Death of the Mandarin
Well, after getting back from Wal Mart, I investigate the nano tank and couldn't find the mandarin. A moment later I discover him dead, stuck on the intake of the powerhead.
I did not see him this morning but by his near perfect state (though clearly dead, he looked asleep and only a little ragged) he must have died within a half hour of me finding him.
This was a shock as I had watched him closely last night and he was fine, no change in behavior whatsoever... and eating, always eating. I'd use the magnifying glass and watch as he came up to the glass and saw him slurp down 1 or 2 pods at a time.
I looked at the body up close and he had not changed a bit since I got him from the store. Skinny and pinched in the abdomen. It appears he did indeed starve, but I just don't understand it. The tank enjoyed an over-abundance of pods, and even when I felt the population was dwindling, you could still find at least 3 or 4 on every rock or area of sand.
My hypothesis is he was too far gone when I bought him and he just could not recover to a proper weight, even with plenty of food. I wish my camera would take pics of the pods on the glass, it's really quite amazing how many I have. It honestly looks like an infestation.At least with him gone the pods can really take over the tank now...
I still believe in my original theory and I won't let this deter me. However, I'm going to let the tank really get good and covered in pods, and for the meantime I'm going to try some zoanthids.
I'll update on this project when I get another mandarin, this time one in excellent shape and a lot larger, around 2 and a half inches.
- Josh Day
of Joshday.com
I did not see him this morning but by his near perfect state (though clearly dead, he looked asleep and only a little ragged) he must have died within a half hour of me finding him.
This was a shock as I had watched him closely last night and he was fine, no change in behavior whatsoever... and eating, always eating. I'd use the magnifying glass and watch as he came up to the glass and saw him slurp down 1 or 2 pods at a time.
I looked at the body up close and he had not changed a bit since I got him from the store. Skinny and pinched in the abdomen. It appears he did indeed starve, but I just don't understand it. The tank enjoyed an over-abundance of pods, and even when I felt the population was dwindling, you could still find at least 3 or 4 on every rock or area of sand.
My hypothesis is he was too far gone when I bought him and he just could not recover to a proper weight, even with plenty of food. I wish my camera would take pics of the pods on the glass, it's really quite amazing how many I have. It honestly looks like an infestation.At least with him gone the pods can really take over the tank now...
I still believe in my original theory and I won't let this deter me. However, I'm going to let the tank really get good and covered in pods, and for the meantime I'm going to try some zoanthids.
I'll update on this project when I get another mandarin, this time one in excellent shape and a lot larger, around 2 and a half inches.
- Josh Day
of Joshday.com
posted by Josh Day at 12:38 PM
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