red ruby dragonets

[knightnsd]

I saw this at vets pets and Duecejt or Chris mentioned them, pic from reefbuilders.com http://reefbuilders.com/2013/04/19/rubyb-red-dragonet-simultaneous-worldwide-splash/


They are fairly small maybe 1.5-2 inches but super active and pair up in the tank. I assume it is the male that raises a large dorsal fin like a sail around the smaller female that has a small black sail fin she raises. The coolest thing is lately they are mating in the tank and I will try and post the video of them courting then dancing with the male allowing the other to ride his fins up to the top of the tank as they spin and float pretty elaborately before rocketing off to the bottom. Then the "date" starts all over again, seems to only happen shortly after the lights go out. I will get the footage posted if can in the next day or two but it is mesmerizing to watch.
Highly recommend them in your tanks, I have 5 I think now in my 300 gallon reef yet always see a few of them regardless of their tiny size scooting around the rocks.

[jasonp87]

These are really cool fish. I saw some at Aqua SD a while back and really wanted them. I just didn't feel like I knew enough about these guys to give them a fair chance in my tank. Any tips/tricks on these guys? Do you they eat prepared foods in your tank or are they like other dragonettes that will pretty much only eat pods? They also seem to never get the size as the more common mandarin dragonettes, can you confirm? If they don't get as big they may be a better option for smaller aquariums that would have a hard time sustaining the larger variations due to their larger appetite.

[CMD2213]

These are really cool fish. I saw some at Aqua SD a while back and really wanted them. I just didn't feel like I knew enough about these guys to give them a fair chance in my tank. Any tips/tricks on these guys? Do you they eat prepared foods in your tank or are they like other dragonettes that will pretty much only eat pods? They also seem to never get the size as the more common mandarin dragonettes, can you confirm? If they don't get as big they may be a better option for smaller aquariums that would have a hard time sustaining the larger variations due to their larger appetite.

I bought a bag of pods from Will in ASD just to mae sure he would be wel off plus my personal pods, added a ruby red dragonette I got from a lfs and the thing is happy an active for the past month no isses he eats Cyclops and nutramar ova I tink ts called but not a difficult fish very cool looking. He is everywherein the tak sometimes not sure if he is in it lol

[davocean]

Those are awesome, they have been posted and talked about a bit lately.
I would love to have a pair, but they are just like mandarin's, same pod needs, keep wondering if my tank could sustain the mated pair of mandy's I already have and a pair of these?
Been thinking about it.

[CMD2213]

For these guys I don't see why not they are able to be trained on frozen as well. Mine eats Cyclops bein they are soo tiny as well so it lets the pods get a rest to eat in the mean time considering I added a hatched batch of pods in addition to my tanks established pods.

[jasonp87]

cool, may have to look into these guys more for the 25. I would love a pair though, I don't know if I would want to bother if I could only get one. I do have a fuge in the 25 as well as live sand and live rock.

[CMD2213]

you don't need 2 2 means you have to make sure if they don't go frozen you have to make sure your pod supply stays high enough for them they are pretty active mines all across the tank nonstop

[jasonp87]

I know I don't need 2, but if I was going to get them I would want to establish a mated pair. If I couldn't do that I don't think I would bother.

[CMD2213]

hmm now im thinking of adding another lol but the thing about the pairs is the male/female determination based on if hey are male an stay male or sex determined by alpha..then the other changing its sex....etc??

[jasonp87]

I believe they are born with their gender. The males have the elongated dorsal spine and the females don't, just like mandarins. You should be able to tell at the store which is which.

[knightnsd]

I don' know if they are born gender specific or can change but there are notable differences in the top fins and size between the sexes so you should be able to find a pair that way at the stores. I will try and post the video this week. On the food issue my 300 reef seems to be able to provide them enough pods as they seem to be slow in gathering any prepared food I try to place in the tank.

[CMD2213]

Yea its easier for me being in a 36 good supply in small area they can gather quickly but please do ill look into a mate for my ruby

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[knightnsd]

working on posting the video, guess it is too long to email out. I will get a short clip or cut the large one down if I can, then email it out and post it