Reef Archives
The Mandarin Dragonet
One of the first fish I decided that I wanted to keep was a mandarin dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus) but as I began researching the creature I realized that it was not a simple task. Their survivability was always in question unless you had a strong source of natural food growing within the tank. They are not easy to adapt to prepared foods, and while mine now takes frozen brine shrimp, that was not always the case and I certainly wouldn't expect it to happen.

The entire tank was setup with the idea that one day I would have a mandarin. To that end the DSB was seeded with a detrivore kit from Inland Aquatics. I included extra gammarus and mysis along with amphipods and other types of life. Since I was using concrete rock I decided to wait 7 months before introducing the mandarin, and I made it a point to avoid anything that would prey on the sandbed.

Sadly the first mandarin I purchased died within 36 hours and I almost gave up. About 3 weeks later I purchased a second mandarin determined to prove that it was a fluke. I couldn't see the fish well when I picked him out in the store, and when I saw him in the bag I was certain he would never make it. The sides were sunk in and after introducing him directly into the display he lost most of his color within 24 hours.

This one was fine for about 2 weeks, and then just disappeared. Usually when something "disappears" in a reef tank that means it's now somebody's lunch. I waited for 2 weeks, decided he was dead and went to buy some other fish. That trip was a disaster and resulted in my receiving $200 worth of traffic tickets! I had purchased a bicolor blenny and he immediately took over the tank. A great fish with a totally cool personality. I actually went to the garage and cut a cover from egg crate to keep him from jumping, but when I came back up and stepped to place the cover on - I stepped on the blenny who had just carpet dived. Very depressing.

The good news was that the next day I found the mandarin in the overflow. He had been hiding in there for two weeks. He was glad to be back in the display, and had suddenly developed an appetite for frozen brine. In fact, his entire attitude seems much better ;-)

So far he remains extremely fat, and my mysis population is still thriving. The amphipod population has taken a big hit though, but some of that I attribute to the two peppermint shrimps that have since been removed. Time will tell but so far he looks healthy and the tank seems to be doing well.