Red or green mandarin?

[cr0w]

Sooo i kinda am guessing itd be a red mandarin right? I know theres no difference besides more color but idk how much would be more . Also please excuse the dirty tank having more copepods otw.

 

[Saltwater2370]

That may be a female green mandarin, if there’s no spike on it. I had a red and a green both males and they were buddies.

 

[Kasrift]

From what I understand, blue/green mandarin gobies are the same thing, really just a naming convention. As for red mandarin gobies, their fins will have red on the outer edges instead of the trademark blue.

https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/images/products/Fish/large/Red%20Mandarin%20Dragonet,%20Synchiropus%20splendidus%20cf_ps.jpg

 

[cr0w]

That may be a female green mandarin, if there’s no spike on it. I had a red and a green both males and they were buddies.

Ooo okay, Its definitely a female confirmed it next to a male and another female at the lfs.

 

[cr0w]

From what I understand, blue/green mandarin gobies are the same thing, really just a naming convention. As for red mandarin gobies, their fins will have red on the outer edges instead of the trademark blue.

https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/images/products/Fish/large/Red%20Mandarin%20Dragonet,%20Synchiropus%20splendidus%20cf_ps.jpg

Oooo i see thanks! Love how red that one is.

 

[DaJMasta]

Blue mandarin! As mentioned there is no species difference, just slight coloration differences or lighting. There's only the one synchronous splendid, though there are actually quite a few other dragonets.

 

[cr0w]

Blue mandarin! As mentioned there is no species difference, just slight coloration differences or lighting. There's only the one synchronous splendid, though there are actually quite a few other dragonets.

Yea the shop i got this girl at had some beautiful ruby red dragonets that i was so tempted to get but thankfully held the urge haha

 

[i cant think]

Sooo i kinda am guessing itd be a red mandarin right? I know theres no difference besides more color but idk how much would be more . Also please excuse the dirty tank having more copepods otw.

That’s a blue - There is no species differentiation between Blues/Greens and Reds however there are rather big differences between the two which makes me personally believe if they undergo more research they may either become a subspecies situation or just different species altogether.

As for red mandarin gobies, their fins will have red on the outer edges instead of the trademark blue.

This isn’t 100% true, Red Mandarins do not have the ‘outline of red’ and instead their fins are outright red with the red markings on the body being more dominant over the blue. Here is a comparison of a male red against a male blue (Neither photo is mine).
Red Synchiropus splendidus:

Blue Synchiropus splendidus;

That may be a female green mandarin, if there’s no spike on it.

As juveniles, telling the difference between males and females in mandarins can be difficult as the spike in males isn’t as obvious however once they grow the spike becomes much more visible and elongated.