Moyer's Dragonet (Synchiropus moyeri) Care Guide
Synchiropus moyeri is a Western Pacific dragonet of coastal reef slopes reaching about 7.5 cm, a benthic invertebrate feeder.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Synchiropus moyeri, Moyer's dragonet, was described by Zaiser and Fricke in 1985. It is a small dragonet of the family Callionymidae reaching a maximum total length of about 7.5 cm and is endemic to the Western Pacific.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callionymidae
- Genus: Synchiropus
- Scientific name: Synchiropus moyeri Zaiser & Fricke, 1985
- Common name: Moyer's dragonet
Habitat
According to FishBase, the species is widespread in the Western Pacific and is replaced by Synchiropus stellatus in the Indian Ocean. It inhabits coastal reef slopes, usually on rubble and sand near large coral formations, at depths of 3-30 m, with a preferred temperature range of about 23-29 °C. It occurs in small loose groups with dominance hierarchies in which a large male controls sections of reef.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L (21 gal)
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness: 8-12 °dGH
- Maximum size: about 7.5 cm total length (FishBase)
- Lifespan: 4-10 years
- Requires a mature system with abundant live copepods
Diet
FishBase gives a trophic level of about 3.3, consistent with a carnivorous diet of small benthic invertebrates. In aquaria it grazes continuously on copepods and other micro-fauna and depends on a mature, established system.
Compatibility
This is a peaceful, bottom-dwelling species. It is best kept with calm tankmates that do not compete for live food, and away from aggressive fishes and predators.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2022).
Synchiropus moyeri Breeding Guide
Overview
Synchiropus moyeri, Moyer's dragonet, is a reef-associated dragonet of the family Callionymidae reaching about 7.5 cm total length. It is widespread in the western Pacific, where it replaces the closely related Synchiropus stellatus of the Indian Ocean, and inhabits coastal reef slopes over rubble and sand near large coral formations at depths of 3 to 30 m. It typically occurs in small loose groups in which one large male dominates a section of reef.
Sexing
The species is sexually dimorphic in the manner typical of dragonets, with the dominant male larger and more developed than the females of his group. Because small groups occur with a single adult male, the largest, most fin-developed individual is generally the male.
Conditioning
As a benthic-invertebrate feeder, the species depends on live copepods to reach and hold breeding condition. A mature reef or attached refugium with self-renewing pod populations is the practical way to condition a male with one or more females.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Dragonets spawn in the late afternoon just before sunset. After a courtship display in which both fish fan their pectoral and caudal fins and the male flares his dorsal fins, a male and female pair ascend roughly 0.7 to 1.2 m up the water column, swimming semicircularly with the pectoral fins, and release eggs and milt near the top of the rise. Dominant males are polygynous and may spawn with several females in a single evening.
Egg & Fry Care
The eggs are buoyant and pelagic, drifting freely with the plankton, and there is no parental care. In a closed system eggs must be collected as they rise and the planktonic larvae fed extremely small first foods, which is why rearing has been achieved only in specialist conditions.
Common Challenges
Capturing floating eggs before filtration removes them and feeding the minute larvae are the principal obstacles, compounded by the need to sustain dense copepod populations for both adults and fry. As a result reproduction is rarely documented beyond egg release.