The Puffer Forum

I was asked if I could take on a Mandarin by a friend of a friend of a friend. They know my puffer is now in a low Marine tank and asked if I could take the Mandarin.

I would think the answer to this will be no, but thought it would not hurt to ask. Can a GSP and a Mandarin live in the same tank without the GSP killing the Mandarin? The fish would come with a 55 gallon tank with its live rock and whatever else she has related to this fish. All her other fish have died and the Mandarin is not looking as Bright as it used to, so the GSP would not "move in" too soon. The only reason I would move him over to the larger tank is I don't have the space in the house to keep both the Puffer tank and a separate tank for the Mandarin. If they will be incompatible she will have to find someone else to take the fish (and stuff).

The Mandrian is a extremely hard fish to keep alive you have to have a thriving Pod community going! Mine isnt doing so well ! Ive bought bottles live pods to try to get him back to his fluffy self . Its expensive for the pods but Its a really pretty fish!

Mandarins are all about having enough pods to eat. Also, they will prob get picked on by your puffer. Doesnt sound like the best idea to me.

I have a very sweet tempered puffer, I would not consider keeping a dragonet with him. Even if he didn't attack him, GSP's do eat pods and dragonets need all the pods they can get.
Also it sounds like he's on the way out, I'd not take on the heartache.
Mandarine dragonets are super difficult fish to feed, the pretty much never eat prepared food and are lucky to live 2 - 3 years in captivity.

Are a delicate, slow-moving fish (easily hipped at by pufferteeth), who eat their weight in pods, daily.

No tank with a Mandain should ever be without a largish 24/7 lighted macroalgae refugium with passive return to the display. Nor should their ever be any other fish which could out-compete the Manadrin for the 'pods - which a puffer will do easily. Not a compatible pairing.

Mandarins are not tankmates for competitive browsers, They really are best in species tanks just set for them, and allowed to mature before they are added.

Thank you all for your help! Like I said originally, thought the answer would be no in regards to Puffer-Mandarin comparability.

Good news though <for the Mandarin> .... Another friend of mine has decided to take the Mandarin, he seems to think this one is a male and he thinks the one he has had for about a year is a female. He is hoping that either they will like each other enough there won't be territory issues or that they may even enjoy each other and young ones would be a bonus (i think he is joking about the babies). But the Mandrian will have all the care s/he needs with someone with experience with the fish!

They have been captive bred, so it can be done.