cool-critters: Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) The mandarinfish is a small, brightly colored m
cool-critters: Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) The mandarinfish 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. To date, S. splendidus is one of only two vertebrate species known to have blue colouring because of cellular pigment. Mandarinfish are reef dwellers, preferring sheltered lagoons and inshore reefs. While they are slow-moving and fairly common within their range, they are not easily seen due to their bottom-feeding habit and their small size (reaching only about 6 cm). They feed primarily on small crustaceans and other invertebrates. photo credits: meerwasser-lexikon, Luc Viatour, wiki -- source link