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Mandarin Dragonet
Synchiropus splendidus
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Callionymidae
📍 Western Pacific, Philippines to Australia
Arguably the most beautiful fish in the hobby. Requires a mature reef with abundant copepods. Not for beginners. Will starve if not given live food.
Care Guide
Diet
Mandarin dragonets are obligate live food feeders and will not accept prepared foods. They require a constant supply of small copepods, amphipods, and other tiny crustaceans. Feed small amounts daily by allowing natural populations in the tank to sustain them, or supplement with cultured copepod colonies.
Behavior
These fish are bottom-dwellers that spend most of their time grazing on substrate and rockwork for food. They are peaceful and non-aggressive but extremely shy, preferring dimly lit tanks with plenty of hiding spots. Males display elaborate courtship rituals with vibrant color changes during dawn and dusk hours.
Breeding
Breeding in captivity is extremely rare and difficult, requiring pristine water conditions and massive populations of live food. Larvae are planktonic and nearly impossible to rear in home aquariums. Most specimens in the hobby are wild-caught, making captive breeding impractical for hobbyists.
Tank Mates
Peaceful reef fish with similar water requirements; won't compete for copepod food sources
Benthic invertebrate that shares bottom habitat; both are peaceful and non-aggressive
Small, peaceful goby with similar dietary needs and bottom-dwelling behavior
Peaceful invertebrate that won't compete for food and helps maintain tank health
Small, peaceful goby that occupies similar ecological niche without aggression
Common Diseases
Starvation
Rapid weight loss, lethargy, fading colors, eventual death within weeks
Establish robust copepod cultures before acquisition; maintain live food populations through regular feeding and tank maturation
Parasitic Infections
Spots on body, rapid gill movement, scratching against rocks, cloudy eyes
Quarantine affected fish; use copper-based treatments cautiously as dragonets are sensitive; improve water quality and increase aeration
Bacterial Infections
Fin rot, open sores, discoloration, lethargy, loss of appetite
Perform frequent water changes; maintain pristine water conditions; use broad-spectrum antibiotics if necessary; avoid copper treatments
Nutritional Deficiency
Faded coloration, stunted growth, weakened immune response, increased disease susceptibility
Ensure copepod diet includes varied species; supplement with enriched live foods; maintain stable water parameters
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Quick Facts
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- diet
- copepods/live food
- maxSize
- 3 inches
- salinity
- 1.023–1.025 SG
- minTankSize
- 30 gallons
- temperature
- 75–81°F (24–27°C)
Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C