Mandarin Disease FAQs: Nutritional
FAQs on Mandarin Disease by Category:
Diagnosis,
Environmental, Social,
Infectious,
Parasitic (see also:
Mandarins/Blennies/Gobies & Crypt,), Trauma,
Treatment
Related FAQs:
Mandarin Disease/Health 1,
Mandarin Disease 2,
Mandarin Disease 3,
Mandarin Disease 4,
Mandarins/Blennies/Gobies &
Crypt, Psychedelic "Gobies"/Dragonets/Mandarins
& their Relatives 1, Mandarins , Mandarins
3, Mandarin Identification,
Mandarin Behavior, Mandarin Systems, Mandarin Compatibility, Mandarin Selection, Mandarin Feeding, Mandarin Reproduction,
Related Articles: Psychedelic
"Gobies"/Dragonets/Mandarins, real Gobies & their Relatives,
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Mandarin help... fdg?
4/21/16
Hi,
<Marco>
Please help, I recently purchased a male mandarin dragonet to go with my
female mandarin I have had for over a year with 2 clowns, a lawnmower
blenny, a recently purchased copperband and some inverts.
At first the male mandarin looked skinny and didn't appear to be eating
(I load tank with 1-2bags of pods daily). I found out last week that he
loves mysis and have been feeding live daily. He still seems
skinny and a few days ago I noticed a small white ulcerish mark
on his head that has started getting bigger. He is still eating (eats
2-4 mysis twice daily) but starting to look skinnier also.
<I would offer the Mysis more frequently and lace (soak) them in a
HUFA/Vitamin supplement 5-10 minutes before feeding... and if the fish
doesn't appear to gain weight within a week or two, add some
Prazi/quantel to the food as well>
Please help.
Many thanks
Kind regards,
Marco Cifaldi
<Have you read on WWM re Mandarin health? Bob Fenner>
Re: Mandarin help 4/21/16
Hi Bob,
Many thanks for your prompt reply and help. I have indeed read through
the mandarin health page.
<Ah good>
I couldn't see anything regarding ulcers
<There was just one last week.... due to a likely "poke" or run into
something sharp. Look again>
(appears to be getting bigger) do you think the hufa/vitamins would help
with this also?
<? Why else would I suggest it?>
I am concerned to what has caused this (possibly Bacterial?) and worried
it may pass to the healthy female. Thanks again.
Kind regards,
Marco Cifaldi
<Don't write; read. BobF>
Mandarin goiter? 4/10/16
Hi crew!
<Charles>
I have a (hopefully) straightforward question. My mandarin has a fairly
large bump next to his mouth (see photos).
<I see this>
From what I've read so far, I think it is a goiter. Am I correct?
<It may be>
It hasn't affected his behavior at all.
He even enjoys eating pellet food!
<Good>
For treatment, I had started dosing iodine, as I read that an iodine
deficiency leads to goiters. Should I use a more aggressive treatment?
<I'd add weekly (double or triple dose) to the water during water
changes/regular maintenance... of iodide/ate... Are you using a
commercial prep.?>
I had hoped the iodine would help the mandarin heal on his own, but it's
been there over a month now, and it seems a little bigger than before.
<Mmm; and I might try soaking foods in the prep. ahead of offering... in
an effort to get a physiological titer into the animal>
Thanks for your help. I love your site and always come here first when I
have questions.
Regards,
-Charles
<Cheers, Bob Fenner>
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Re: Mandarin goiter? 4/10/16
Hi Bob! Thanks for the quick response!
<W>
I'm using Kent Marine iodine; dosing every evening (with a dosing pump).
I'll up the dosage right away and start soaking the food.
<Real good. BobF>
Regards,
-Charles
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White spot on Green Mandarin... hlth. period; starving
10/22/13
Ladies and Gentlemen,
<Peter>
You are my last hope. About six months ago my Green Mandarin developed a
small white spot on his back. Since he showed no signs of any sickness and
the spot was not growing I didn't think to much of it. Over time the spot
got bigger (very slowly) and I started to search the internet for answers
but couldn't find any. Talks to other reefers and posts in blogs also went
without any result.
There is no hole in the skin of the fish and it doesn't seem to be an ulcer
either. It just looks like the color is bleaching out. The fish is obviously
not bothered by it. No other fish in my tank shows the same symptom or is
sick. The Mandarin is not bothered by any of the other fish in the tank.
