Mandarin dragonet

The mandarin dragonet is a small, jewel-like reef fish in the family Callionymidae, found in the western Pacific. It lives among rubble and coral at the base of reefs. It is famous for its psychedelic coloration: a green to blue body covered in swirling orange, blue, and green maze-like patterns, unlike almost any other fish. Its skin secretes a bitter, foul mucus that deters predators. It is peaceful and slow-moving but notoriously difficult to feed, as it grazes continuously on tiny live copepods. It requires a mature reef aquarium with abundant live rock and a healthy pod population, or dedicated effort to train it onto enriched frozen and live foods. It should not be housed with aggressive feeders that outcompete it. Because of its specialized diet, it suits advanced keepers.