Also Known As: Ruby Red Dragonet, Ruby Dragonet Compatibility and BehaviorIt's easy to see why the Ruby Red Dragonet (Synchiropus sycorax) is a staff favorite. The body is an incredible ruby red scattered with white and yellow speckles, the fins are intensely yellow and outlined in black like they've been inked by hand. Males feature a dramatic sail-like hi-fin, bright yellow to signal to its mates, while females feature a more stubby black dorsal fin. It's truly one of the most striking nano reef options you can find. Despite the dramatic looks, its personality is all mellow, spending most of its time slowly hopping along rock and sand, pausing to pick at tiny organisms rather than racing around. It's reef safe and won't touch corals, clams, or ornamental inverts, but that gentle nature is also its vulnerability: it's easily outcompeted by boisterous, fast-feeding fish, and it does best in a calm tank. Males can be territorial toward other male dragonets, and any dragonet can get stressed if crowded by pushy gobies, blennies, or dartfish. Aquarium RequirementsThe Red Dragonet is a specialized micro-carnivore that must have a mature, pod-rich system to thrive, so plan on a tank of at least 20 to 30 gallons that's been running six to eight months or longer, with a deep live sand bed and plenty of porous live rock arranged into caves, overhangs, and crevices for constant grazing and shelter. A refugium steadily producing copepods and amphipods is strongly recommended, and many keepers supplement with bottled pods on a regular schedule to keep the supply up. Stable, high-quality reef water and gentle to moderate flow support both the dragonet and the microfauna it depends on. A tight-fitting lid or mesh screen is essential, since dragonets can jump when startled even though they spend most of their time near the bottom. SpecificationsApproximate Size: 0.75–1.5"Diet: Micro-carnivore; live copepods and amphipods, plus tiny meaty foods such as enriched baby brine, finely chopped mysis, and other micro invertebratesOrigin: Western PacificCare Level: ModerateReef Safe: YesTemperament: PeacefulMinimum Tank Size: 20 gallonsSpecial Considerations: A specialized micro-carnivore whose long-term health depends on an established, pod-rich system, so it needs a mature tank (ideally 6–8 months or longer) with abundant live rock and ideally a refugium, plus supplemental pods; easily outcompeted by fast or aggressive feeders, so best in a peaceful tank; can jump, so a tight-fitting lid is essential
