[LivE]

Hey guys. I just put my green mandarin in my 55 gallon tank today. I drip aclimated him after removing him from my quarantine tank. I noticed that he was swimming around and picking at the live rock for food, which seemed to be a good sign. However, after he would nibble at something, he appeared to excreted a white/clear type fluid into the water after each bite. It looked like it came from each side of the fish.

Is this normal? And what is it? Is it dangerous?

[leebca]

How long was the fish in quarantine and what was the fish eating in quarantine?

[LivE]

He was in a shortened quarantine period of 10 days per advice that Mandarins are sensative to copper and copepods do not thrive in small quarantine tanks. He was rarely eating. However, I did manage to feed him frozen misis, and witnessed him eating.

[LivE]

Do you think that it was just a waste removal process that these guys do?

[leebca]

These fishes have a very effective mucous coating that is sensitive to water quality and water changes. I think the fish will settle in, okay.

But the fist deserves a better (longer) quarantine to be sure of its health. Feeding in quarantine is not a problem and in fact, getting the Mandarin eating in quarantine is the best opportunity the aquarist has at a good acclimation of this fish.

There are those who claim that a Mandarin needs no less than an 80 gallon aquarium with no less than 150 pounds of live rock to properly support its need for pods. That is, without this base, the fish slowly starves. All the more reason to get the fish to eat other foods while in quarantine.

[LivE]

Can I start one of those pod factories that everyone seems to be building? I am really looking for success with this Mandarin. Do you have any tips? Or should I just take it back to the store? I don't really want to make any fish starve to death...I knew it was hard to take care of these guys, but everyone seems to be telling me its basically impossible. What is the best solution?