All fish / Callionymidae

Starry Dragonet

Synchiropus stellatus

Also known as starry dragonet, stellate dragonet, red scooter blenny, red scooter dragonet, scooter dragonet, scooter blenny, spotted mandarin, ホシテンジクダイ, 星点䲗, 红斑青蛙

A small dragonet with a mottled red, brown and white body, and males have a tall, decorated first dorsal fin. It hops slowly over sand and rock, picking off tiny crustaceans, and keepers choose it as a quiet, interesting reef-safe fish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a male and female pair; males fight each other

Diet

Carnivore: live copepods and amphipods, also frozen mysis, baby brine shrimp and fine meaty foods once it accepts them

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to Indonesia and Western Australia

Breeding

Pairs spawn in the water column at dusk, releasing eggs that float as plankton. Raising the larvae in home aquariums is rare and difficult because they need very small live foods.

Good to know

It depends on a healthy copepod population in a mature tank, so it may starve in new or small systems unless trained onto prepared foods. Avoid keeping it with fast, competitive feeders or other male dragonets.