Care guide at a glance
Synchiropus ocellatus
Description
Despite the trade name this is a dragonet rather than a blenny, mottled in brown and cream with an oversized sail-like dorsal fin on males. Endearing, and with a very specific feeding requirement.
Feeding
Feeds almost exclusively on live copepods and amphipods picked from live rock. Most specimens refuse prepared food. A mature tank with an established pod population and ideally a refugium is essential.
Compatibility
Reef safe and entirely peaceful. Keep one male per tank. Cannot compete with fast feeders for food.
Behaviour and personality
Hops slowly across the rock and sand, picking at the substrate constantly all day.
Before you buy
The single most common failure in marine fishkeeping is this fish starving in a clean, new tank. It needs a large, established system with a self-sustaining copepod population. If your tank is under a year old, do not buy it.
Livestock Delivery
DX courier delivery is £29.95 per livestock order.
Free delivery when your livestock subtotal is over £350.
Delivery is scheduled for your selected delivery date and typically arrives before 1pm.
There is no minimum order value.
Additional information:
- In-stock livestock orders will be processed and dispatched for delivery on the date selected on the cart/basket page.
- Available delivery days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
- If any stock issues affect your chosen delivery date, we will contact you as soon as possible by email or telephone.
- Shipping for dry goods is charged separately from livestock delivery and does not count towards the £350 free delivery threshold. Dry goods are dispatched according to our standard delivery policy.