Mandarin Goby
Synchiropus Splendidus
Mandarin goby have a striking coloration of blues, greens, and oranges which has made them very popular for display in aquariums. These small bottom dwelling fish live in coral reefs, perched on the sand bed or on coral.
SPECIES IN DETAIL
Mandarin Goby
Synchiropus Splendidus
CONSERVATION STATUS: Safe for Now
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
At the Aquarium
This fish may be viewed at the Tropical Reef gallery.
Geographic Distribution
These fish are generally found in the Coral Triangle, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, the Great Barrier Reef or the Indo-Pacific Ocean Area.
Habitat
Mandarin gobies are found in coral reefs, generally on the substrate at depths from 1—18 meters (3—59 feet). While they may be found perched in coral, they prefer the sea floor.
Physical Characteristics
Mandarin gobies have swirls and stripes of blue, green, and orange. Males have a longer dorsal spine than the females.
Size
They range in size from 6—9 centimeters (2.4—3.5 inches) in length with males able to grow slightly larger than the females.
Diet
They feed on small crustaceans and other animals found in the substrate, such as copepods, worms, fish eggs, and other invertebrates. In the wild, mandarin gobies tend to feed during the day.
Reproduction
After sunset, a group of up to five female mandarin gobies will meet up with a male mandarin goby. Males can mate several times during spawning whereas females are only able to spawn once per night. Studies have shown that females prefer larger males.
Pairs ascend in close contact towards the surface where the eggs and sperm are released for external fertilization. In order to deliver sperm, males create a funnel with their anal fin. Research by Rasotto, et al. demonstrated that larger males were more successful at egg fertilization than smaller males.
Mandarin goby larvae are among the smallest fish ever recorded at hatching.
Behavior
Males have an extended dorsal spine which they display to ward off other males and to attract females during mating. Mandarin gobies can rest on their pelvic fins while perching on the seafloor.
Adaptation
Mandarin gobies display aposematism: their bright colors serve as a warning to potential predators. Mandarin gobies are covered in tiny spines that can release a toxic and repellant mucus when stressed. This mucus protects the mandarin goby’s skin from external harm and from being eaten. Even though they are benthic (bottom dwelling) animals, they have retained their swim bladder.
Longevity
They live ten to twenty years.
Conservation
Mandarin gobies are very popular in the aquarium trade and the long-term impact of procuring them for sale is currently unknown. As larger males are targeted by collectors, the breeding population has been impacted as smaller males have a more difficult time breeding with females.
Special Notes
These fish are well known for their bright colors and their ability to walk on their pelvic fins.
SPECIES IN DETAIL | Print full entry
Mandarin Goby
Synchiropus Splendidus
CONSERVATION STATUS: Safe for Now
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
This fish may be viewed at the Tropical Reef gallery.
These fish are generally found in the Coral Triangle, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, the Great Barrier Reef or the Indo-Pacific Ocean Area.
Mandarin gobies are found in coral reefs, generally on the substrate at depths from 1—18 meters (3—59 feet). While they may be found perched in coral, they prefer the sea floor.
Mandarin gobies have swirls and stripes of blue, green, and orange. Males have a longer dorsal spine than the females.
They range in size from 6—9 centimeters (2.4—3.5 inches) in length with males able to grow slightly larger than the females.
They feed on small crustaceans and other animals found in the substrate, such as copepods, worms, fish eggs, and other invertebrates. In the wild, mandarin gobies tend to feed during the day.
After sunset, a group of up to five female mandarin gobies will meet up with a male mandarin goby. Males can mate several times during spawning whereas females are only able to spawn once per night. Studies have shown that females prefer larger males.
Pairs ascend in close contact towards the surface where the eggs and sperm are released for external fertilization. In order to deliver sperm, males create a funnel with their anal fin. Research by Rasotto, et al. demonstrated that larger males were more successful at egg fertilization than smaller males.
Mandarin goby larvae are among the smallest fish ever recorded at hatching.
Males have an extended dorsal spine which they display to ward off other males and to attract females during mating. Mandarin gobies can rest on their pelvic fins while perching on the seafloor.
Mandarin gobies display aposematism: their bright colors serve as a warning to potential predators. Mandarin gobies are covered in tiny spines that can release a toxic and repellant mucus when stressed. This mucus protects the mandarin goby’s skin from external harm and from being eaten. Even though they are benthic (bottom dwelling) animals, they have retained their swim bladder.
They live ten to twenty years.
Mandarin gobies are very popular in the aquarium trade and the long-term impact of procuring them for sale is currently unknown. As larger males are targeted by collectors, the breeding population has been impacted as smaller males have a more difficult time breeding with females.
These fish are well known for their bright colors and their ability to walk on their pelvic fins.