📷 (c) luka meyers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) · CC BY NC
📷 (c) Julien Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
📷 (c) Kelly Maxwell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
IUCN: Least Concern
Mandarinfish
Synchiropus splendidus
KingdomAnimalia›PhylumChordata›ClassActinopterygii›OrderCallionymiformes›FamilyCallionymidae›GenusSynchiropus
About
Mandarinfish are small reef dragonets famous for electric blue, orange, and green patterns. They creep along rubble and coral searching for tiny crustaceans. Pairs rise into the water column at dusk to spawn, releasing eggs into the plankton.
Key Facts
⛰Habitat Sheltered coral reefs, rubble beds, and lagoon bottoms
🍃Diet Carnivore — copepods, amphipods, small worms, and tiny crustaceans
📏Size & Weight Body 6–8 cm
•weight A few grams
⏳Lifespan 10–15 years in care; wild lifespan poorly known
🗺Range Western Pacific from the Philippines and Indonesia to Australia
FishReef Fish
Key Facts
⛰Habitat Sheltered coral reefs, rubble beds, and lagoon bottoms
🍃Diet Carnivore — copepods, amphipods, small worms, and tiny crustaceans
📏Size & Weight Body 6–8 cm
•weight A few grams
⏳Lifespan 10–15 years in care; wild lifespan poorly known
🗺Range Western Pacific from the Philippines and Indonesia to Australia
Photo Credits
#1(c) luka meyers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) · CC BY NC
#2(c) Julien Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) · CC BY NC
#3(c) Kelly Maxwell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA) · CC BY NC SA
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