mandarin not eating anything but pods

[Liker]

My mandarin dragonet won't eat anything but copepods. I've tried frozen mysis, brine shrimp, even pellets. Tank is a 40 gallon with live rock, salinity at 1.025, temp 78F. Any tips to get it on other foods?

[silverbark]

Mandarins are picky eaters, especially if they're wild-caught. How long have you had it? Sometimes they need weeks to adjust. Try live brine shrimp first, then slowly mix in frozen. A refugium helps keep pod levels up too.

[hearts_black]

Yep, mandarins can be a pain. Mine took forever to switch. You gotta be patient, dude. Maybe try garlic guard on the frozen food, some fish go nuts for it.

[Mixes]

Mandarins are picky eaters, especially if they're wild-caught. How long have you had it? Sometimes they need weeks to adjust. Try live brine shrimp first, then slowly mix in frozen. A refugium helps keep pod levels up too.

I agree with this. Also, check your tank's pod population. If it's low, your mandarin might not have enough natural food to sustain it while transitioning.

[sweetbread]

Mine never switched. Just eats pods. Got a big refugium now, problem solved. Maybe your tank's too clean?

[brooklyn]

Have you tried feeding at night? Mine's more active then. Might take food better when it's dark.

[Liker]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try live brine shrimp and garlic guard. Had the fish for about three weeks, so maybe it just needs more time.

[silverbark]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try live brine shrimp and garlic guard. Had the fish for about three weeks, so maybe it just needs more time.

Three weeks is still early. Keep an eye on its belly—if it stays plump, it's getting enough pods. If not, you might need to supplement with live food longer.

[hearts_black]

Yeah, don't stress it too much. These fish are chill but slow to adapt. Just keep the pod supply up and keep offering other foods. It'll figure it out.

[Mixes]

Another thing to consider is tankmates. Aggressive fish can stress mandarins, making them less likely to eat. What else is in the tank?