Buyer question
How long do Mandarin dragonet saltwater fish live?
Our Animal Library gives the Mandarin dragonet saltwater fish a lifespan of 5–10+ years.
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.
- Hardiness
- 3 out of 5 (Hardy if fed well)
- Origin
- Western Pacific
- Best fit
- Established reef keepers
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.