I hope you can shed some light on what is going on with my Mandarin.
Thank you very much
Peter Schleifer
<... whatever else is going on with this fish, it is starving. I would
re-double your efforts to get it live foods of use (maybe move to an ongoing
refugium), perhaps Mysis offered a few times daily, Cyclops... perhaps
soaked in a vitamin/HUFA supplement ahead of offering. I'd be fixing this
fish from the inside out... Nutritionally. Bob Fenner>
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Mandarins in a 55... Mmmm, dis. & fdg.
f's 1/5/10
Hi everybody! I just had a couple questions regarding dragonettes I was
hoping you could answer.
<Will try>
First my tank stats: I have a 55 gallon tank with about 65-70 lbs live
rock 100 lbs sand that is 10 months old and attached 29g fuge holding
Chaeto and grape Caulerpa another 15 lbs live rock and about an inch of
rubble I have a canister filter as a return (no media) and about 300gph
flow through the tank. Now then my first mandarin was a spotted which
took frozen and was fat and active for the 8 months I had it before it
grew a lump on it's side
which looked like half a peanut under it's skin. It had the lump
for a couple months and acted normally before one day it had trouble
staying upright then disappeared the next day. Any idea what was wrong
with it?
<Mmm, perhaps a tumour of some sort... but of what etiology? Perhaps
it "jumped out" (any smiling cats about?)... Perhaps was
eaten, decomposed... Perhaps it's still in there>
I hope to prevent this ever happening again. I found a replacement at a
lfs this time a big red splendid mandarin who was fat and healthy,
after introduction to my tank he went into the rocks and wasn't
seen for a week (even now it's still extremely shy). Assuming he
hadn't made it I found another healthy fat red splendid mandarin
half the size of the first. When acclimating the first one, to my
surprise, came out to check out the new arrival in the bag. So far the
little one always backs off when approached but I heard two males will
inevitably fight
<This is so... if there's not enough room, habitat. The size
diff. here though... these are likely not both males. The large one
female>
so I fear one of two things will happen, they will grow to the same
size and fight possibly killing each other or the
larger one will starve and die in my system if I can't train it to
eat frozen (the smaller eats frozen). So is there any possibility of
peaceful and happy coexistence?
<Yes>
Other inhabitants include 1 neon goby, 1 yellow watchman, 1 Firefish, 1
hectors goby (does not eat prepared
food but still healthy and growing after 6 months), 3 captive bred
hippocampus kuda, and the 2 mandarin along with all the hermits and
snails and crabs. Also I have 1 pom pom crab but wanted to add a couple
more, would their spawning provide food for the mandarins and hectors
goby or just help the filter feeders?
<I'd stick with the one crab>
And lastly I'm looking for more macroalgaes to help provide
breeding grounds for pods, I heard amphipods like Ulva, also suggested
are maidens hair and Gracilaria, your thoughts would be appreciated,
thanks!
Greg
<Providing food/s from outside is likely to be more productive. Do
look into simple Copepod culture. Here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/podreprofaqs.htm
for a start, jumping off point. Bob Fenner>
Mandarin Swim Bladder Issue 3/30/08 A
friend said he had a green Mandarin fish that would not eat.
