Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus)

Also known as Blue Mandarin, Blue Mandarin Dragonet, Blue Mandarinfish, Green Mandarin, Green Mandarin Dragonet, Green Psychedelic Mandarin, Green Splendid Mandarinfish, Green Striped Mandarinfish, Mandarin Dragonet, Mandarin Goby, Psychedelic Mandarinfish, Psychedelic Mandarin Dragonet

Description

Also known as Blue Mandarin, Blue Mandarin Dragonet, Blue Mandarinfish, Green Mandarin, Green Mandarin Dragonet, Green Psychedelic Mandarin, Green Splendid Mandarinfish, Green Striped Mandarinfish, Mandarin Dragonet, Mandarin Goby, Psychedelic Mandarinfish, Psychedelic Mandarin Dragonet.

Found in small schools, living in the branches of dense thickets of acropora corals, over shallow, sheltered, silty, coastal lagoons and inshore reefs.
They feed on crustaceans, fish eggs, invertebrates, and worms.
Length - 7cm
Depth - 1-18m
Widespread Western Pacific

Males have a taller more elaborate first Dorsal Fin which erects intermittently when moving around and for mating.
Every evening at sunset these beautiful fish rise up from the bottom to perform their dancing ritual before mating. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/12644

3 comments

  1. Posted by Susan
    March 02, 2015 at 06:48 am - 1 person found this useful.

    Considering the daunting numbers of species I thought I'd have to sort through to identify a fish I saw in a photo, I was able to narrow it down quickly, using the tags, and find it with record speed. Very helpful/effective site. Thanks!

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