The Ruby Red red dragonet, or Synchiropus sycorax, is a nice-looking fish that’s a peaceful addition to any saltwater tank. However, it’s not the easiest to maintain, which may make it less ideal if you don’t want a challenge when keeping fish.
In this care guide, you’ll learn a little more about the Ruby Red dragonet and what to expect with this particular species.
Although the Ruby Red dragonet needs ample food and care, you won’t need to worry about it negatively impacting a reef tank. This fish won’t eat coral or pursue invertebrates that you want to keep in your tank, but the key is to provide the fish with sufficient food supplies.
The only potential problem with keeping your Ruby Red in a reef tank is the presence of sea anemones. The Ruby Red doesn’t always perceive anemones as predators, which could be their downfall as they wind up serving as meals.
Like other dragonets, the Ruby Red is a picky eater and needs to adhere to a specialized diet to thrive. They’re carnivorous and need plenty of copepods and amphipods to keep them happy. They also need ample live sand and rock that serves as the foundation for their meaty meals.
If you can keep up with this fish’s strict diet demands, you’ll likely find it to be a welcome addition to your tank. Otherwise, it can be more frustrating than fun to keep.
The toughest part about owning a Ruby Red dragonet is maintaining a steady diet. Like other dragonets, this fish needs a healthy supply of live pods along with plenty of live sand and live rock. Also, these fish don’t get along with certain fish in smaller aquariums, as they may be aggressive toward gobies, blennies, and dartfish.
The Ruby Red dragonet is among the smaller fish out there, with adults only growing to around 2.5 inches long.
The Ruby Red dragonet is a pretty-looking fish that has vibrant colors. It’s notably bright red all over its body, with yellow coloration around the pectoral and ventral fins as well as white coloration around the head.
You won’t need to pay too much for the Ruby Red dragonet, but they’re not the cheapest fish around, either. You can find this fish on the market today for around $45-50 on average, but some places may sell them for as much as $100 or more. Try shopping around and looking for the best fish at the best price before committing to a purchase.
Here are a few facts you might not have known about the Ruby Red dragonet:
The Ruby Red dragonet is far from aggressive, but you need to ensure it has plenty of food, which is why you may not want to keep this fish in a tank with other fish that feed on the same food.
Some potential tank mates for this fish include chromis, angelfish, tangs, jawfish, wrasses, and puffers. Generally, as long as the other fish aren’t competitive or aggressive, they’ll get along well with your Red Ruby.
Red Rubies do get along with others of their kind, but remember that you’ll need to keep both satisfied when it comes to their diet.
Looking for the Ruby Red dragonet? You’ll find it here along with many other online stores or even a local retailer:
The Ruby Red dragonet is a great fish to add if you want something colorful to look at, but you must be able to keep up with its diet. If you can manage that, you’ll likely enjoy keeping this fish.