ok now

[warloc4326]

I had the tank set up and running for about 8-10 months prior to adding the mandarin into it. I had gotten the tank with a powder blue grouper in it from a friend, he was getting rid of the fish so he just gave me the tank. The tank was in bad shape then, water changes had been occasionally done, and no real flow in the tank. I put on a fluval canister filter, and added about 10 lbs of live rock. At that point I purchased a domino and yellow tail damsel. Soon I had to remove the domino because the yellow tail beat it up pretty bad. Then it was time to add in the other more interesting items to my tank. I started out by purchasing a little low light coral, a few mushrooms (3 un-attached), a leather coral, a couple button polyps, and some xenia. All of the corals came from very small frags or individuals. At this point I wanted to add some fish into the tank except damsels. My friend suggested I didn't go with the mandarin because of the track record it had gotten in the hobby. I said ok... and got one a day later after reading a lot of articles on this fish. Don't get me wrong I did have a lot of doubts in my mind about it. But all seems to be going for the best. Right now there is a total of about 15lbs of liverock in my tank. Haven't added anything into the tank or removed anything except the yellow tail was replaced by a blue velvet.

I did hope to add in a mated pair of clarkii clowns but it seems I just can't get them to accept the tank. I've checked my levels in the tank and did a few water changes to make sure everything was alright. However, after adding in the clowns they had died in 48 hours. This is the second pair I have tried in the 8 months the tank has been set up.

Thom

 

[reefann]

I should add that I'm not trying to tell anyone what they should or should not add to their tanks. Someone once said: "When you pay for my fish, then you can tell me what to buy."

I just want to make everyone aware of the very demanding needs of this fish in particular so that anyone attempting to keep it can prepare for those needs.

That was perfectly said. I feel that the Synchiropus splendidus (green mandarin) is ONE of the best looking fish in this hobby. But with that comes the responsibility that you are going to have to be able to reconise signs of the fishes decline in health. If you truly feel and are not just humoring yourself into thinking that you can keep this fish happily alive for a fairly large amount of time then I say go for it. But if this is a "My girlfreind and I saw this fish so I am setting up a tank. How do I keep this guy alive?"scenario then no go.I wish you the best of luck and this forum is always here for answers.
JJ
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