DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 hi are mandarin fish avaliable in newzealand? they look beautiful wouldnt mind starting my first marine tank for one or two lol but for now just curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannet Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 yes ther are in nz, green and blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 thanks gannet still no reply yet on the eggs would you know were to find them or on average how much they cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannet Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 no probs, not really worried. most lfs tht do marine will; have them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 you will need an established tank with lots of copepods to keep one alive (more for two). Mine is in a 400L tank with a lot of live rock and he still needs to put on more weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 i have a 4ft tank i can use to start a marine tank will this be big enough for a marine tank or will i need bigger? i plan to only have two mandarines and probly take me a long time to build the tank up before even thinking of looking for them just doing reasurch are those plants hard to find? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannet Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 plants?? copepods are lil critters that live in you rock and can take a very very ong time to get any, as mandirins will eat every lil one if there isnt enough, probly want a tank at least a few years old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 should i look for one specific plant for them and buy heaps of those or just grab what ever is going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 4ft tank would be fine space-wise. Not sure what plants you are referring to, no plants in a marine tank . If you mean the copepods they are small invertebrates that live on your live rock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copepod you need an established tank (probably at least a year old ) as the mandarin will quickly demolish your copepod population in a new tank and end up starving (most mandarins won't eat preprared food). Alternatively you could have a refugium which could provide an area for your pods to reproduce without being too decimated. Definitely do more reading on the subject first, i wouldn't recommend a mandarin for a new tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 lol i thaught they were plants i just found the manderines on a search on google and they took my facy so i thaught id do quick reasurch a few years is good do they need fish in the tank to stay alive or can i just buy lots of coral rock ect and grow them for few years with out fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camnbron Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 I would suggest you do some reasearch into the requirements for mandarins. In simple terms, what I have learnt from people on this forum - and there are a few who have these fish are: They are not easy fish to look after. They eat critters that live in your tank. They can be trained onto other food but it is difficult. They look pretty. Suggestions are: Don't put this type of fish into a tank until it has a large population of critters to eat. Don't put other fish in the tank that compete for the same food Train it to eat other food Awesome fish just not a first into the tank kind of fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 thanks for all the info and putting up with all the questions will look into it a heap more and learn all the lingo expect to see me here in a few years with my mandarines lol heres hoping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannet Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 thats the spirt, all good things take time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camnbron Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Nah, sweet thats whats forums are for: sharing the information and experiences. If you wanted to see one in the flesh go to Wonderworlds in Rotorua. They have a couple for sale. Just don't take your wallet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 have registerd at reef central and have found some good basic info on there what is a sump for? and a refugium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Hi DantezGirl, a sump is a secondary smaller tank connected to the main tank, to put equipment in such as skimmer and so forth so as not to clutter up the main tank. A refugium is also a secondary tank connected to the main tank, which is a "refuge" for life forms such as macroalgae and copepods, that can breed in there without being under attack from fish. On the manderin thing, the advice above is right on. Just in simple terms, when you transfer rocks into your tank from another tank, there will probably be on the rocks some tiny little bugs called copepods ( often refered to as pods). They are small little crud eating critters, usually smaller than an ant, which run around in the tank. Once there is enough of them to keep a manderin fed you can have a manderin. As previously said though, in a new tank you probably will have to wait quite a while till there is enough of them to keep a manderin fed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 have been looking at bluetang seahorses and Ocellaris clownfish are these avaliable in newzealand? was told there good beguiner fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 They are all available, but first there is much to know. Check out the basic startup guide which is a sticky near the top of the saltwater section, it will run you through some basics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 is it better if i decide what fish i want then fill tank according to species req or should i just buy all the recommended gear and any and every rock coal ect i come accross? because i have made my mind up to get either a seahorse (seperate tank) blutang mandarin or clownfish ONE of the above species can any of the above coexist in the same tank? i wont make a move for a few years just thaught id ask also since blue's like alot of space to swim will an 8ft tank do? and if so will this be enough room if i can mix species Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 8 foot is more than enough you can go considerably smaller than that. In theory a seahorse and fish can mix, but in practise it is near impossible. The main problem is that when fish are fed, they go for it, fast as they can. Whereas seahorses are leisurely browsers who take their time. Try feeding a seahorse while fish are around the seahorse will be lucky to even get one bite. As you are thinking, the best plan is to research the species you want to keep, be it seahorse, or fish, and then set up a tank that meets the requirements for that species. Tangs, manderin, and clownfish can all live together in the same tank. What kind of aquarium do you have at the moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 just a lil 1 in marine circles it is 120cm long 44cm wide and 44cm deep i may settle on clownfish as there the easyest are they very common in newzealand? so its best i do all reasurch on clowns and build my tank when ready on what they require? i see they like annemonies will other fish be ok with these if i later deceide to intro say a tang or mandrin? as i probly would like to have lots of annemonies are they easy to come by or grow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Your tank is plenty big for a first marine tank. The requirements would be some liverock, perhaps 15 or 20 kg's, a good quality skimmer, a few powerheads or similar to create water movement, and if you want anemones, the correct lighting. This will allow you to keep clownfish, plus several other fish. Did you read that beginner guide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 i did but got confused with terminology and abbreviations ill get my pen and paper tomorrow and do a more indepth reasurch on clownfish one more question how do i get water from the main tank to the sump? what is the machine called and will a skimmer work for fresh water tanks or would they pureify the water to much is there a machine to change the water or do you have to buy it from petstore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 All that stuff is in the guide. Start at the beginning the terminology will be explained as you go! :lol: What you need at this stage is to look at an actual marine tank & see how it works, this will be worth 1000 words. (More actually). Can you contact anyone in your area? Most people pretty keen to show off their tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DantezGirl Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 no no1 i know has a marine tank would be cool to see one is there a RODI filter machine? ill see if i can make any sense of it all tomorrow but thanks for all the help thau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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