Mandarin Fish

Synchiropus Splendidus

This small reef dweller glides across the seabed like a living mosaic, its skin painted in swirling bands of electric blue, emerald, and fiery orange. Large, expressive eyes sit atop a gently sloping head, while its flowing dorsal fin rises like a delicate sail, giving the fish an almost mythical presence among coral and rubble.

Size: Up to 70 mm
Range: Western Pacific; from the Philippines and Indonesia to Australia and Micronesia
Habitat / Depth: Shallow coral reefs, lagoons, and rubble zones, found at depths of 1–18 m
Diet: Feeds on small crustaceans, copepods, and other tiny benthic invertebrates.