Is it okay to keep a mandarin in a smaller tank if it eats frozen food. I see many LFS say that the fish will eat frozen. I know they are supposed to be in a large tank with tons of LR and pods but if it eats frozen would it be okay in like a 30 gallon tank with 30 lb. live rock?
Thanks.

This is a big gamble! If your LFS says it eats frozen foods ask to see it eat. If you decide to get it, it should be one the last fish you put in if it does because there is no guarantee that it will eat frozen foods in your tank and will need the pods to live off of. In the end I don't recommend it but you may get lucky. Like I said its a big gamble.

I still wouldn't risk it. Mandarins that eat frozen food are few and far between despite whr the LFS might say. I'd demand to see it eat frozen food before I bought it. Additionaly, frozen food will only suplement their natural diet of pods, not replace it, and it could certainly stop eating frozen food at any time. I know the temptation is strong, but I'd skip it.

Thanks for the advice.

I've had mandarins that did eat frozen mysis, plankton, and brine shrimp. But They will eventually lose weight if not in a reef tank with copepods. I had a psychedelic in fish tank. i had to resort to feeding it live tigger pods.

I wouldn't. Even mandarins eating frozen foods have been known to expire from not getting proper nutrients in their diet, a tank that size just wouldn't be able to support enough of a community of micro-fauna to supplement the frozen...

Darn I really wanted one.
Does it make a difference that I have a DSB that came from an established tank?
How about a scooter blenny, or do they have the same eating needs?
Thanks

What is actually in your tank won't make a difference because it would quickly eat up all the pods in the tank. A refugium would help but there still may not be enough volume to have a adequate supply of pods. Here is an article Reefreaders - Mandarin Dragonette (http://www.reefreaders.com/content/view/24/1/) with info about mandarins.

Darn I really wanted one.
Does it make a difference that I have a DSB that came from an established tank?
How about a scooter blenny, or do they have the same eating needs?
Thanks

One discipline that is essential for all reef keepers to develop is to learn to differentiate between, "What I want and what my system can support."

Trust me, we all have to learn it. The sooner a reefer learns it, the less costly our addiction becomes. I have had my 135 reef up for 1 1/2 years and have not added a Manderin, even though I want a pair. My 200lbs of LR is teeming with pods. But, I haven't made the purchase yet.

Listen to the posters ahead of me. Manderins on frozen food don't do well. They need live pods and your system is too small to support a pod population. If it were loaded with pods, a Manderin could wipe it clean in a month of less. Don't buy anything you can't support long term. Scooter Blennies are live food dependant, too.

Wild caught reef fish will one day be banned because of careless reef keeping practices. There isn't an endless supply. Manderins in particular have been subject to over collection and are getting harder to find in there local areas.

Don't mean to lecture but, new reefers need to learn these things. That's why you come to TR and ask questions. We are hear, to answer them. Many times in my life, the truth is not what I wanted to hear. But, it is was what did the most good.

Dick

There is always an exception to the rule, but for the most part, the replies here are correct. Mandarins (or any dragonette...like a scooter) that eat frozen are few, and far in between. I'd make sure I witnessed it ingesting frozen foods first. Not just "mouthing" it.

I had a mandarin that ate frozen. I was owned by him for 5 years. He lived in every system I had. The previous owner had him for 3+ years. Even though he ate frozen, he ate foods supplemented with Selcon or other product. I did this for him and my seahorses. He died just this August, when my tank (26 bow) spiked at almost 90 degrees. I was away at the time.

In any case, a fish like that comes along only every once in a while, but they do exist. I'd just make darned sure that it did eat frozen, and would supplement as well. A refugium NEVER hurts.

Dave