[thelastmucci]

Thanks Darren...that information helps allot...if I only have to make a 40 or even 50 dollar purchase once a year I can defanitley live with that...it's cheaper than feeding my leopard geckos. I don't plan on getting a Mandarin although I really wanted one but I don't want the poor thing to starve to death and even though I'd be prepared to pay for pods I've heard from too many people these fish like to graze in rather large tanks so the mandarin is out...although I did look into other "centerpiece" fish and have my eye on a scotts fairy wrasse...expensive but beautiful fish.

[combs44]

There are lots of nice fish out there. From what I see of my mandy, she's good and fat, but she's very shy. She's always searching around up in the rockwork. Very rarely out in the open. I usually take a flashlight and hunt her down on a weekly basis. I try to get a good view to make sure she still looks plump. that's kind of how I guage my pod population. If she starts looking skinny, I'll find her a new home, or supplement some more live pods.

[thelastmucci]

if you want a link to a pod place online I got one from another member on Nano-Reef.com, they say they've had great success with it. Glad your keeping an eye on her...BTW I'm defanitley not trying to tell you what to do...only why Ididn't want to get one.

[theaquaticlife]

I think I might have to take a crack at raising phytoplankton! Im still not going to go into hatching live food for my seahorses... frozen mysis seems to be going good ... brine shrimp was a pain. I think this whole discussion would be a good topic for a meeting this year. Maybe bring in hatching examples etc...