Like 2 month ago I bought a Mandarin fish, a week after, the little guy (about 1 ˝ to 2 inch) disappeared, I was not to surprised since I heard that its recommended for very well established tanks, and mine was about 4 month established by that time.
Yesterday, late night, I was adjusting my in-sump skimmer (using a flashlight), and I was shock to see the Mandarin swimming around in the sump…. I’m still trying to figure it out, how did he get there?
My setup has 2 oceanic overflows, the kit look just like an all-glass one and an oceanic sump, check the picture, btw the water drains into the black box that has a foam pad on top (closed).
i,ve seen amazing squeezes through strainers in my time. dragonets have a very soft body structure. that round hole at the very bottom of the strainer had allowed several of my fish to get through.
You know...he probably just tip-toed along the edge of the tank, slithered down the side and took a dive for the sump. Mandarins are rumoured to do this!