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• Mandarinfish, highly popular among marine aquarists, are small, intensely colored members of the dragonet family found in the western Indo-Pacific from the Ryukyu Islands to Australia.

• Fast Facts

  1. Latin name: Synchiropus Splendidus
  2. Temperature tolerance: 76-82°F (24 to 26ºC)
  3. Food: Crustaceans such as amphipods and isopods, small worms and protozoans
  4. Lifespan: 10-15 years in the wild and 2-4 years in captivity
  5. Live in pairs or small groups
  6. Size: 3" (6cm)
  7. 4 dorsal spines, 8 dorsal soft rays and no anal spines
  8. Also known as "Mandarin Gobies," although they do not belong to the Goby family

• Behavior and Habitat

  Passive and slow, mandarinfish often use their large, fan-like pelvic fins to "walk" along ocean bottoms while browsing for the small crustaceans that comprise their diet. Although elusive and shy, observant divers are most likely to see mandarinfish in shallow protected lagoons and inshore reefs at depths of one to eighteen meters.

• Appearance

  The mandarinfish are so-called because their vibrant coloring evokes the silk robes of Imperial Chinese Mandarins of the 19th century. The geometric arrangement of bright colors has inspired some to call them "psychedelic fish." The males are larger than females and have long, pointed dorsal fins which they use in mating displays.

• Unique Protection

  One of few marine fish that lack scales, they are instead coated in a thick mucous with an unpleasant smell that likely repels predators and is believed to offer some resistance to many parasitic diseases.

• Species in Danger

  The species is threatened by over-harvesting for the marine trade, over fishing, destructive fishing methods and destruction of habitat.

• Related Mahalo Pages

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