Breeding Journal, Species: Synchiropus splendidus "Green Mandarin"

General
Species: Synchiropus splendidus
Social Structure: non monogamous, male's court females and mate as pairs
Size of Individuals: I have multiple pairs.  If male is smaller than female, they do not get along.
Age of Individuals: unknown, always wild caught
Date added to Tank: N/A

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank: 24 gallon nanocubes
Substrate Details: live sand
Filtration Details: stock nanocube filtration
Water Changes: 25% weekly
Water Temperature: 78-82F
Lighting: one pair under stock power compacts, another pair under 150 watt Metal Halide
Lighting Cycle: generally 12 hours per day, on a timer
Other Tank Inhabitants: too many to mention, but includes other dragonettes, filefish species, clownfish species, cardinalfish species etc..

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types: All Dragonettes I keep are trained onto frozen brine shrimp and frozen mysis.  Most also take Formula 1 pellets, spectrum pellets etc
Feeding Schedule: multiple feedings per day, at least one of which is frozen shrimps...

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:
Spawn Time of Day:
Dates of Consecutive Spawns:
Courtship Details:
Egg Size:
Egg Color:
Egg Count:

Hatch Details
Hatch Date:
Hatch Time of Day:
# Days after Spawn:
Larvae Description:


Larval Tank Details
Temperature:
Size of Larval Tank:
Substrate Details:
Other Tank Decor:
Filtration Details:
Lighting:
Lighting Cycle:
Water Changes:

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types:
Feeding Schedule:

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Settlement Start:
Days after Hatch:
Date of Settlement End:
Description of Fry:

Grow-Out Tank Details
Temperature:
Size of Grow-Out Tank:
Substrate Details:
Other Tank Decor:
Filtration Details:
Lighting:
Lighting Cycle:
Water Changes:
Size at Transfer:
Age at Transfer

Grow-Out Feeding Details
Food Types:
Feeding Schedule:

Additional Information
Miscellaneous Information:

I've tracked my work with this species in a few threads, the first 2 on Reef Central, and the last on MOFIB:
Reef Central, Part I - http://www.reefcentral.co...s=&threadid=824111
Reef Central, Part II - http://reefcentral.com/fo...ad.php?threadid=976657
MOFIB, Part III - http://www.marinebreeder....ic.php?f=176&t=661

I genuinely believe that I may have had a juvenile or two settle, but couldn't find them and thus assumed they had passed away.  Hindsight being what it is, I think I did get to settlement, so I WILL again attempt to rear these in the future and WILL accomplish success (as others have).  It IS within reach of a dedicated hobbyist.  It IS also VERY tough, at the top of what a home hobbyist can currently expect to accomplish!

Some selected pictures from my efforts:

One of my favorite pictures of all times, Mandarins in the spawning rise









More to come...

During your breeding was there a height that was too short for them during rise?  I ask as I'm setting up a largish size lagoon, and hope keep both mandarin's and dwarf angels (Flamebacks or Pygmies) in the same system.  Right now its looking like 6'x4'x2', but I could certainly raise that up to 36" or 48" if that would help.

Thanks!

Time and again, vertical height for pelagic spawners is cited as important.  That said, the spawning rise on my Centropyge argi is really like 4-6".  However, the mandarins push to the surface of the tanks in the nanocubes, and certainly look like they could benefit from more height.  48" of height seems unmanageably tall, especially if all work will be done from the top...you can't reach the bottom.  36"...if you can pull it off...maybe go for it.  Even 30" might be better than 24".

Thanks for that info.  Interesting to know about the argi.  I think I'll shoot for the happy medium of 30" and go from there.  

Thanks again!