How About These

[loafybones]

Hiya,

I was just after a quick opinion of these fish for our new marine set up. The tank is 180l (57UK Gal approx)

1 x Kaudern's Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni) and / or Spotted Cardinal (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
1 x Spotted Mandarin Dragonet (Synchiropus picturatus)
1 x Yashia White Ray Shrimp Goby (Stonogobiops yashia)
1 x Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)
1 x Marble Star Fish (Fromia sp.)

Would these be ok together? They all come from the Pacific area so it would make sense I suppose.

Thanks in advance

Loafy

 

[ess17]

I have heard that the mandarins are extremely hard to keep unless you have a well established tank due to their strict diet. You would need lots of live rock to support their eating habits. I think the spotted cardinal should be relatively easy though. Sorry I can't say about the others.

 

[Navarre]

I agree with the mandarin. Unless you can get a fish thats eating frozen food then the tank needs alot of liverock. (I was lucky this weekend and got a tank bred mandarin that eats mysis and brine!) it now sits in the nano tank

 

[samseal]

Hi,

My manderin(Charlie) eats everything and is really fat.I have had him for over a year now in my 30g reef tank.
Sam
x

 

[loafybones]

Thanks for the replies.

I was going to get the Mandarin last because I have heard they can be quite difficult, I really want one though because they're absolutely beautiful!!!

 

[Chac]

I would defo give the Mandarin the bosh as it will need loads of Pods taht most likely a new tank will not have and will led to a slow death for the fish

Del

 

[RPTPAUL]

Dude definatley Yashia just got one they are sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!

Hiya,

I was just after a quick opinion of these fish for our new marine set up. The tank is 180l (57UK Gal approx)

1 x Kaudern's Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni) and / or Spotted Cardinal (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
1 x Spotted Mandarin Dragonet (Synchiropus picturatus)
1 x Yashia White Ray Shrimp Goby (Stonogobiops yashia)
1 x Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)
1 x Marble Star Fish (Fromia sp.)

Would these be ok together? They all come from the Pacific area so it would make sense I suppose.

Thanks in advance

Loafy

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[steelhealr]

Agree with the Yashia..if you can get one with a Randalls banded pistol shrimp, that is a sight to be seen....the symbiosis.

I agree with Navarre. Although there are sporadic success stories with the mandarin, I would err on the side of not getting one until you have more experience. I hear of more losses than successes. Build up your tank, experiment with maintaining a pod collection, save yourself the heartache of losing it.

I'd avoid the banded coral shrimp. There are many negative posts about them. Read this post from liveaquaria.com:

It is a good aquarium inhabitant, however, it is not very compatible with Triggers or Wrasses, and can destroy corals and anemones by nipping them open to feed on ingested food. Provide sufficient room to allow it to move without its long antennae touching neighboring corals or anemones. Banded Coral Shrimp must be kept singly, or as a true mated pair, being intolerant of other Banded Coral Shrimp. It may harass other smaller shrimp of different species.

I'd also avoid a star in that size tank. Again, most will starve over time. When they die, they disintegrate and can crash a tank.

The cardinals are fine. They can be put in groups. Beware that they CAN eat shrimp.

Sorry, I"m not trying to rain on your parade, just trying to give you sound 'starting' advice to get your tank up and running without headaches or crashing. Good luck and post photos when you startup. Maybe some alternative thoughts:

--how about a skunk cleaner or blood shrimp? The skunk is friendly, can eat out of your hand, good detritivore. The blood shrimp adds great red color.

--try a sixline wrasse or some of the other wrasses instead of the mandarin. They are fascinating swimmers and some are gorgeous also

--if you must have a star, fromia's are reefsafe (millepora or indica). FYI, lost mine and another reefer who started a thread on his lost it too. Good luck.

SH