the nail right on the head...the tank is too small and the animal is stressed and getting sick...WHY DONT PEOPLE RESEARCH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANIMALS THEY ARE CARING FOR? i just dont understand....IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE TICK ME OFF...would you do that to a dog, cat? would you lock a dog in a tiny room and say ahhh he is in a tiny room but atleast he is eating...

Ticked off or not I think you are wrong on this, The mandarin can be fine in a 30gal with a well established refugium and live food. Size is not the issue here. Research it.

Hmm...just went to liveaquaria and their requirements are also 30 gal min. The main reason that there may be a size requirement with this species is so that they can get adequate food...not for swimming room. I have seen plenty of mandrins that have died in tanks more than double the size of this and I have also personally owned a mandarin that ate mysis and was rediculously fat...The dude says that it is eating frozen and there is also a healthy pod population, I dont see an issue here with tank size...

I agree with keeping a close eye on the mandarin, if it shows any signs of spreading separate him and treat him. You also might want to post this in the fish disease treatment forum someone there might be able to help you a little better. There is no way of knowing for certain that stress is the cause, it is definitely a possibility, but its not the only possibility.

There is also a good chance it got a little to close to the clowns territory, and the clownfish let him know it.

I do agree that a 30G may not be the best set up for a mandarin but, I also agree that a fully established 30G tank, with alot of established live rock, and a refuge could support a mandarin that is eating prepared foods. (Especially a mandarin that would have surely starved to death at an LFS) If the mandarin doesnt gain weight over time then I would consider finding it a new home, but if the mandarin is nice and fat then I dont see a problem.

I would put a lot of small rubble piles throughout your tank to help out the pod population, and feed as much prepared food as the mandarin will eat!


Good luck with your mandarin!!!

Mandarin is stressed out, Mandarins eat 24hrs a day, they need a tank with not just many pods but flourished, should be in no less than 75 gal tank with lots of rock, fuge. His tank is a issue, I guarantee he is stressed out because of the size of his tank, I will have to check with live aquaria on this it maybe mis print on it.

So funny about those expert that say the tank is too small.

The only problem with mandarin in small tank is food, not swiming space like a tang.

If the mandarin eat frozen brine, he is not stressed out. a stressed out fish won't eat.

Sorry didnt read thru but that fact your adding a manderine without any knowlede about him is irresponsable reef keeping.He is a expert fish and needs a mature tank with a fuge for pod population.Any fish that becomes stressed is a fish ready for desease. Please research more .Its bet to preplan the whl tank from SB to LR to eqiupment to all stock then research all aspects then your ready to cycle.
Many think this is a hard hobby with many problems but infact they dont follow the rules and rush into the whole thing. Then they wonder why fish die , nitrate is high , algea out of controll , ect.. Your here so you want to do it right.

Icefire, we understand that it's not a swimming issue, In a smaller tank you cant supply it with enough food unless you get huge fuge with lots of rock. Mandarins will eat probably like 100 pods daily in a small tank pods cant get replenished fast enough.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11548015#post11548015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drillsar [/i]
[B]Icefire, we understand that it's not a swimming issue, In a smaller tank you cant supply it with enough food unless you get huge fuge with lots of rock. Mandarins will eat probably like 100 pods daily in a small tank pods cant get replenished fast enough. [/B][/QUOTE] Sorry but that's just not right. The 30 g with a good fuge and low competition for food is ok. A 75 or 100 even with highly competitive feeders is not. All in all Mandarins are difficult to keep but if given a quiet environment with a good food supply wether from a refugium or the tank itself they can thrive.

[IMG]http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/542/101063image008.jpg[/IMG]

Ok, first the facts. Whether a mandarin is eating frozen prepared foods is irrelevant. Totally. It cannot get enough nutrition this way absent sufficient copepods. Secondly. A thirty gallon tank will be fine with a refugium that produces sufficent copepods. In fact that environment is better than a larger one with competitive eaters (of copepods)

Now as to the white spot. It looks as if he might have been stung and his slime coat may have protected him somewhat. As long as he is eating, there is hope. It is not really feasible to isolate him for treatment because he would starve to death in a tank deficient of copepods.

I am a firm believer in ethical treatment of mandarins but before criticizing, it is best to have your facts straight.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11548341#post11548341 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snorvich [/i]
[B]
Ok, first the facts. Whether a mandarin is eating frozen prepared foods is irrelevant. Totally. It cannot get enough nutrition this way absent sufficient copepods. Secondly. A thirty gallon tank will be fine with a refugium that produces sufficent copepods. In fact that environment is better than a larger one with competitive eaters (of copepods)

Now as to the white spot. It looks as if he might have been stung and his slime coat may have protected him somewhat. As long as he is eating, there is hope. It is not really feasible to isolate him for treatment because he would starve to death in a tank deficient of copepods.

I am a firm believer in ethical treatment of mandarins but before criticizing, it is best to have your facts straight. [/B][/QUOTE]

Hm... Sound familiar. Oh wait.. I said that once before in this thread. Thank you for reitterating. Many are quick to criticize, few are willing to help.

I agree, some people and "experts" on this website love to quickly point out flaws and defects about poeple's posts instead of offering decent help that can remedy the problem. Stop trying to be damn know it alls and reply if you have something helpful or positive to say! Mandarins DO NOT need much swimming space.......they will thrive completely as long as copepods are plentiful with few competitive feeders.

David, you may want to post this over in the disease forumn as well. I thought the mandarin getting to close to the anenome and the clown biting it was a good theory. Having said that, the wound is so perfectly round, does it look like the skin is just rubbed off or is it deeper?

Did you actually see the clown bite it? Anemone fish (called clown fish by many) can actually try and drag a fish into their anemone. That being said, the slime coat of a mandarin is pretty noxious tasting.

And lest you get the wrong idea, no, I have not tasted one.