Scooter Blenny Or Mandarin Feeding

[sacramonel]

To anyone who has a Scooter Blenny or a Mandarin . . . I would like to supplement his feeding. What has anyone else fed their Mandarin?

 

[SkiFletch]

Although I dont have one, live pods are the food of choice for them. Dunno what you have yours eating now, but you cant go wrong with its natural food source

 

[sacramonel]

Thanks. Have a boat load of pods in my sump/refugium. Not sure how to get them into the main tank though (posted another question regarding that).

 

[Navarre]

How large is your system?
A mandarin needs about 100 gallons to live in comfort. (you need 100 gallons to keep the amount if liverock required).

If you have a sump or refugium then this will be of great benefit of course. the problem now arrises to its position. If you have a sump then you will find that very few pods will migrate alive to the main system as they are usually killed when entering the return pump.
If its a gravity fed refugium then you need not worry as they will migrate into the main system on their own.

You will still require large quantities of liverock and pods for these fish as they asre very difficult to feed on anything else.

 

[sacramonel]

I have a 75 gallon tank with a 30 gallon sump/refugium. I have about 85 pounds of live rock.

 

[Navarre]

that is an excallant start. I would feel that it would be sufficient for a mandarin. However, be aware of competing fish... dwarf wrasses eat the same food and lively fish may put the mandarin off from feeding on flake or forzen foods.

Even with the right sized tank, you must design the entire system around the mandarin with regards to its companions and liveing conditions

 

[sacramonel]

I think his tankmates are pretty good for him actually. I currently have a Cinnimon Clown, Yellow Tang, 2 Orci Cardinals, and a firefish. The only that is anywhere near aggressive is the clown and he does not bother the mandarin at all.

 

[Dragonscales]

You could also try target feeding stuff like mysis and other frozen foods and see if he will take to that while you figure out your sump situation. The chances of a mandarin taking to dead foods are pretty slim but it's worth a shot.