About Mandarinfish
Synchiropus splendidus, the mandarinfish or mandarin dragonet, is a small, brightly colored member of the dragonet family, which is popular in the saltwater aquarium trade.
Synchiropus splendidus, the mandarinfish or mandarin dragonet, is a small, brightly colored member of the dragonet family, which is popular in the saltwater aquarium trade. The mandarinfish is native to the Pacific, ranging approximately from the Ryukyu Islands south to Australia. It can usually be found in some of the warmer waters.
Notes from the editors
What it looks like. Brilliant green, blue, orange, and yellow swirling patterns over the entire body. Among the most photogenic small fish in any aquarium. Adult size ~3 inches.
In your tank. Specialist that depends on live copepods picked from the substrate and rockwork. Most aquarium-store specimens starve within months in tanks without sustained pod populations. Only attempt in mature systems (1+ year old) with a healthy refugium or copepod farm.
Care notes. Captive-bred specimens that have been weaned onto prepared foods are dramatically more successful and worth the premium price. Peaceful and reef-safe. Slow-moving — easily outcompeted at feeding by faster fish.
Sourcing and feeding. Wild-collected widely available but high-risk. Captive-bred ORA specimens ($80–200) are preferred. Verify the specimen is eating before purchase. Carnivore — live copepods primary; captive-bred fish accept frozen pods and small mysis.
Care info is a starting point, not a guarantee. Individual specimens, water chemistry, and tankmate dynamics vary. Verify against multiple sources and adjust to what you observe. See our terms & disclaimers.
Related fish
Sources & attribution
- Taxonomy and accepted name from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS AphiaID 273264).
- Description content adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo: (c) Dan Schofield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (via iNaturalist or Wikimedia Commons).