<<Unfortunately, this is typical.>> I told him I had
a good place for him, and would try to train him to eat fortified
brine shrimp. <<Not my first choice, though it's better
then him not eating at all.>> Went to get the fish, and it
is floating on the surface of the water! He can fight his way to
the bottom, but as soon as he stops swimming he floats strait up
to the surface again! Otherwise, he looks generally healthy After
searching your web site, I have learned some about swim bladder
disease and it's causes. He was in good water, so his most
likely cause would seem to be poor diet, or lack of food in this
case. And I have learned that even if he survives, his swim
bladder will probably never be the same. As for possible
treatments. Medicated food seems to be out of the question,
unless he starts eating, and I will try. So a hospital tank, with
good, frequently changed water, and a general antibiotic, seem to
be the only coarse of action. Am I on the right track? Have I
missed anything? Anyone ever squeeze a bubble out of a fish's
bladder without killing it? And can you recommend a general
antibiotic, if that is the path I should take. << You seem
to be on the right track, you've at least read some which is
more than I can say for a lot of the emails we receive. As far as
the antibiotic should you choose to use one…the only
general recommendation I have is to not use one with any metal
compounds or formalin based products, and of course any treatment
should be done in a quarantine tank. Check out this article to it
may be of use;
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i3/swim_bladders/swim_bladders.htm
.>> Thanks Rich <<Welcome, Adam J.>>
Re: swim bladder disease... Mela-non-fix
4/16/08 I am writing with thanks for your help with my Green
Mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus). He was placed in a ten gallon
quarantine tank, stuffed with as much mature live rock as I could
put in it. The tank was treated with Melafix, a general fish
antibiotic. <Error... this leaf extract is not an
antibiotic... not really a "medicine" at all... Is more
trouble than it's worth> Each day, I changed two and a
half gallons of water and added another dose of Melafix. During
the daylight hours, the Mandarin would wedge himself into or
under ledges of the rock to stay submerged. After dark, he would
allow himself to float up and rest for the night on the surface.
This went on for seven days. After seven days I stopped the
antibiotic treatments, <Thank goodness> and the daily water
changes, thinking his chances were slim to none. On the tenth
day, I noticed that he was no longer spending the night on the
surface, though his swimming was still labored. After twelve
days, his swimming was near normal. And after fourteen days he
was cured of his swim bladder problems! Swimming and hunting the
rock normally as Mandarins do. He was then moved to a sixty
gallon refugium, loaded with rock, where a small female Mandarin
lived alone. She has lived alone in there for a year, and took to
him instantly. She has now taught him how to eat live brine
shrimp fortified with Selcon. And he appears to be on the road to
full recovery! I thank you so much for your time and help, and
present this success story to you. Richard <Am very glad you
ceased the API exposure. This material is more toxic than
helpful. Cheers, Bob Fenner>
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Mandarin <fdg., hlth> Question 12/29/06 Thanks for such
a great, informative, fascinating web site!!! I hope I am not wasting
your time with info that is already in the archives, but I have read
through everything on mandarins and I'm worried about mine.
<Lets hear it.> I have wanted a mandarin for quite awhile so we
read and starting preparing. We have a 100 gallon well established tank
with 100 pounds plus of live rock and a fuge. <Sounds like a good
home.> Inhabitants include 2 sebae clowns and a yellow tang,
peppermint shrimp, invertebrates, and assorted corals. Parameters are
ammonia/nitrate/nitrite: 0, pH: 8.1, temperature: 81, SG: 1.025. The
calcium reactor and test kit were ordered for Christmas! <Nice>
We thought we were ready for the mandarin and purchased her (I think
her based on fin size??) three days ago. She looked ok in the store,
but when we got her home we realized she is VERY skinny. At the store
she was eating brine (not sure if this means she is "trained"
or just starving and desperate). <Either, hopefully the former.>
She is very active in our tank and appears to be hunting the pods
(constantly moving around the rock and pecks at the rock although I
cannot see if she actually grabs a pod when she does this). <Good
sign.> I know mandarins and especially skinny ones have a poor
survival rate. <Unfortunately> My question is what is the best
way to try and fatten her up? Should I just leave her to the pods and
fate or can I try and supplement with Mysis, bloodworms, etc. even
though this is not the nutrition she needs for long term survival?
<I would try a little frozen food, preferably the Mysis soaked in
Selcon for a little extra boost. If she takes it so much the
better.> I feel like we have an ample pod population esp. with the
fuge, but I am worried since I'm starting out with an already
compromised specimen. Thanks for your help! MLF <Sounds like you
have planned ahead and are ready for this somewhat demanding fish. Hard
to say what its chances are based on your description of its current
state, but it seems that your tank has the right conditions for its
survival. Good luck fattening this guy/gal up.> <Chris>
Mandarin Maladies...A Too Common Tale - 10/13/06 My mandarin
stopped moving around today. It has been hovering in one place and did
not respond to food. <<These fish often fare poorly in captivity
in the long-term>> It appears to be otherwise healthy. Fat as
always and good coloration, breathing seems regular, but all fins are
erect at all times as if it were threatening or mating.
