ORA’s captive bred Mandarin Dragonets do NOT require live foods. Ours readily feed on pellet and frozen foods, making them an easier to keep and ethical alternative to difficult wild caught Mandarins! 

Synchiropus splendidus – Mandarin Dragonets are inarguably one of the most beautiful species on earth, which makes them very popular aquarium fish. Our mandarins have a mix of blue-green and red coloration on the body and deep blue accents on the fins. The coloration may appear different in varying lighting spectrums.  These photos show what our mandarins typically look like.

Unfortunately, the natural diet of wild caught mandarins is live food, which can be tedious and costly for many new hobbyists to provide, especially in immature or small tanks. Even if provided the best captive conditions, wild caught mandarins often succumb to wounds inflicted by spear guns or toxic cyanide used during the wild collection process. An overwhelming number of wild caught Mandarin Dragonets die in captivity for these reasons.