Build an easy feeder for mandarins, pipefish etc.

[Paul B]

Certain fish you just can't keep without a feeder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROQgxQG_AFg

http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/diy-target-feeder-mandarinfish-pipefish-2804/

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

Thanks for the info. The mandarin feeder looks easy to make, and I would like to give my fish a little variety. I am definitely going to give it a try.

I have a copperband butterfly in quarantine that is currently eating "Reef Frenzy". Do you have any suggestions for a feeder that I can use when I move him/her to the display tank?

 

[Paul B]

No feeder for the copperband but you should feed him clams and live blackworms if you can get them. I have been keeping copperbands since the 70s and have no problem with them. They do not really like to be quarantined though.
Here is mine when he was young eating worms. Every fish in this video (except the copperband) is spawning on this diet.

 

[Technorch]

Just found a beautiful red mandarin at my LFS. Even though I have tons of pods, I like this feeder idea to feed baby brine shrimp. I'm definitely building one of these today!

So once I put the net over the container, do I need to rip it a little for the brine to come through? I have one of those brine shrimp nets and they won't make it though the net

 

[Paul B]

Double post

 

[Paul B]

No don't make any holes. You want the shrimp to have trouble getting through so the mandarin can pull them through. If you make a hole all the shrimp will swim to the surface where your cat will lap them up.

Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsGrL9nxJPs

 

[reefstarter]

Wow so many different kinds I thought that raised issues. Guess I can get more

 

[Technorch]

Holy dragonets, that's insane! I consider myself lucky to keep one alive never mind that many lol.

So here's mine so far. I just need to attach the tubing on the side.

 

[Paul B]

Looks good from here. Just be sure that mesh is tiny so the shrimp can't just float through. That is the biggest problem. They should have trouble getting through so the fish have to "help" them through. If you pour new born shrimp on to the mesh, most of them should still be on it while some get through. That would be the perfect size mesh. If you put shrimp in there, watch closely to make sure they all just don't come right through or it won't work.
If you do it right, they spawn constantly. My pipefish, ruby reds and mandarins always spawn.

 

[Marshall O]

I made one, and my mesh was too large I imagine brine shrimp nets are too small, so I'll have to find one in the middle.

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[Technorch]

Looks good from here. Just be sure that mesh is tiny so the shrimp can't just float through. That is the biggest problem. They should have trouble getting through so the fish have to "help" them through. If you pour new born shrimp on to the mesh, most of them should still be on it while some get through. That would be the perfect size mesh. If you put shrimp in there, watch closely to make sure they all just don't come right through or it won't work.
If you do it right, they spawn constantly. My pipefish, ruby reds and mandarins always spawn.

I'll put it to the test later tonight.

 

[Technorch]

I made one, and my mesh was too large I imagine brine shrimp nets are too small, so I'll have to find one in the middle.

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I used a brine shrimp net. I'll see how that goes.

 

[Marshall O]

Let me know how it works!

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[Paul B]

A baby brine shrimp net may be to small as that is made to hold shrimp but not let them through. I use Ladies stockings (that I make my wife buy for me) they are sometimes 99 cents and you can let your imagination run wild as to the color. But not all stockings are the same. I just got one pair and the mesh is to large so I need to dump those and get another pair. Once I get the right pair I can cut out many pieces because they only last a couple of weeks then they start to make holes. I think my urchin enjoys eating it.

 

[Technorch]

So the baby brine shrimp net did not work as they weren't able to even get out lol.

I tried my wife's stockings and these are perfect. Small enough to hold them back but they seem to squeeze through just fine. I have the new mandarin in a holding qt tank and he already started picking at the feeder!

These are the stockings I'm using:

 

[Marshall O]

Awesome!

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[Jag1028]

Can we see a picture of yours

 

[Technorch]

I'll take pictures of it when I take it out later tonight.

I did take this video of him eating:


https://vimeo.com/181217800

 

[joe0813]

Paul are you on reef central? Pretty sure i followed your tank on there

 

[vinny]

So is everyone hatching there own pods or buy them?