Ok, thanks. I was thinking captive bred, do you think one of them will work? If not I will cross them off the list.
Hey there
Just wanted to share my itty bitty teeny tiny captive bred Biota mandarin experience with you. I ordered it, a yasha goby and a pistol shrimp from LiveAquaria. I was in absolute awe as to the sizes they arrived as. So very very small!! The mandarin was barely half the diameter of a regular frag plug! When I added them to the tank (biocube 29 gallon), I didn't see the yasha out much at all, it was definitely scared of my existing barber pole goby. Eventually the barber pole goby disappeared (open top)... never did find a body (I have a dog).... and the only residents of my cube are the yasha goby and shrimp, and the mandarin. It's been about six months maybe. Anyway... the mandarin just flutters around alot. It's grown significantly and appears healthy, but it's still small. It tends to stay in the shadows of the rockpile and macro algae, hunting.
The yasha hasha is out a good bit, but it hides when there is any noise or heavy steps on the floor. As far as feeding... The captive bred Biota mandarin doesn't participate in feeding time. At all. Could be because I spring for pods frequently from AlgaeBarn and it isn't hungry enough. The yasha is a very very passive feeder (to the point it won't cross the tank to get food from anywhere other than it's little quadrant.) So when I feed, I observe. I also started out feeding Cyclops (Elos canned) and I *think* one time the mandarin slurped up a piece on a rock and spit it out. I haven't fed with that in a while. I got tired of paying for it and only a tiny bit being used.
So, all this to say... I think in a 45 if you are willing to buy pods and not have other pod munchers (wrasses, pipes, just about anything cryptic and cool lol) it can be done, and done well. But please don't get a captive bred mandarin counting on it to eat prepared foods. You may get lucky, you may not. I haven't gone through all the work others have gone through to try to "teach" it either though. Buying pods isn't all that expensive, and they and the phyto I dose to sustain them also have other benefits to my tank. But, I have the worlds most peaceful tank and even with no feeding competition, that mandy won't eat prepared.
I'm looking for an open water swimming herbivore that won't freak out the yasha hasha. Or jump out lol I'm tempted to try to remove the yasha hasha and pass him along to another reefer just to not have to worry about it. Good luck with your tank!
