Sixline Wrasse and Mandarin?

[petecomas]

I am new to this hobby. I have just finished cycling my 28g tank with about 30 pounds of live rock and 30 pounds of live sand. The sandbed varies between 2 and 6 inches (I used some of the rock as a retaining wall to make a DSB in the back of the tank, which I will eventually plant with macroalgae). My ammonia never really spiked (never got to more than .25 ppm), and my parameters currently are: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, 8.4 ph.

After almost 8 weeks, the tank is crawling with millions of pods. I have pods all over my rocks, all over my substrate, and (when I don't clean the algae from the glass) all over the glass as well. I also have millions of pod larvae swimming around in the water and also sticking to the glass. I don't use a skimmer, so I'm guessing that will continue.

A friend who is experienced with salt water tanks has encouraged me to get a mandarin because of the overabundance of pods in the tank. The problem (maybe) is that I have just introduced a sixline wrasse to the tank less than a week ago.

A few questions for the more experienced hobbyists:

1. Will a 28g tank with this amount of rock and sand support a large enough pod population for both a sixline wrasse and a mandarin? Does the fact that I'm crawling with pods now make any difference? I don't want either fish to starve, nor do I want the wrasse to kill the mandarin.

2. My particular sixline was kept in a community tank at the LFS when I bought it. There were at least 5 or 6 other fish (tangs, clowns, gobies) in the tank with it. I have no idea how aggressive this one is because it's all alone right now. It has not shown any agression to my invertibrates, however (except of course the pods). Do you think the wrasse would get along with the mandarin if I tried to introduce it? Is one week in my tank by himself enough time for the wrasse to think he owns the place and not accept any companions?

3. If you think the wrasse won't get along with the mandarin, is there another species of fish you can recommend so the wrasse isn't lonely? I want to introduce a fish this week as I don't want the wrasse to get too used to being alone and then not accept any other tankmates.

I also have a fire shrimp and two peppermints, together with a bunch of hermits and snails for clean up duty.

 

[bigdog1428]

i have both a 6 line wrasse and a mandarin,,,,i intraduced the 6 line wrasse to my tank first ,,and then 2 months later the mandarin. i never had any issues with them living together ,,i dont even think they noticed each other. so in my opionon you should be fine

 

[e.muehlbauer]

I think your tank is too small to support both fish. I don't think aggression would be an issue, but eventually the pods will give out and the mandarin will starve. The previous poster who had success indicated that he had a 72 gal tank...yours is only 28 gal.

 

[KathyC]

The pods you are seeing are probably amphipods

The pods a Mandarin eats are copepods which are much smaller than adult Amphipods

The bottom line is that once a Mandarin stops eating, it rarely ever resume eating and starves to death. I've heard they will eat in the neighborhood of 200 pods minimum per day.

It is usually suggested that Mandarins require an established tank (1-2 years old minimum), and a tank of approx 100g with plenty of live rock, and a sump with a fuge where the pods can multiply is also very helpful.

 

[Staaan]

I forgot where I read this but I heard you can train mandarin to eat prepared foods.. Well at least attempt..

Just google it... I think it was a post on reef central.. Might be a bit risky cause it might not work out... But sometimes this hobby is risky... People with 100+ gallon tanks have tank crashes and investigate what the problem could have been and never come to a conclusion.. Haha.

I'll try to find the mandarin training post later on... I was looking to do it my self.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[petecomas]

I suspected the tank was too small for a mandarin. Thanks for confirming that. They are very pretty, but I'll pass on putting one in my tank. Anyone have a good suggestion for a second fish? I don't want more than two total, so it would have to get along with my wrasse.

 

[beerfish]

Six lines can get nasty. If you've already introduced him, you may need something either equally aggressive, or so passive that the wrasse won't bother it. Another type of goby may be ok... or a bull shark.

 

[petecomas]

Do you think the orchid dottyback is compatible with the sixline? They both have a reputation for aggression and they're about the same size. If they're the only two fish do you think 28g with 30lbs of rock is enough room for them to coexist without harassing each other? The sixline is in the tank less than a week (since Saturday).

 

[dabgood21]

I've had both and personally, I think the 6-line will eat too much. I recently had one die of old age after 6 years and it was the biggest pig of a reef fish I've ever had. It was always the first one up in the morning and last one to bed. All it ever did was graze my live rock for critters to eat and bully my clowns during feedings to get all the food.
While Mandarins are pretty fish to keep, the 6-line offers you much better service, hunting bristleworms, etc...and will no doubt live longer, especially if you're new to the hobby.
If you decide to get a Mandarin, don't buy a small one. You'll have a better chance of survival the bigger it is, they are poor, slow-moving hunters. Also, unless you have a LFS that can supply you with live brine, forget about it b/c you'll need them just in case. In my opinion, there's no way it could survive long term in a tank that size (regardless of how much rock you have) competing with a 6-line for food.
If you really want a Mandarin, I'd get rid of the wrasse. While Mandarins are pretty to look at, that's about all they are. The 6-lines have a lot of personality and love dancing for you in the current.

 

[guarda]

+1 on getting the mandarin as they are beautiful, peaceful, and very interesting. I've had my mandarin for about 4 or 5 months in a 14G Biocube, 12G Cadlights, and now a 20G cube. Made an acrylic feeding station from remnant cylinder pieces from Canal Plastics. Cost $2. Took about 3 weeks to wean from live brine soaked in selcon -> frozen brine soaked in garlic+selcon -> frozen mysis. Haven't really tried anything other foods since there are still tons of pods my glass.

Fyi saw some nice ORA green spotteds at Manhattan Aquariums on Sat. From what I hear they generally are not eating prepared foods off the bat so same training might be necessary. hope this helps.