halwake Posted October 1, 2012 Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) Coming to Edmonton next weekend and will get a Mandarin Dragonet. Does anyone know anywhere to get copepods and phytoplancton to grow my own culture for food for the mandarin? Edited October 2, 2012 by halwake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 I believe it was this article that I read on how to pellet train a Mandarin. If not there, try that one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwake Posted October 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Thanks Jason, ideally I would like to get him on to frozen/commercial food but to get started would like to have some copepod culture just in case. I have heard of some eating frozen right from the LFS.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fes Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 I'm in the same boat always wanted a mandarin but afraid because of dietary struggles. Thanks for the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11Purewater Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 I finally got mine to accept small mysis,here's how...Isolate him in a shaded guppy breeder add some coral frenzy to "chum" the water and add mysis.after a week of feeding 5to 10 mysis per day, :thumbs: put him back and target feed every other day.he's super fat and active now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwake Posted December 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 (edited) So I picked up a male, put him in a breeder net for 1 week and he was eating frozen brine, did not seem interested in mysis too much. He escaped into the tank and went back into looking for copepods, he was not interested in the shrimp. I finally caught him again and put him back into the breeder net. To my surprise he started eating mysis. I got the small ones from Hikari so they are easier for him to eat. I started adding some flake and he would test that too. I kept him in there for just about 3 weeks the second time and released him into the tank. I got a long feeder tube or turkey baster and turned off circulation and blew some mysis into one corner each day when he was there. He started eating it and looking for the baster. The other fish caught on so I did the mandarin diner method. After a day or so he started going into the clear jar to eat in peace. Now he will eat frozen mysis, frozen brine, small bloodworms. He does not seem to interested in flake anymore, and I have not yet seen him eat any pellets. I have had him now for 2-3 months now and he is doing well. He's not fat but eats every time I put food in his diner. He even goes in there when there is nothing. Just have to be very patient and make sure they are eating well before releasing into the main tank or they seem to ignore what you are offering and keep looking for pods. Edited December 13, 2012 by halwake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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