got my live aquaria order

[trustinno1]

well just got my order the starry blenny is huge an i ordered a green mandrin an they sent me a red score for me he is awsome will post pics soon he is drip acclimating now

[Original Fin]

Trust, I forget, are you running a sump with a fuge?

Do you know if the Mandy is tank raised or not? If so, it should be trained already to take prepared foods. If not, likely it will only eat live copepods, and if you don't have a refugium, it will probably wipe out your pod population pretty quick and starvation will be a possibility.

You can buy live pods to feed it, but you'll probably need to re-up every week, and that will get expensive. A fuge, or a very well established tank is the way to go.

Starry Blenny's are awesome!

[trustinno1]

as of right now im runnning neither thought about a sump though i had a copepod explosion an they running rampid that is why i got the mandrin he is only about 2 inches long cute little booger i am aware of their diet an know they are hard to keep but im thinkin my pod pop will be ok for now as for tank raised not sure.....but right now i have so many pods they look like fleas scooting every where so all i can do is wait an see how he does yeah an pods are high 16 dollars a pouch

[trustinno1]

oh an if i see he is not getting enough food i would be willing to give him to someone that can but we will have to wait an see do u know any good plan for diy sump

[Kmoriarty]

Mandys eat like crazy! No matter how many pods you've got, it will wipe out the population in no time. I have a Mandy and I have to shake a fuge rock and fuge chaeto in the display once every few days. You should do a little HOB filter conversion with done chaeto and maybe a little live rock rubble. Best if luck with the little guy, they're beautiful additions and ferocious predators (of copepods that is).

[Original Fin]

About DIY sumps, check out MelevsReef.com. He kind of covers all the most important design considerations, but doesn't necessarily show you how to do it, unless you are already familiar with acrylic welding.
NewYorkSteelo on YouTube has some decent how to's in regards to sumps.

What size is your tank? What does your stand look like inside? Measurements, access, how many doors, etc...how much space between the back of your stand and the wall?

[chrisfont23]

A HOB fuge is a good way to go. Here's a thread on it. A pic of mine is about mid way down. Very easy to make:

How Do I Make A Refugium?

[trustinno1]

well here are a few pics thes best i could get for now....i have more room under my tanks then behind so which would be better a sump or fuge an orginal fin my tank is only a 20 long tring to talk the hubs into a 50 gallon i started at 5 an have moved up from there...i know its not near big enough but workin on it lol an thanks for all an any advice.......




can u see the blenny


zoas






azure damsel

[trustinno1]

oh an dont yall think the mandy looks like a red varation an not green

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

I bought a mandarin a while ago that was labeled as red but I think mine is actually a green Mandy. I tried to see the differences between the two but they are too similar. I remember reading that the pectoral and pelvic fins on a red Mandy are entirely red. My Mandy doesn't have all red fins. I quarantined and trained my Mandy to eat frozen foods before putting it in the DT ( 75g) but it still demolished the healthy pod population I had in just a month or two. Only recently, my pod population has started to rebound ( added a fuge and a bottle of pods).

[Original Fin]

I can't for the life of me get a decent pic of mine. The moment I get close enough with the camera, it retreats into the rockwork. I've got a bunch of blurry tail pics though.It is less likely to get scared off under actinics only, but then all the colors wash out anyway...dah!

[trustinno1]

yeah it is hard to get a pic of i think he is a she not sure has a small dorsal din though im still tring for that perfect pic though

[Mad Mead]

both have the red Mandy as you can see the red in the patter. now the green Mandy his whole body is green and has eye all over like you would see on a scooter blenny in his display fin that he put up in defence. the green mandy is rare and cool