Scooter Blenny - Red

Red Scooter Blenny - A Vibrant Bottom-Dwelling Jewel

The Red Scooter Blenny (Synchiropus stellatus), despite its common name, is actually a stunning dragonet closely related to the Mandarin fish. With its brilliant red and orange coloration adorned with intricate blue spots and patterns, large sail-like dorsal fin, and endearing "hopping" movement across the substrate, this is one of the most visually striking dragonets available. The captive-bred specimens we offer have a significant advantage over wild-caught fish, as they're trained to accept prepared foods.

Key Features:

• Stunning Coloration: Vibrant red to orange body covered with iridescent blue spots and intricate patterns
• Unique Movement: "Hops" or "scoots" across the substrate using modified pelvic fins, creating fascinating behavior
• Impressive Dorsal Fin: Large, sail-like first dorsal fin displayed during courtship or territorial behavior
• Reef Safe: Completely safe with all corals and invertebrates; peaceful temperament
• Captive-Bred Advantage: Our specimens are trained to accept prepared foods, greatly improving success rates
• Natural Pest Control: Actively hunts copepods, amphipods, and other microfauna

Care Requirements:

Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons; 50+ gallons recommended for established copepod population
Experience Level: Intermediate - requires special feeding considerations
Diet: Primarily copepods and amphipods; captive-bred specimens accept frozen cyclops, baby brine shrimp, and enriched mysis
Temperament: Peaceful; may be territorial with other dragonets
Reef Compatibility: Excellent - will not harm corals or invertebrates
Adult Size: Reaches 3-4 inches in length

Important: Not a True Blenny

Despite its common name, the Scooter Blenny is actually a dragonet (family Callionymidae), not a true blenny. This distinction is important because dragonets have different care requirements than blennies, particularly regarding their specialized diet of live microfauna.

Critical Success Factors:

Established Tank Required: Your aquarium should be mature (6+ months old) with a thriving population of copepods and amphipods. A refugium with macroalgae helps maintain a sustainable food source for long-term success.

Feeding Strategy: While wild-caught scooter blennies can be challenging to feed, our captive-bred specimens have been trained to accept frozen foods, significantly improving their chances of long-term success. Offer frozen cyclops, baby brine shrimp, and enriched mysis shrimp multiple times daily. Supplement with live copepod cultures to ensure optimal nutrition.

Tank Mates: Avoid housing with aggressive feeders that may outcompete the scooter blenny for food. Only one dragonet per tank unless you have a very large, well-established system with abundant microfauna.

Behavior & Personality:

Red Scooter Blennies are mesmerizing to watch as they "hop" across the substrate and rockwork using their modified pelvic fins. They spend most of their time on the bottom, methodically hunting for copepods and amphipods. Males will display their impressive dorsal fins to attract females or establish territory, creating one of the most beautiful displays in the reef aquarium. These fish are generally peaceful and make stunning additions to reef aquariums with appropriate food sources.

Sexual Dimorphism:

Males have a much larger, more elaborate first dorsal fin compared to females, often with extended filaments. Males also tend to be slightly larger and display more intense red coloration with more prominent blue spotting. The impressive dorsal fin display is one of the most captivating behaviors to observe in the aquarium.

Coloration & Appearance:

The Red Scooter Blenny is one of the most colorful dragonets available:

• Base color ranges from deep red to bright orange
• Iridescent blue spots and patterns cover the body and fins
• Large, sail-like dorsal fin with red, orange, and blue markings
• Males display more vibrant colors, especially during courtship
• Colors may appear more intense under actinic lighting

Feeding Requirements:

Success with Red Scooter Blennies depends heavily on providing adequate food sources:

• Live Copepods: Maintain a healthy population through refugiums or regular seeding
• Frozen Foods: Our captive-bred specimens accept frozen cyclops, baby brine shrimp, and finely chopped mysis
• Multiple Feedings: Offer food 2-3 times daily to ensure adequate nutrition
• Target Feeding: Use a turkey baster or feeding tube to deliver food directly near the fish

Tank Setup:

Provide plenty of live rock with copepod populations, along with open sand areas where the scooter blenny can hunt. A refugium with macroalgae and live rock rubble will help maintain a sustainable copepod population. Gentle to moderate flow is preferred, as strong currents can make feeding difficult for these bottom-dwelling fish. Subdued lighting or shaded areas are appreciated, as dragonets are often more active in lower light conditions.

Why Choose Captive-Bred?

Captive-bred Red Scooter Blennies offer significant advantages over wild-caught specimens: they're already acclimated to aquarium life, trained to accept prepared foods, and don't impact wild reef populations. This gives you the best chance of long-term success with this spectacular species while supporting sustainable aquaculture practices.

Our Red Scooter Blennies are carefully selected, quarantined, and eating a variety of foods before shipment. Each fish is backed by our live arrival guarantee, ensuring your vibrant new bottom-dwelling jewel arrives healthy and ready to thrive in your established reef system.