<<Mmm...>> So I tried to feed it with a turkey baster (it
supplements its diet of pods with frozen Mysis). The fish did not
respond to the turkey baster so I touched it with the tip of the baster
and it responded. I blew some water across his face and once again he
responded. I believe that he is blind and that this happened suddenly.
<<Possibly (and likely a nutritional issue), or maybe not blind
but just so ill it will only respond to physical stimuli>> Do you
believe that I might train it to eat food placed near by?
<<Won't know till you try...but I have my doubts as to
whether this fish will recover/survive from this point. You say the
Mysis is used to supplement the mandarin's "natural" diet
but if this fish is not in a large system (100g+) with a deep sand bed,
sufficient live rock, and an in-line refugium its long-term
survivability was always in question...regardless of whether or not it
accepted the frozen Mysis. These fishes rarely ever thrive in
captivity...usually best left in the ocean>> He is in a tank with
seahorses and a Yellow Watchman. There is no real competition for food.
The fish has been with us for about 1 year and has always eaten well.
<<A common scenario...yet these fish still decline/die
mysteriously in most cases>> Thanks <<Regards,
EricR>>
Mandarin Malady - Goiter? Iodine Deficiency? -
09/09/2005 I've asked this question on a couple boards and
I was told to ask you guys. <Please capitalize and punctuate in
the future.... it will save us time in revising prior to posting on
the site.> My mandarin has this bubble thing under his mouth,
about the size of a BB. <Excellent images, a picture really is
worth a thousand words.> He's still eating normal. No sign
of stress. He's had it about a month now. Any ideas? <A few,
yes. This looks to me like a condition brought about from a
deficiency in iodine, called a "goiter". It can happen in
people, too. Anthony suggests that high nitrate levels can
contribute, as high nitrate can inhibit a fish's ability to use
iodine even if there is enough present in its environment. So, step
one, test those nitrates. You'll want them as low as humanly
possible.... as close to zero as you can be; preferably 5ppm or
less. Next, on to treating the condition.... with the delicate
nature of how Mandarins feed, this should probably be done in your
main tank, with caution of course to try to find out how it will
affect your other animals. Untergasser recommends a stock solution
of 0.5g iodine and 5g potassium iodide dissolved in 100 ml.s water
(be sure to use distilled water). Add one ml.s of this solution to
every 13 gallons of water. Add to compensate for water changes, and
keep at it until you see improvement. If you can, you might want to
pick up a copy of Untergasser's "Handbook of Fish
Diseases".... Inexpensive, informative.... Very useful, indeed
- and easy to read/understand, too. Wishing your mandarin a swift
recovery, -Sabrina (and Bob, and Anthony, and Eric - thanks for
your input, guys!)> |
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Mandarin Mystery - 08/16/2005 Thanks for your advice in past.
<Glad we could be of service.> I have a new dilemma. I purchased
recently a mandarin goby, he is beautiful. I made sure that it eats
newly hatched brine shrimp before we left the store. <This may very
well not be enough nourishment.... they cannot survive on baby brine
alone. Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm and also the links,
in blue, at the top of that page.> First days were fine. Now here is
the mystery --- my two cleaner ('skunk') shrimps died 3 days
after introducing mandarin. <Possibly/probably coincidence.... I
doubt the introduction of the mandarin had anything directly to do with
these deaths.> They were in very good condition before and breeding
like crazy. My all water parameters are fine (0ammonia, 0nitrates, pH
8, <A touch low on pH, not dreadful though> tank is 4 years old
with deep sand bed and live rock), <What of alkalinity? Calcium?
Possibly iodine?> I didn't change salinity or anything else. Now
the mandarin acting strange too --- it breathes heavily and refuses to
eat, prefers to stay in one corner and is not active as before. <My
first guess is malnutrition. These animals require copious amounts of
live foods to forage upon.... You do not mention your tank size, or the
amount of live rock in, so this is my best guess.> Besides 2
cleaners I also had 2 blue devil damsels (they get along fine and did
not bother mandarin). What is going on? what I can do to save my
mandarin? What happened to my shrimps? <Again, likely
coincidence.... The shrimp may have died of a lack of iodine or
calcium.> (are mandarins poisonous?) <To my understanding,
mandarins are neither toxic nor poisonous.> Thank you. -Veronica
<Do please go over that article, and those links.... Wishing you
well, -Sabrina
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