Regular Member jsrtist Posted October 20, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 20, 2007 As most of you know, I'm particularly enamored by this marine species. I have done much research through the years in making my tanks "mandarin-friendly." Most people don't set up displays for these shy, elusive fish, but they were the reason I got into saltwater. This tiny girl has been at the pet store for over a month, and I know she has not eaten well in that time. Even though I am strongly against keeping wild caught mandarins, I decided to bring her home. Leaving her there at the store to eventually starve and die wasn't going to make any difference. In the time I was in the retail side of fish, I made sure ANYONE I sold mandarins to carefully understood their needs. I was the so called "mandarin guru" of the store and people would come to me for advice on keeping these little guys. This new girl is EXTREMELY emaciated. I'll post pics of her along with my healthy, fat male. In the two days since I got her, she has begun putting on weight and I have high hopes for her surviving. Here's a pic of my male, what they are supposed to look like: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted October 20, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 20, 2007 Skinny new little girl-look how sucked in and bony she is: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted October 20, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 20, 2007 The male checking out his new mate: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member nickie73 Posted October 20, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 20, 2007 My Gosh! Those fish are beautiful! I have never seen them before until I came here and then I didn't know what they were called. I think that they are some of the most beautiful fish I have ever seen! Good luck to you with your rescue! She is so lucky that you came and took her home. Any names for your fish? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member alistairw Posted October 20, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 20, 2007 your new mandarin fish is gorgeous and she couldn't have asked for a nicer home. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted October 22, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2007 Thanks for the comments! I'm pleased to say that since bringing her home on Wednesday, Baby Mandarin, as she's come to be called, has already started filling out. She's noticeably plumper now. I'm so glad I got her when I did because she would not have made it much longer. I estimated that by the time I got her, she hadn't eaten in over a month. If you guys watch Discovery Channel, be sure and catch "Pacific Abyss" the next time it's on. It chronicles some marine biologists/filmmakers/divers who go to remote locations, and there is a short segment on the mandarins. You have to see the way they swim. THey flutter and hover in the water, like hummingbirds as they feed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted October 22, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2007 For anyone wishing to get one, here is a great article about some of their basic requirements: http://www.reefcentral.com/modules.php?s=&...wpage&pid=3 I have also written several posts in the marine section about properly keeping them, and you can see some pics of my old mandarin tank. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Trinket Posted October 22, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2007 Jen she looked just about reday to turn over and give up on life when you found her -I can see that. Talk about emaciated! I wonder if they were offering her the right foods- I suppose so, so she was just stressed and wouldn't eat? How do you tell if a Mandarin is female? Are you sure you have one of each now..that would be awesome. Both of them look different colors and equally beautiful. Please keep us posted here how she settles in and if they are friendly with each other! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Blue Posted October 22, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2007 Well done Jen they are such stunning fish Am so pleased you got her she will be looking great in no time with you 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted October 22, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2007 The males have a very long dorsal spine, and the females lack one. Males are also considerably larger. Mandarinfish rely only on live food. They constantly graze on tiny copepods and other critters that live on live rock. Therefore, in a bare holding tank in a pet store or wholesaler they tend to starve. Then, inexperienced aquarists keep them in tanks that cannot sustain enough food to keep them fed. They'll decimate the population of pods in a reef tank in no time. I have my tank especially set up to keep them, making sure that I have a thriving population of pods to keep them going. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member alexiscool Posted October 23, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2007 (edited) I really like there colors good job for saving her :thumbup: Edited October 23, 2007 by Fishcrazy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Shamu23 Posted October 23, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2007 wow, they're gorgeous! I've always loved mandarin fish and when Im older Im going to keep some, they're pretty hard to keep happy huh? I did a little research myself about a year ago 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lucky13 Posted October 26, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 26, 2007 So beautiful... I can't belive no one wanted her. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Tolbert2002 Posted November 4, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted November 4, 2007 Jenny Wanted me to post an updated shot of the male mandarin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Shamu23 Posted November 4, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted November 4, 2007 he's so adorable!!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member oliver_black Posted November 4, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted November 4, 2007 In the very first picture, it looked like one of my old neckties had fallen to the bottom of the tank. That is quite a beautiful fish. Do they all have the same pattern and coloration? Is paisly the correct word for their skin coloration. Oliver 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted November 8, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 8, 2007 I love the necktie description! That's perfect. The green mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus), which is what these are, are generally this color and pattern. If you look at my first female mandarin in my signature (who is no longer with me) she was the same but was a red color morph. THere is a similar species called the psychedelic mandarin (Synchiropus picturatus) that has more of a "paisley" type pattern. They were never quite as striking for me, though. I hardly recognize the little girl in that picture I posted at first. She has filled out completely, her color is back, and she is very bold and active. I will post some new pics of her soon. YOu will be amazed at the difference. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted December 9, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 9, 2007 Just wanted to post a couple updated shots of my little girl. I've had her for about a month and a half and she is now fat and happy! You would hardly know it's the same fish. (That's a serpent star behind her.) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member alexiscool Posted December 9, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted December 9, 2007 What a pretty fish.. great inprovement 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dickey_moe Posted December 9, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted December 9, 2007 She looks fat and sassy! you did a great job with her. Is there anything more satisfying than seeing a sick little fish turn around in your care? I don't think so! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member M*gic Posted May 14, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted May 14, 2008 I tried to pair mine, but they fought... had to give it up back to the store again. Did yours fight? Or did they get along right away? She looked better and fat now they look great 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsrtist Posted May 14, 2008 Author Regular Member Share Posted May 14, 2008 Thanks! No, they didn't fight, but the male did pester her for awhile. Were yours both male? If so then that is most likely the reason they were fighting. Males (like a lot of fish) are very territorial and need a very large tank to be kept together. What size tank were they in? They are both still looking really nice and healthy. I make sure the tank keeps a constant supply of copepods in it to keep them fed. I recently found a place that sells live copepods, so that helps, too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member SwimmingGoldie Posted May 14, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted May 14, 2008 Oh there soooo pretty bright color prints and just wow. cutie little fish 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Quasi Posted May 15, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted May 15, 2008 Wow, Those colors . stunning. It almost looks like someone painted them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Valerie Posted May 15, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted May 15, 2008 Beautiful fish! They are so unusual looking! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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