LSD Mandarin

The LSD Mandarin is one of the most visually extraordinary fish in the marine aquarium hobby, adorned with a psychedelic riot of swirling patterns in vivid pinks, reds, oranges, and blues that seem almost impossibly bright for a living creature. The common name refers to the hallucinogenic quality of its coloration, with intricate maze-like patterns covering every surface of its compact body. At barely 2.5 inches in maximum size, this is one of the smallest dragonet species, but what it lacks in stature it more than compensates for with its jaw-dropping visual impact. Like other Synchiropus species, it secretes a protective mucus coating that provides natural resistance to common marine parasites.

In the wild, Synchiropus morrisoni is found across the Western Pacific, from the waters of Australia through Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It inhabits sheltered lagoons, rubble zones, and coral patches at relatively shallow depths, where it methodically picks through the substrate and live rock for tiny copepods and amphipods. It is a rare species that is encountered far less frequently than the common Mandarin Dragonet, making wild-caught specimens uncommon and relatively expensive in the aquarium trade.

Keeping the LSD Mandarin is very challenging and recommended only for advanced aquarists with well-established reef systems. Like all dragonets, it feeds almost exclusively on live copepods and amphipods, and its tiny size means it requires a dense population of microfauna to sustain itself. A mature aquarium of at least 30 gallons with extensive live rock and a refugium producing a constant supply of pods is essential. The LSD Mandarin is an extremely slow, deliberate feeder that will be outcompeted by virtually any other fish for prepared foods, making a calm environment with non-competitive tankmates critical for its survival.