The Spotted Mandarin looks like a work of art within your aquarium. They are reef safe and should be housed in aquariums with rockwork and sand beds because it serves as protection as well as provides a natural food source. The live rock and sand act as a refugee for copepods to breed, which the Spotted Mandarin will feed on. They have a small adult size of about 3" and are a great candidate for smaller aquariums. The Spotted Mandarin is also known as the Psychedelic Mandarin due to its elaborate colors and patterns. They have a brownish tan colored body and "psychedelic" spots of blue, green orange and black. The Spotted Mandarin does display sexual dimorphism, which makes pairing simpler. The males are more colorful and have an elongated dorsal fin, while the females' dorsal fin is short and smaller. The Spotted Mandarins are found in the Indo-West Pacific inhabiting the shallow protected reefs and lagoons.
- Add to an aquarium with ample rockwork and a sandy substrate
- Recommended for the more advanced hobbyist
- For continued health, provide a varied diet of small live foods like copepods before switching to a prepared frozen diet
- Reef safe
- Needs peaceful tankmates
- Minimum tank size: 30 gallons