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    Mandarins and dragonets

    Mandarin dragonet

    Synchiropus splendidus

    Also sold as Green mandarin, Mandarinfish, Blue mandarin

    Not for beginners

    Mandarin dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus), photographed in the sea or an aquarium
    Photo: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Care level
    Advanced
    Adult size
    7.6 cm in aquariums
    Minimum tank
    114 litres
    Temperament
    Peaceful
    With corals
    Reef safe
    Captive-bred
    Captive-bred sold, limited
    IUCN status
    Least Concern
    Show volumes in

    How do you care for the mandarin dragonet?

    Peaceful; males fight each other.

    Feeding

    Carnivore: copepods and amphipods.

    Wild fish often refuse frozen food and starve slowly over months; captive-bred fish (ORA, Biota) are trained on frozen foods and some pellets.

    Tank and special needs

    Plan for at least 114 litres of water (the care sheet says 30 US gallons).

    Mature rock and sand; refugium helps.

    Corals and invertebrates

    None.

    Which tankmates suit the mandarin dragonet?

    Avoid other pod-eaters (six lines, leopard wrasses, scooter blennies) in small tanks.

    Suggested order in a mixed tank: add after the first peaceful fish.

    More than one mandarin dragonet

    Only as a mated pair, or two juveniles added together. A third mandarin dragonet is usually driven out.

    Other fish

    Checked against the other 59 fish in this guide, assuming a tank big enough for both. Individual fish differ, so treat this as a starting point.

    Take care (7)

    • Maroon clownfishMaroon clownfish is aggressive and may bully the mandarin dragonet, especially if the bully is added first.
    • Rainford's gobyBoth eat copepods from the rock; a tank under about 400 litres rarely grows enough for two.
    • Humbug damselHumbug damsel is aggressive and may bully the mandarin dragonet, especially if the bully is added first.
    • Six line wrasseBoth eat copepods from the rock; a tank under about 400 litres rarely grows enough for two.
    • Leopard wrasseBoth eat copepods from the rock; a tank under about 400 litres rarely grows enough for two.
    • Powder blue tangPowder blue tang is aggressive and may bully the mandarin dragonet, especially if the bully is added first.
    • Spotted mandarinBoth are dragonets that use the same sand; give each its own area. Both eat copepods from the rock; a tank under about 400 litres rarely grows enough for two.
    Usually fine together (52)

    Invertebrates

    Only the invertebrates with a known risk are listed.

    Take care (2)

    • Tiger tail sea cucumberA stressed or dead tiger tail sea cucumber can release toxins that harm fish; cover pump intakes.
    • Sea appleA stressed or dead sea apple can release toxins that harm fish; cover pump intakes.

    Corals and anemones

    Only the corals and anemones with a known risk are listed.

    Take care (1)

    These checks follow the reasons fish and invertebrates clash: same species or genus, similar shape, mouth size, temperament, food, burrows, tank size and the order they are added. Individual animals differ; every source agrees on that.

    Quarantine and health

    Poor copper tolerance reported (retailer guide). Thick skin mucus means it rarely gets ich (widely stated). typical, check

    New fish are the most common way disease gets into a reef tank. Quarantine every fish in a separate tank before it joins the display, and choose a method that suits its tolerance of copper.

    Captive-bred or wild?

    Captive-bred by ORA and Biota; buy captive-bred and ask the seller to show it eating.

    Where sources disagree

    Other minimum tank sizes we found:

    • 45 gal unless pods are dosed (Top Shelf Aquatics guide) typical, check
    • Tank maturity of 6 to 12 months matters more than volume (several guides) typical, check

    What does it cost in the UK?

    £47 to £54. This is one UK retailer’s listing on 21 October 2026, not a market average, and every item was sold out on that day.

    Sources

    1. LiveAquaria (US retailer) care sheetRead 21 October 2026, read in full. Used for: stats.
    2. LiveAquaria (US retailer) care sheetRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: captive-bred advice.
    3. Aquanerd articleRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: ORA feeding.
    4. Top Shelf Aquatics (US retailer) guideRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: tank maturity.
    5. FishBase species summaryRead 21 October 2026, read in full. Used for: max length.
    6. Kraken Corals (UK retailer) catalogueRead 21 October 2026, read in full. Used for: UK price.
    7. Kraken Corals (UK retailer) catalogueRead 21 October 2026, read in full. Used for: green price.

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    Spotted mandarin

    Synchiropus picturatus

    Not for beginners

    Care
    Advanced
    Adult size
    8 cm
    Tank from
    114 litres
    Temperament
    Peaceful
    Corals
    Reef safe

    Photo Daiju Azuma, CC BY-SA 2.5