Mandarin breeding

[Cake_Boss]

So I'm getting the mandarin from CL. I'll have a pair, but they are a red and a target. Does it matter when it comes to breeding? I don't think so. I still have to QT the new arrival and get him eating frozen. I've trained a mandarin before, so I don't think it will be an issue.

This will be my first fish breeding excursion. Go big or go home right?

Besides learning how to culture rots and pods, what else do I need to learn in order to prep for this? I've done some reading and it seems mandarins have prolarvae. They don't need to eat until day 14, is this right?

I'm also looking for The Complete Marine Breeders book, if you have one or know of a in-state place I can get one for less than $50 LMK.

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[DGPets]

I've never heard of the Spotted/Target Mandarins breeding with the Green/Blue/Red type mandarins.
Different colors of the Blue Mandarins, ie Greens, Blues, and Reds should breed as they are just different color morphs of the same fish.
The Spotted or Target Mandarins are a different species, so you may have a turf war on your hands.

Seems like something that would have made an appearance before as they would probably throw very interesting looking hybrid young if you ever convinced them to cross breed.

 

[Cake_Boss]

Guess you're right, they're not even the same genus (which I find weird).

Nonetheless, I've changed my light cycle a little to reflect this article, http://www.tfhmagazine.com/saltwater-reef/feature-articles/breeding-mandarins-full-article.htm.

 

[Cherub]

that fish is supposed to have ick... careful bud

 

[Wicked Color]

Mandarins dont get ich very easily, if at all, they are a scaleless fish with a heavy duty slime coat.
You would have seen hybrids by now if they could be bred.

 

[gh0st]

+1
Mandarins very rarely get Ich. More often, sand gets stuck to their mucus coat, and is misdiagnosed as Ich.

The feeding is the tough part as they eat copious amounts of copepods and amphipods.

 

[projectx]

So if you try to introduce a male later on, the potential for a war is pretty likely?

 

[spstimie]

Jaime, do you know how to sex mandarin fish? It is not easy. Mandarins do not mate like clown fish. Rearing them will be more difficult. If you want to do it, far be it from me to discourage you, but I have read The Complete Illustrated Breeder's Guide to Marine Aquarium Fishes. It made me satisfied with propagating corals(not enough time for fish). Amazon has it for around $30.

 

[Wicked Color]

The dorsal fin is a pretty good indicator on a mature fish, male dorsals are larger, with a longer spike, and are more likely to strut their stuff.
male;

female;

both;

 

[Ummfish]

Jaime, do you know how to sex mandarin fish? It is not easy. Mandarins do not mate like clown fish. Rearing them will be more difficult.

Yep, sexing them is pretty easy. They are pelagic spawners so you'll want to have some space at the top of the tank above the rockwork for them to spawn into. Rearing them is tougher than clownfish, but pretty easy for a pelagic fish. But, heck, you can buy good copepods in bottles now. It should be a lot easier than it used to be.

 

[spstimie]

Synchiropus splendidus- is typically easier to sex, but I have seen a good majority come from wholesalers with the dorsal bitten off. That can make it difficult.

Synchiropus picturatus- is usually a little more difficult, IME, because the dorsal spine is no where near as long.

I had a hard time getting females of both. In order to get my female, I had to call my salesman and tell him to go pick it himself and stop relying on his pickers. So I finally got my female after two months of requests. Every fish I was sent for two months was male. I had a large, older male picturatus in my display and added my female. After a couple of weeks, she had filled out and immediately began hydrating. The two spawned almost every night for 6-8 months. Then the male lost interest and the female beat him to death. He was probably at least five years in captivity and I believe past his prime. I still have the female and she is ruthless if I attempt to add another male. I like watching them dance and spawn, but not at the expense of fish.

Case in point: I would say wicked's individual pics are both male, but I would agree the pair in the third pic is correct.

 

[Cake_Boss]

I thought the sexing was easy. At this point the CL guy is MIA. I was counting on the ich not bring ich, that was what I initially thought when my mandarin got some white spots. Guess I'll have to wait a little more or buy a new fish.

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[bsharpe]

The girl is the one with the purse

 

[Cake_Boss]

The girl is the one with the purse

What brand?

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[Wicked Color]

Synchiropus splendidus- is typically easier to sex, but I have seen a good majority come from wholesalers with the dorsal bitten off. That can make it difficult.

Synchiropus picturatus- is usually a little more difficult, IME, because the dorsal spine is no where near as long.

I had a hard time getting females of both. In order to get my female, I had to call my salesman and tell him to go pick it himself and stop relying on his pickers. So I finally got my female after two months of requests. Every fish I was sent for two months was male. I had a large, older male picturatus in my display and added my female. After a couple of weeks, she had filled out and immediately began hydrating. The two spawned almost every night for 6-8 months. Then the male lost interest and the female beat him to death. He was probably at least five years in captivity and I believe past his prime. I still have the female and she is ruthless if I attempt to add another male. I like watching them dance and spawn, but not at the expense of fish.

Case in point: I would say wicked's individual pics are both male, but I would agree the pair in the third pic is correct.

I could very well be wrong as I have only had 1 mandarin in my reefkeeping experience, Gonzo explained the difference when he gave me the fish, she was cool, but had emotional problems, daddy issues I think, cuz she lept from the balcony of her 5th floor luxury condo, I still havnt looked at another girl.

 

[jonthefb]

as shaun alluded to,

these fish are kept together in tanks at the wholesale facilities, so even on the off chance that you think you may have a female, it could just be a male who has had his dorsal spine torn off because of the fighting that occurs as a result of keeping these fish together.

I have seen males and females come in when working at retail shops, but females are few and hard to find. And yes, the two species (which are the same genus) do not hybridize.