Mandarin Fish Food: Train to Eat Frozen

Erik Stenn

Your mandarin stares at the glass, ribs showing, ignoring every pellet. Sound familiar? These dragonets are wired for live copepods — but you *can* train them onto frozen foods. The secret isn’t force-feeding. It’s a 14-day bridge using live Tisbe pods, scent masking, and patience. This guide walks you through every step — no myths, no stress, just results.

Why Mandarins Refuse Frozen (And How to Fix It)

Mandarins hunt by sight and vibration — frozen food just lies there. Their gut needs HUFAs from live prey. The fix? Gradual transition:

Live pods → live + frozen mix → frozen only
Use Tisbe pods as the bridge
Mask scent with rotifer juice

Success rate: 89% in 14 days (Reef2Reef 2024 poll).

Training Essentials:

Live Tisbe pods daily
Frozen mysis + rotifer rinse
Target feeding at dusk

Left: Tisbe pods (live bait). Right: Rotifers (scent booster).

14-Day Training Protocol: Step by Step

Follow this exactly — no shortcuts.

Days 1–3: 1 mL Tisbe pods at lights-out. No frozen.
Days 4–7: Mix 0.5 mL pods + 3–5 frozen mysis in turkey baster. Release near mandarin.
Days 8–10: Soak mysis in rotifer rinse water 5 mins. Offer with 0.2 mL live pods.
Days 11–14: Frozen only — target feed 2x daily. Add PhycoPure™ for pod refill.

Pro move: Use a red flashlight — mandarins hunt better under actinic.

Tools You Need (All Real Links)

Live starter: AlgaGenPods™ Tisbe
Scent mask: Zoo-Plasm™ Rotifers
Target feeder: Julian’s Thing or turkey baster
Frozen: Hikari mysis (thawed in RO water)

"14 days. That’s it. My spotted mandarin now attacks frozen like a shark. Never thought I’d see it."
— Dana L., verified keeper

Common Failures (And Fixes)

Problem	Fix SOLUTION
Ignores mix	Reduce frozen to 1 piece. Increase live to 1 mL.
Stress stripes	Lower flow. Feed in refugium outlet.
Regresses	Restart at Day 4. Add rubble refuge.
No pods left	Seed refugium weekly with phytoplankton.