Is this too small for the fish I want?

[Hollywood]

I'm looking to start a SW aquarium, and I'm only looking at a single
fish, a small living rock and a cleaning crew.

I'm wanting to start small and if I can maintain it for some time
progress to a larger reef.

My question is would a 5-15 gallon tank be too small for a Mandarin
Dragonet/goby and a shrimp?

I've checked around and most places say Dragonets need 30 gallons
minimum, but will one be ok in my small tank?

Hollywood

[John Smith]

absolutely!
they need lots of life on hte rock and in the sand to feed on. I've fed
them shrip pellets with varying success, but tons of live rock and sand
keeps them happy.
I'd go 29 plus with a deep bed. just my $.02


"Hollywood" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking to start a SW aquarium, and I'm only looking at a single
> fish, a small living rock and a cleaning crew.
>
> I'm wanting to start small and if I can maintain it for some time
> progress to a larger reef.
>
> My question is would a 5-15 gallon tank be too small for a Mandarin
> Dragonet/goby and a shrimp?
>
> I've checked around and most places say Dragonets need 30 gallons
> minimum, but will one be ok in my small tank?
>
> Hollywood

[Dragon Slayer]

keeping a Mandy in a small tank is not for the beginner. they can be very
picky eaters and only eat live pods, which are hard to keep up with the
demands in a small system without great experience.

just not worth it when you see such a beautiful fish wither away because you
couldn't provide for it. I've seen it to many times "they were eating flake
food at the LFS......."

kc

"Hollywood" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking to start a SW aquarium, and I'm only looking at a single
> fish, a small living rock and a cleaning crew.
>
> I'm wanting to start small and if I can maintain it for some time
> progress to a larger reef.
>
> My question is would a 5-15 gallon tank be too small for a Mandarin
> Dragonet/goby and a shrimp?
>
> I've checked around and most places say Dragonets need 30 gallons
> minimum, but will one be ok in my small tank?
>
> Hollywood

[Richard Reynolds]

> keeping a Mandy in a small tank is not for the beginner.

ill second that recomendation :)

> I've seen it to many times "they were eating flake
> food at the LFS......."

even my CB m gobies dont eat flake, they will eat formula 1 pellets and small/medium mysis
shrimp


--
Richard Reynolds

[Marc Levenson]

If you want to successfully keep a Mandarin, you should have a tank that has
been established for at least 6 months, and have 75lbs of live rock in it. And
incoporated refugium will assure success.

A nano is no place for a Mandarin.

Marc


Hollywood wrote:

> I'm looking to start a SW aquarium, and I'm only looking at a single
> fish, a small living rock and a cleaning crew.
>
> I'm wanting to start small and if I can maintain it for some time
> progress to a larger reef.
>
> My question is would a 5-15 gallon tank be too small for a Mandarin
> Dragonet/goby and a shrimp?
>
> I've checked around and most places say Dragonets need 30 gallons
> minimum, but will one be ok in my small tank?
>
> Hollywood

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Hollywood]

Thanks for all your advice. I didn't think it was possible, so that's
why I asked.

Hollywood

[Hollywood]

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 16:19:52 -0600, RicSeyler >
wrote:

>Good on ya for asking!
>We've seen many many posts,
>"I just bought a Mandrin for my 10gal,
>what does he eat?" :-)
>
Oh good grief. I knew that they didn't really do too well on prepared
foods and needed the reef to provide for them, I just wasn't sure if
the size estimates were accurate.

So I'll be going all out and using my 65 gallon tank and building a
reef. Maybe in a 9-12 months, once my reef is thriving, I'll get a
mandarin.

Hollywood

[Marc Levenson]

Hollywood wrote:

>
> Oh good grief. I knew that they didn't really do too well on prepared
> foods and needed the reef to provide for them, I just wasn't sure if
> the size estimates were accurate.
>
> So I'll be going all out and using my 65 gallon tank and building a
> reef. Maybe in a 9-12 months, once my reef is thriving, I'll get a
> mandarin.
>
> Hollywood

Perfect!

Marc



--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com