ORA biologists have been hard at work developing the methods to breed
and raise the Blue Mandarin, (Synchiropus splendidus) and the Spotted
Mandarin, (Synchiropus picturatus.) The first wave of these captivating
beauties is now ready to charm hobbyists all across the country.
Even though they are some of the most attractive and popular aquarium
fish in the industry, many wild-caught mandarins are difficult to feed
and despite best efforts, most of them fail to thrive in aquariums. ORA
has eliminated this heart-breaking problem by training our captive-bred
mandarins to eat a variety of commercially available frozen foods and
pellets. Now the average aquarist can enjoy the convenience of finding
readily available (and affordable) food sources for their exquisite ORA
dragonettes.
Caring for ORA Mandarins isn’t as simple as throwing a cube of frozen
food and pinch of pellets in the aquarium a couple of times a week. At
approximately 1.25”-1.5” in length, ORA’s Spotted Mandarins are still
growing and have voracious appetites. We recommend frequent feedings –
at least twice daily.
Our experience has shown that these young fish begin to grow rapidly
when they are kept in a reef environment. We believe that while our
mandarins can survive on 100% commercial diets, they will thrive in an
environment that offers them a combination of frozen, pellet and live
foods.
ORA is tremendously proud of the mandarins we have been nurturing for
almost one year. We admit, we’re also feeling a bit protective of them
and we want every single one of them to be successful in their new
homes. It is important for everyone to understand that ORA’s mandarins
have led a sheltered existence in the hatchery and they are very naive.
We wish to caution all store owners and hobbyists that these baby
mandarins are not yet “reef-smart” and should not be kept with fish
large enough to eat them or show aggression to them.
We have been amazed to observe that even at this small size our
mandarins are reaching sexual maturity. In the future we intend to offer
pairs, but at approximately 1.5” it is difficult to distinguish a
female from a subordinate male with any certainty. Despite their petite
size, we’re sure you’ll agree that ORA’s Spotted Mandarins are some of
the prettiest fish ever produced. They have colorful masks and their
green scaleless bodies sport exquisite circular patterns of turquoise,
royal blue, orange and black.
(description from ORA)
