Mr Cob Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 We just got a pair of breeding Blue Mandarin Dragonets (came in as "reds" but they look like blues) (Synchiropus splendidus) The female is about 2" and the Male is a big papa at around 4". Opposite of clownfish.. the male gets to be the big dominant one with these fish. I'm going to use this thread to document our progress on breeding them. At the moment we are pretty clueless but thanks to google, all the information we need is a search away. We have started researching a bit but our first priority is beefing them up! Priority one: FOOD! The plan is to keep a steady supply of live pods while trying to get them on frozen. I'm adding live rotifers each time I add frozen. Also using a Wet Acrylic seahorse trough for introducing frozen foods. I'm feeding in the same location each time and turning pumps off right before feeding. I'm hoping that once the pumps go off they will begin to recognize that as feeding time and head over to the trough. Anyways, chime in if you have any info to share or questions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 That's cool. Good luck. I've read the collection methods are particularly harder on mandarins. So if you can breed them, then great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Pedretti Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 I'm riding along on this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdavis735 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 If you can breed them and get some that will Eat frozen I want one for sure. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ct67stang Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 I dabbled at the idea. Even set up a 30 g tank for it. but then i started collecting zoas. Good luck ill post some of the links i found useful. And it would be awesome if you can train a batch to eat frozen, i read it was easier to train the group rather than individual fish Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 I am not aiming to breed but will have a male and female soon in my 125-gallon. If I ever catch them doing any mating dances, maybe I'll think about it then. Good luck with the venture! It seems like a fun experiment to be part of! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 6, 2013 Author Share Posted November 6, 2013 We are off to a great start so far. After about 8 tries over the last 2 days big papa is eating frozen brine shrimp from the seahorse trough! The female is also eating but has not gone into the trough yet. She stays near by and picks off the stuff that the male kicks up out of the trough. Thanks for the comments and support, we are pretty excited about the pair, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Hope this works. If it weren't for their eating habits, they'd easily be the best aquarium reef fish. Great personality and their coloring is second to none. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 6, 2013 Author Share Posted November 6, 2013 Agree jestep! The male perched up and waiting for food lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Pedretti Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 That's so awesome 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 Thanks, Justin. The female went in the trough for the first time today and pecked at some frozen brine. I caught this shot from outside the room. Once she saw me she headed out of the trough. Video of the female swimming around: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mlaw Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Mr. Cobb, way to go! I'm very excited to see the results and will definitely be a customer once you have some to sell. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Pedretti Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Same here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woods Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Are these Green or Red Mandarin? As they look Green from the pics... Very exciting to see you trying to breed them... Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 Thanks guys! Woods, I purchased them as "Red" but have thought they look green as well from the pics. My light over the tank is a wavepoint LED and makes everything look very blue. In person they look like reds. Once I feel they are settled in and nice and fat I will pull them out and take some better shots to determine if they really are Red or Green. I also plan to purchase another pair for reference. Sent from my HTC VIVID using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 maybe the seller is colorblind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 This is what mine look like: http://www.liverocknreef.com/liverock/index.php?l=product_detail&p=9061 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woods Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 I would say those are Greens based on the amount of Blue in the Pectoral fins. From the pics and information I have seen, the Reds have red/orange Pectoral and Anal fins with no Blue outer edge. Greens have the outer Blue edge on the Pectoral fins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 Good observation Woods. The person I got them from said they originally came from ORA. I'm uncertain if these were ORA offspring or if they were a wild caught pair that they used in their broodstock. I think they are most likely Blue Mandarins and wild caught because the male has a bent spike on the front dorsal fin: http://www.orafarm.com/products/fish/dragonets/blue-mandarin/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 They are definitely: Synchiropus splendidus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 At the moment the pair is in a 10g tank with heater, rigid airline, HOB biological power filter with active carbon, live rock, macro algae and hair algae... loaded with pods. I also have two additional HOB filters running that I removed the filter media from and added live rock rubble to cultivate pod colonies and act as a cryptic fuge. In addition I also add live rotifers each night and a few drops of phyto. Currently doing small 1/2-1gallon water changes each evening.SG: 1.020Temp: 79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 11, 2013 Author Share Posted November 11, 2013 The female spends most of her time in the trough now, just waiting for food. lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I've read that mandarins are very busy fish and need to be fed twice a day. If they're eating pods off of live rock then they can feed thmselves as they like, but if they have to be fed twice a day that seems like a lot of extra nutrients in the water collumn to accomodate a single fish. Also, how much of the food will they actually get having to compete for it with other DT inhabitants? If I'm wrong about the required frequency of their feedings, then I guess my question is moot except for competing for food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cob Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 I've read that mandarins are very busy fish and need to be fed twice a day. If they're eating pods off of live rock then they can feed thmselves as they like, but if they have to be fed twice a day that seems like a lot of extra nutrients in the water collumn to accomodate a single fish. Also, how much of the food will they actually get having to compete for it with other DT inhabitants? If I'm wrong about the required frequency of their feedings, then I guess my question is moot except for competing for food. I agree Wade... and most mandarins won't even accept frozen or dry food. Also to add to your comments, tanks should be mature and larger than 40g to support their live food demands. Not sure if you were just chiming in with info on keeping Mandarins or if you had a question for me in regards to this project? sent from my Samsung Note 8 on tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshel1217 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 it looks like your doing great. Do you plan to breed other type of mandarins ie targets ect? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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