For this video, we visited our friends Biota Aquariums to talk about one of the most iconic and beautiful fish in our saltwater hobby, the Mandarin Dragonet. Striking in color and bold in its patterns, the term “psychedelic” is associated with this particular fish.

Often I thought of this fish as rent-a-fish because of its high mortality rate in captivity, and wished that they wouldn’t be imported, along with the Moorish Idol and a few others. However, my perception towards these beautiful fish changed once captive-bred counterparts started to appear.

These incredibly hardy, disease resistant, and voracious eaters of everything were created with human intervention. Join me as I go to Biota Aquariums to visit my friend Jake Phillips to talk about this iconic fish, and learn everything about the captive-bred version and how to help it thrive under your care.