WTB ISO Mandarin Goby

Mandarin Goby can be difficult to keep. I’d do a lot of research and still be prepared to find another suitable home for it if you can’t get a steady diet. Additionally, it would be easier to introduce them to a well established tank (they love pods). good luck! Edit: I kinda combined a reply to your last two posts and gave you my personal opinion/info
 
Mandarin Goby can be difficult to keep. I’d do a lot of research and still be prepared to find another suitable home for it if you can’t get a steady diet. Additionally, it would be easier to introduce them to a well established tank (they love pods). good luck! Edit: I kinda combined a reply to your last two posts and gave you my personal opinion/info
lucky for me i have a family member whos been in the hobby for 20 plus years. so hopefully i should be good!
 
Mandarin Goby can be difficult to keep. I’d do a lot of research and still be prepared to find another suitable home for it if you can’t get a steady diet. Additionally, it would be easier to introduce them to a well established tank (they love pods). good luck! Edit: I kinda combined a reply to your last two posts and gave you my personal opinion/info
I know this is a WTB thread, but since you are both new here and new to the hobby, I wanted to echo that this is great advice.

If you plan to have a mandarin in a tank that you just said is two weeks old and is only 20 gallons, you should ask your family member who has been in the hobby 20+ years and see what they think. In a two week old 20 gallon tank, most mandarins will essentially be cut flowers. There are ways to feed them but it is very involved.

The only way I would recommend you attempt this is if you buy one of the captive bred mandarins from biota, or find one somewhere that is already eating prepared food. But certainly not in a two week old tank which is probably not even cycled.
 
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Even a mature 20 gallon wouldn’t be able to support a mandarin. This is not something that anyone will support. After starting your first tank 2 weeks ago, I wouldn’t even put a fish in there for another week or 2. Work your way up the chain with a few snails and hermits. Then a shrimp. Then a fish appropriate for a 20 gallon tank.
 
Most fun day is the day your mandarin comes in, buzzing around the tank looking into every corner. The worst day is when you’re netting out what’s left of his skeleton……..I think I’d sit this one out and look into a clownfish and a royal gramma. As mentioned the biota ones are good because they’ll eat other food which helps but they are designed to eat pods.

Good luck
 
I got a mandarin very early on due to inexperience and lost him. My tank didn't have a steady population of copepods but was told I can Target feed with store bought bottled pods. That was another mistake. These guys like to graze all day. Places have mandarins for sale pretty regularly for short money. I noticed the most beautiful also most challenging or problematic fish are the least expensive. You could find one trained for Frozen but how trained are they? Just my two cents and experience
 
I got a mandarin very early on due to inexperience and lost him. My tank didn't have a steady population of copepods but was told I can Target feed with store bought bottled pods. That was another mistake. These guys like to graze all day. Places have mandarins for sale pretty regularly for short money. I noticed the most beautiful also most challenging or problematic fish are the least expensive. You could find one trained for Frozen but how trained are they? Just my two cents and experience
Many years ago I trained one to eat frozen out of a baby food jar in a 14 gallon frag tank. When I moved it to my big tank, it wouldn't eat the frozen anymore. I even put the baby food jar in there same as before, but it didn't care. I think it's natural instinct is to eat pods even when you think it's trained for frozen. Once it had a taste for pods, it wouldn't go back.
 
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVICE!!!!!!!!! Although I'm not sure what is so "hmmm" about me having a grandfather who is very experienced lol. But I have definitely taken all of this into consideration and I will not be getting a Goby until I can afford a proper tank and proper care for one. You have all saved a fish from dying :)
 
You can get a goby. Just not a mandarin, which is technically in its own class as dragonets. Lots of cool gobies you could get. Just take it slow and do some research. For a 20 gallon tank, check out nano-reef.com, its a great resource for small tanks.
 
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVICE!!!!!!!!! Although I'm not sure what is so "hmmm" about me having a grandfather who is very experienced lol. But I have definitely taken all of this into consideration and I will not be getting a Goby until I can afford a proper tank and proper care for one. You have all saved a fish from dying :)
I'm so glad to hear it. It's a really responsible decision.

This is an interesting hobby because all of us love reef ecosystems, but if we're not careful our love of reef aquaria can negatively impact the wild reefs. Luckily there are a huge number of aquacultured corals and fish. We're at the point where we can start talking about zero impact reef tanks.

You will find that there are many club members who will sell locally aquacultured corals at prices that fish stores can't compete with...so you can buy totally sustainable corals at fantastic prices.

Good luck with your tank!
 
You can get a goby. Just not a mandarin, which is technically in its own class as dragonets. Lots of cool gobies you could get. Just take it slow and do some research. For a 20 gallon tank, check out nano-reef.com, its a great resource for small tanks.
Mandarins are the only goby that have really caught my eye. I think i'll just stick to my original planof a pair of clown fish
 
I'm so glad to hear it. It's a really responsible decision.

This is an interesting hobby because all of us love reef ecosystems, but if we're not careful our love of reef aquaria can negatively impact the wild reefs. Luckily there are a huge number of aquacultured corals and fish. We're at the point where we can start talking about zero impact reef tanks.

You will find that there are many club members who will sell locally aquacultured corals at prices that fish stores can't compete with...so you can buy totally sustainable corals at fantastic prices.

Good luck with your tank!
So many people on this site have already reached out to me with incredibly cheap or even free corals. The community is definitely a driving force for me liking this hobby so much.
Thank You!
 
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