Spotted Mandarin

Peaceful - Very non-aggressive to other fish and other fish seem to pay them no attention. 2 males will fight, so they should only be kept singly or in male/female pairs. Mandarins spend their days carefully checking over the live rock and sand looking for tasty tidbits to eat.

Common Name(s): Spotted Mandarin
Scientific/Other Name(s) : Synchiropus picturatus
Care Level : Hard
Maximum Size : 3"
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallon
Reef Safe: Yes
Feeding Requirements: Feeding can be a major issue with Mandarins. Some will take foods such as frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms. Others will refuse to take anything but live foods. Mandarins are extremely slow and hover, much like a hummingbird using their front fins while looking for food. Even Mandarins that take prepared foods have a hard time competing with faster fish for the morsels. One suggestion I have heard that makes good sense, especially in smaller tanks that don't support a large pod population is to build something called a 'pod pile'. This is a few small rocks stacked into a pile into which small pieces of shrimp or similar food can be inserted every couple of days. This pile of rocks provides shelter and a food supply for the pods which allows them to rapidly breed and provide food for the Mandarin.
Temperament / Behavior: Peaceful - Very non-aggressive to other fish and other fish seem to pay them no attention. 2 males will fight, so they should only be kept singly or in male/female pairs. Mandarins spend their days carefully checking over the live rock and sand looking for tasty tidbits to eat.

Other Comments: The head, fins, and body are a psychedelic combination of blue, orange, and black spots on a green base. Males may be distinguished from females by their more-elongated first dorsal spine.