Buyer question
Are Mandarin dragonet saltwater fish good for beginners?
Usually not: our Animal Library rates the Mandarin dragonet saltwater fish 2 out of 5 for beginners (feeding is the challenge).
Source: the Mandarin dragonet saltwater fish page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Mandarin dragonet saltwater fish in the Animal Library
The detail
Mandarin dragonets are small, brilliantly patterned fish from Pacific reefs that pick copepods from the rocks all day. Wild-caught mandarins often starve without a large, mature pod population, while captive-bred fish often take frozen foods.
- Best fit
- Established reef keepers
- Hardiness
- 3 out of 5 (Hardy if fed well)
What to weigh
Mandarins need a steady supply of copepods, so a young tank will starve one. Captive-bred fish that eat frozen foods are much easier to keep.