Description
The Scooter Dragonet originates from the southwest areas of the Pacific. Although it is commonly called a Scooter Blenny, it is not a Blenny. It is from the dragonet family. There are many species of dragonet including the Mandarin Dragonet. The Scooter Dragonet commonly comes in two colors: red and brown. This is the brown variant. It has a variety of different shades and patterns. Some portions are darker while others are almost white. The fish is speckled with a mix of large and tiny spots. The smaller spots have a sort of starry appearance. Wild-caught Scooter Dragonets are usually finicky and hard to keep. They tend only to eat live copepods or take a long time to train. On the other hand, ORA Scooter Dragonets are raised on a diet of pellets. They will eat small frozen mysis shrimp as well. This is a huge advancement for this fish in the aquarium hobby. While this improvement is great, it is still not necessarily a “beginner fish.” Because of its fast metabolism, this fish needs to eat several times per day. It is recommended that you have a population of copepods so that it can eat throughout the day as it does in the wild. This is not required, but it will make keeping the fish easier. Also, you have to spot feed when feeding. It will rarely if at all swim up to eat, so you will need to get the food directly in front of it. While it is more difficult than other fish, it is still possible for a new hobbyists that is disciplined enough to keep this fish successfully. After all, having a Scooter Dragonet is certainly a rewarding experience.
Care Requirements
Feeding: Carnivore. Spot feed pellets or frozen food. Maintain a stable copepod population if possible.
Water Parameters: ~78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef safe: Yes
Color: Mix of brown, white, and black with white spots.
More Information
Not only is this fish easier to feed, it is also better adapted for aquarium life in general. Purchasing captive-bred fish such as this Scooter Dragonet helps the ocean by discouraging the wild-caught trade and its harmful practices, making our hobby more sustianable.
