Mandarin & pods

ReefHog · 02-06-2003, 03:13 AM

Another thread about LS critters got me thinking about somthing. It concerns my 120 reef which has been set up for about three years with 150 lb. of LR and 2-4 inches of sand. I recently bought a mandarin and I am wondering if he is getting enough to eat. It's been four weeks and he is always out picking at the LR and the glass all day long. I can't really tell if she is putting on weight. When I look at the tank durring the day I don't see too many creatures, pods, bugs, etc. After the lights go out, though, there are "bugs" all over the place. Tonight I counted over thirty coepods on the one side glass alone. And if I look with a flashlight there is probably hundreds of different kinds of "bugs" squiggling around inside the rock & crevices all over the place. Of coarse the Mandarin is sleeping then. As long as I have a good visible "bug" population at night, would this be an indication that there is an ample food source durring the day that can be found by the Mandarin?

**Ninong** · 02-06-2003, 07:42 AM

Sounds like you're doing fine. Do you have any other fish in your tank that specialize in copepods?

Sylock · 02-06-2003, 12:46 PM

Yes, as long as you have plenty of pods at night you can be assured that the manderin is finding them during the day. Do you have a sump/refugium going?

ReefHog · 02-07-2003, 01:47 AM

Other fish are Purple Tang, Flame Angel, Fox Face, Maroon Clown, & Yellow Tail Damsel. So not too much competition.

No sump. I removed it last year due to the noise since the aquarium is in the livingroom. I'm contemplating making a rubble filled "bug" box out of egg crate to put behind some of the rock work.

02-06-2003, 03:13 AM	#1
ReefHog Council Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Chicago Ill. Posts: 374	Mandarin & pods Another thread about LS critters got me thinking about somthing. It concerns my 120 reef which has been set up for about three years with 150 lb. of LR and 2-4 inches of sand. I recently bought a mandarin and I am wondering if he is getting enough to eat. It's been four weeks and he is always out picking at the LR and the glass all day long. I can't really tell if she is putting on weight. When I look at the tank durring the day I don't see too many creatures, pods, bugs, etc. After the lights go out, though, there are "bugs" all over the place. Tonight I counted over thirty coepods on the one side glass alone. And if I look with a flashlight there is probably hundreds of different kinds of "bugs" squiggling around inside the rock & crevices all over the place. Of coarse the Mandarin is sleeping then. As long as I have a good visible "bug" population at night, would this be an indication that there is an ample food source durring the day that can be found by the Mandarin? __________________ Art Beanbag Game & Cornhole Bags Last edited by ReefHog; 02-06-2003 at 03:16 AM.

02-06-2003, 07:42 AM	#2
Ninong Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Louisiana Posts: 19,733	Sounds like you're doing fine. Do you have any other fish in your tank that specialize in copepods? __________________ Ninong

02-07-2003, 01:47 AM	#4
ReefHog Council Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Chicago Ill. Posts: 374	Other fish are Purple Tang, Flame Angel, Fox Face, Maroon Clown, & Yellow Tail Damsel. So not too much competition. No sump. I removed it last year due to the noise since the aquarium is in the livingroom. I'm contemplating making a rubble filled "bug" box out of egg crate to put behind some of the rock work. __________________ Art Beanbag Game & Cornhole Bags

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02-06-2003, 12:46 PM	#3
Sylock Just Moved In Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 19	Yes, as long as you have plenty of pods at night you can be assured that the manderin is finding them during the day. Do you have a sump/refugium going?

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