mandarin vs ruby red dragonet

[deweyhowell]

I am planning to have a pair of dragonets in my 180 reef setup.

I've read a lot about mandarins, but only just discovered the Ruby Red. These little guys are pretty nice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJrSnmfYfgw

Anyone have experiences with these to know the differences between them? Behavior, feeding, difficulty, etc.

 

[Reef Frog]

Ruby Reds are copepod eaters. Some report that they have been persuaded to take other frozen foods. Decisions need to be made if or how to QT any dragonette. It looks like they're collected somewhere off the Philippines. Bottom feeders that hunt & peck all day with short rests and short bursts of movement all day.

They usually come in as small juveniles and often look to be on the skinny side but I can't be sure about that.

 

[jrr98002]

I don't know of any particular difference in them, just make sure you have some way to keep your copepod population up enough they don't starve. Even dragonets that have been taught to eat frozen food tend not to fair as well if they don't have copepods to at least supplement feeding.

 

[MondoBongo]

they're very similar fish in terms of food sources and actions.

the main differences i've observed between my scooter (Synchiropus ocellatus) and my mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus) are very minor. obviously they look different, and the scooter tends to swim in a more staccato fashion, as opposed to my mandy, who tends to glide.

my mandarin is currently a lot larger (these two are not housed together by the way) and tends to be more shy than my scooter. but that could easily just be a personality difference between two individuals, and i wouldn't consider it a hallmark of either species.

 

[C3hutson]

The ruby is a gorgeous fish I had one for a short period of time with my mandarin. They actually got along really well. They often slept next to each other.

Unfortunately, the ruby disappeared one day. He used to do this random thing where he'd just float in the current at night. Made it into my sump a few times. I think he floated his way right into an anemone.

 

[jasonak]

For me I never see my ruby red. First one didnt make it. I got another one couple months later but hes like big foot its pretty rare that I see him. I thought that he might have died as well. But I get a glimpse of him every now and then. Hes in a 120 with about 100 lbs live rock, thinking of getting regular mandarin as well. Maybe that will coax him to come out a little more.

 

[juniorrocketdad]

Ruby reds don't get nearly as large so they eat less copepods, just something to consider

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I wanted to add a red scooter to my tank but came across a very skinny black/white scooter at my local Petco and since he was only $9 I brought him home with me. This poor little guy was so very skinny and his stomach was concave very badly. I knew if he didn't start eating soon he wouldn't last very long at all.

Well it's now been a month since I got him and he is a fat pig today! He has all of the pods he wants in my 40b and tons more in the sump. He only eats the very small ones though. For me to see these I have to shine a flashlight in my tank after lights out and there are thousands of them swimming around.

They're very cool little fish. If I come across a red one I think I'll pick it up. Love these guy's! :dance:

 

[aznflyfisherman]

Petco usually sells the red one for $9.99.

 

[Clownfish Chris]

Petco usually sells the red one for $9.99.

not the same fish. A Red Mandarin is not a Ruby Red Dragonette.

 

[Kremis]

I have read/heard from others that ruby reds are a lot more likely to eat prepared foods than mandarins. I cant decide which one I prefer though, both are very pretty

 

[aznflyfisherman]

Yes petco sells the ruby red dragonette at my location its only 9.99.

 

[aznflyfisherman]

Yes in my area every now and then they get the ruby red dragonettes in and its 9.99. I dont think they know its in the same family as mandarin, cause they wont carry the mandarin since they cant keep it alive. My carpet ate mine. He usually follows my diamond goby since he turns over the sand.

 

[juniorrocketdad]

My petco occasionally has Ruby's but they label the as scooter blennys

 

[rocsec1]

I want one of these and a mandarin. I have a 40b frag and 40b sump. I am about to plumbing in a 120. The existing tanks have been up for 18 months and I seeded them with pods from the beginning. I expect there are tons of pods to feed them.