Mandarin Fish – Puerto Galera

This image captures one of the “holy grail” sightings for underwater photographers in Puerto Galera: the twilight mating ritual of the Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus). Puerto Galera is world-renowned for its biodiversity.

The Subjects: A Psychedelic Duo

The photo features a pair of Mandarinfish engaged in their “spawning rise.” These fish are famous for several unique biological traits. The Mating Dance: The larger male (usually the one on the bottom/back) and the smaller female join pelvic fins and rise slowly above the reef together. At the peak of this rise, they release eggs and sperm simultaneously before darting back into the safety of the coral. This is a typical muck or transition dive, hovering just above a patch of staghorn coral or finger coral rubble in shallow water. Background: In the background, you can see Zoa corals and soft coral polyps, providing a textured, muted backdrop that makes the vibrant patterns of the fish pop. To see this in person in Puerto Galera, you have to be incredibly still. These fish are shy; if you shine a bright light directly on them too soon or move too fast, they’ll retreat into the coral crevices and the show is over for the night.