Biota order

[Hallowhead]

I bought two mandarins from Biota as well. I bought a male first, which later turned out to be female. A few months later, I bought a female that turned out to be male when it matured. I don’t think Biota can reliably determine the sex when these guys are so young.

At first, the older female would chase the male around the tank. Then after a few months, the male got large enough and started chasing the female. After a year, the aggression mostly is gone. They perform a mating dance almost every night when the lights go down. It’s really fascinating to watch. Totally worth having a mated pair of mandarins IMO.

Mating dance:

How often do you feed pods ? Or seed tank?

 

[RyanCohen]

How often do you feed pods ? Or seed tank?

Initially, I was dumping pods that I was culturing twice a week, but these guys eat frozen now (LRS reef frenzy and particularly Rods since it’s smaller). I do add phyto everyday to the tank still. My tank is only 47 gallons, and the mandarins are fat. I may not need to add pods at all, and some weeks I do forget. But there isn’t much harm in adding pods.

 

[Hallowhead]

Initially, I was dumping pods that I was culturing twice a week, but these guys eat frozen now (LRS reef frenzy and particularly Rods since it’s smaller). I do add phyto everyday to the tank still. My tank is only 47 gallons, and the mandarins are fat. I may not need to add pods at all, and some weeks I do forget. But there isn’t much harm in adding pods.

Oh absolutely they're always beneficial. You culture your own ?

 

[RyanCohen]

Oh absolutely they're always beneficial. You culture your own ?

Yeah, I did purchase the Poseidon reef system. It is a bit pricey but works well. I’ve been doing it for a year now. However, I don’t culture my own phyto. I get that from Reefco, which is only 10 minutes away. And just add some more phyto twice a week. When I harvest, I shine a flashlight on the screen and can see all the pods moving pretty well. It’s a fairly easy set up.

I could culture the phyto too easily, but it’s mainly an excuse to stop by the LFS and buy corals.

 

[Hallowhead]

Yeah, I did purchase the Poseidon reef system. It is a bit pricey but works well. I’ve been doing it for a year now. However, I don’t culture my own phyto. I get that from Reefco, which is only 10 minutes away. And just add some more phyto twice a week. When I harvest, I shine a flashlight on the screen and can see all the pods moving pretty well. It’s a fairly easy set up.

I could culture the phyto too easily, but it’s mainly an excuse to stop by the LFS and buy corals.

I used to culture pods, they're easy. Almost hard to not be successful. The problem was phyto. For whatever reason I couldn't get it to be successful so I kept having to buy phyto and just stopped all together

 

[ericrodriguez]

I’ll be interested in a pair of mandarins as well so if anyone wants to split the shipping cost I’m in…
I’ll also intrigue for the pods, how long it takes to have ready for the fish? 2 weeks, 3?

I used to culture pods, they're easy. Almost hard to not be successful. The problem was phyto. For whatever reason I couldn't get it to be successful so I kept having to buy phyto and just stopped all together

Yeah, I did purchase the Poseidon reef system. It is a bit pricey but works well. I’ve been doing it for a year now. However, I don’t culture my own phyto. I get that from Reefco, which is only 10 minutes away. And just add some more phyto twice a week. When I harvest, I shine a flashlight on the screen and can see all the pods moving pretty well. It’s a fairly easy set up.

I could culture the phyto too easily, but it’s mainly an excuse to stop by the LFS and buy corals.

 

[Avrohom]

What would a pair of mandarins from them run me?

 

[Hallowhead]

What would a pair of mandarins from them run me?

$250?

 

[Avrohom]

Whoa

 

[kevin]

So I've been culturing phytoplankton for a few months. If anyone needs help, I can take you through the steps..its super super super easy

I'm actually going to try my hands at culturing copepods tonight. I got my copepods from algaebarn yesterday just had to mix my salt last night for them

I would be interested in mandarin if this copepod culturing works out lol

 

[akma]

So good news!

The small one that's been missing I found in the 3rd compartment of my sump. lol
Somehow she fit threw the holes in my acclimation box, jumped out of my refugium compartment to my mechanical filtration compartment. Then somehow managed to get to get to my return which I have no idea how because I use filters between each compartment.

I'm just glad i found her!

 

[kevin]

So good news!

The small one that's been missing I found in the 3rd compartment of my sump. lol
Somehow she fit threw the holes in my acclimation box, jumped out of my refugium compartment to my mechanical filtration compartment. Then somehow managed to get to get to my return which I have no idea how because I use filters between each compartment.

I'm just glad i found her!

Wooo!
That's much better than finding a stink bug in your rear compartment like I did the other day lol

 

[RyanCohen]

So good news!

The small one that's been missing I found in the 3rd compartment of my sump. lol
Somehow she fit threw the holes in my acclimation box, jumped out of my refugium compartment to my mechanical filtration compartment. Then somehow managed to get to get to my return which I have no idea how because I use filters between each compartment.

I'm just glad i found her!

Wow, great news! Amazing journey for the baby mandarins!