we realy wanna add a couple of mandrians wen are tank is ready,. So i was wondering what steps can i take to help out my tank. any help will help?. Thanks for any advise.
From what I know they are extremely hard to take care of and even the most experienced of aquarists have a tough time with them. I think your tank has to be VERY well established, like 1 year plus before you consider even getting one. But I do know that some people like Dana have them...actually there is a whole mandarin thread here somewhere.....
Setting up a refugium with chaeto will be your best way of giving the pods (food for the mandarin) a safe place to breed and populate. After doing that it's best to wait till your tank establishs to add the mandarin as they eat 100's-1000's of pods a week.
The only way you'll be able to have more then one is to get a pair. Mandarins of the same sex will fight till only one is left.
As Jmck said, it is possible to train them, i got my little guy to eat frozen by feeding live brine to start with, and slowly changing the ratios so that more and more frozen would replace the live, finally, he started to eat no problem, although it had to float past him for him to be willing enough.
Heres a picture of my buddy, shame i dont have him still though, gave him to my buddy, because he was getting bullied: