Mandarin

[The Kapenta Kid]

Here's my psychedelic Mandarin or Synchiropus splendidus. I have had him for two or three months but I did not want to post a pic until I knew he was solidly established.
I had read all those reports that they could not be kept except in minimum 100 gal tanks with 150 lb live rock because of their dietary requirements. I was not totally convinced. I bought this guy, who was pretty thin as they mostly are, and fed him on BBS which I hatch and also regular BS to get him used to catching frozen food particles.
He is now as fat as a little pig and thriving in a 16 gal.
I do not say it is simple to keep dragonets in a small tank, you must provide them with live food such as BBS, but if you are prepared to meet their requirements, they do not need 100 gal and 150 lb live rock to thrive.

 

[davenia7]

Very cute and look at that tubby belly!
Two thumbs up!!

 

[Trogdor]

good job. the reason that it is suggested that a large tank is required is to make the tank self-sufficient. A large amount of live rock is needed to harbor the pods to reproduce and keep up with the mandarine's dietary requirements. If you can get one to feed as you have then you have done a hell of a job and are very lucky that it was able to take live prepared food, a lot of these fish won't do that. Congrats on getting him to a healthy state again. Keep it up!

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

Yep, I understand the reasoning behind big tanks and lots of mature live rock to provide the natural supply of pods etc which these guys live on. But I figgered that newly hatched BBS are as near as dammit to pods and if you can get a mandarin to accept those it should be OK. It is true that they are not very adventurous eaters. It takes a while before they will even take a peck at a live adult BS, but once they do, they will then accept frozen BS or mysis from time to time. Similarly they will eventually try a live bloodworm and then take a frozen one from time to time. But whatever else it will eat at present, a daily basic diet of BBS is probably essential unless you have a big tank with lots of live rock, or have managed to totally convert it to frozen foods.