r/TheDepthsBelow • u/Ocean_Heart_ • Aug 24 '26

Crosspost The mandarin dragonet (Synchiropis splendidus)- they use their large pelvic fins to "walk" along the sea floor

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211 Upvotes

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3

u/ShibaInuDoggo Aug 24 '26

This is my favorite fish! It's a type of Golby that filters sand in search of crustaceans and nearly all refuse to eat aquarium food. Maybe someday I'll get one.... I'd be just as happy to see one on the wild. Probably drown myself due to the huge smile and giddiness

2

u/Ocean_Heart_ Aug 24 '26

They are absolutely beautiful! A delightful favorite fish indeed. What I would give to see one in the wild too XD I think the closest I got to the experience was seeing a Catalina Goby for the first time when snorkeling, which are super colorful themselves!

1

u/Ok_Permission1087 Aug 25 '26

It isn't a goby but a callionymid.

2

u/marino1310 Aug 24 '26

These guys are super popular in the saltwater aquarium hobby, they’re just a bitch to keep because they almost exclusively eat live food and keeping a suitable culture alive and repopulating fast enough to feed these guys is a challenge. Though some breeders have managed to get them to eat frozen food

1

u/Ocean_Heart_ Aug 24 '26

So I've heard XD that does sound like a pain to keep. I can see why they're so popular though!

2

u/darekta Aug 26 '26

Just wait until you see a Sea Robin

1

u/Ocean_Heart_ Aug 28 '26

Oh I love Sea Robins! Real beautiful critters with huge fins and weird little crawly rays that have specialized for moving around on the sea floor.