Mandarin care; pod culturing/supply

[astilegnave]

Ive been reading about mandarin dragonets and found them very interesting. Ive read that they need pods as their food for those that are not trained to eat processed food. My problem is i dont have a supply of copepods. To those who have been caring for mandarins, where did you get your pods? Did you culture them? How do i start in pod culturing?

Thank you for any response.

[Leica]

I own a mandarin for about 14 months na. Until now nasa tank ko pa din and healthy naman. I dont know kung bakit tumagal sya sa tank ko. But all i can see is lagi syang may tinutuka sa mga LR at LS ko. Im sure may nakakaen sya sa DT ko kaya until now buhay pa din.

[astilegnave]

I see, pero hindi ka po nagcuculture ng pods? or baka may pod population na ung tank mo and constantly producing sila?

[Sea Turtle]

pods usually thrive within macro algae (ie: chaeto and the like) at yun ang primary food source nila. kaya kadalasan, mandarins are introduced in the tank kapag fully matured na yung system.

[Leica]

Hindi po bro. Basta yun lang nakikita kong behavior nya, they keep on nipping sa LR at LS. Baka yun ang primary source of foods nya.

[seth]

For bigger tanks, malaki talaga yung probability na mabuhay sila lalo kung maraming pod population at maraming rocks para magbahay yung pods. Pero kung nano tanks talaga halos slim to none unless maturuan yung mandarin na kumain ng prepared food.

@astilegnave here are some links you might find useful, kung may mandarin ka na:

http://www.melevsreef.com/mandarin_care.html

http://www.melevsreef.com/mandarin_diner.html

If you are really serious into culturing pods, here's a nice link:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/breeder

You can also make a HOB refugium/pod factory with a small LR and chaeto or macroalgae for additional pod population or add some rubble in your DT na hindi mapapasukan ng mandarin. Iba pa rin yung may dedicated area ka sa DT mo na pwedeng habitat ng pods. Kasi kahit may sump ka hindi naman free swimming ang karamihan ng pods kaya hindi rin lahat madadala ng return pump pabalik sa DT.

[Leica]

[astilegnave]

Thank you for all the replies, they are all noted.

Yes, i want to culture pods pero i dont know where to start. Saan ba makakahanap ng pods para makapagreproduce sila? Ayun din po plano ko, maglagay ng HOB fuge tas magculture ng pods, un nga lang di ko alam san kumuha ng pods to start off.

[Leica]

This is my mandarin now

[seth]

@astilegnave kung talagang "live" rocks ang gamit mo, sigurado meron yun. Meron din sa macroalgae at sa NSW.

[astilegnave]

Yep, live rocks po gamit ko. I got them from the ocean. XD I also use NSW and still planing for my fuge. Pero wala po kasi akong makitang pods, or are they that small na hindi ko sila makita?

By the way, any other alternative food for mandarin?

THANKS!

[seth]

Check the links I posted. Melev feeds his mandarin pellets. You may also try feeding baby brine shrimps or fish roe.

[thurrmac]

one of my favorite fishda... unfortunately mas importante
ang pods para sakin simply bcoz they consume nuisance
algae... they have depleted GHA in my tank significantly..

[astilegnave]

[seth]

If you are looking for cultures, you may try to contact SEAFDEC. They sell cultures and other stuff since they specialize in mariculture and aquaculture..

Another idea is trying to feed mandarins enriched moina, it is relatively cheap and lives in a wide range of environment, including hypo and hypersaline waters.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15571

Good luck!