Mandarinfish Pier Dive with Wakatobi’s Dive Yacht, Pelagian

Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus)
Shot with a Nauticam housed Nikon D850 and 60mm Macro. Camera settings: 1/180 sec. at f/22

Sunset was close at hand, and we were getting ready for a twilight dive on Magic Pier in Pasar Wajo Bay on the southeast coast of Buton Island in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Regularly visited by Wakatobi’s live-aboard dive yacht Pelagian, the Pier is known for something really special – Mandarinfish!

Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) a member of the dragonet family.
Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) a member of the dragonet family.

If you haven’t yet seen a mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus), here’s what you’re missing. A member of the Dragonet family, mandarinfish are exceptionally striking with a garish coloration consisting of vivid green swirls atop a predominantly orange body fringed in deep blue with yellow accents around the head. 

Although mandarinfish are not particularly rare in the Tropical Western and Indo Pacific, finding them with any reliable form of consistency is somewhat limited. This is particularly true if your goal is to capture images of them during their more amorous exploits. 

During a trip in the Philippines at Puerta Galera, I was taken to a “Mandarinfish hot spot”. Unfortunately, this site was also well known to every dive operation. The experience for me was not productive nor enjoyable due to the high volume of divers present, which also turned the site into a giant snow globe of particulate.

Male and femaleMandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) a member of the dragonet family.
Male and femaleMandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) a member of the dragonet family.

In comparison, the middle part of Pelagian’s one week itinerary includes two days at Pasar Wajo Bay in Buton. This area is well off the beaten path of other live aboard dive boats, as well as being far removed from dive resorts. The main element here is muck diving that serves up a variety of marine life you generally don’t find in coral reef habitats. And the signature attraction is the scores of mandarinfish that reside around the base of the site Magic Pier. 

The dive begins 15 minutes before sunset to allows divers to properly position on the bottom midway down the large rubble pile below the pier. 

Having done this dive twice, I am still amazed by just how many of these ornately colored fish, about half the size of my thumb, are here in this spot. 

Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) emerging from a wide number of crevasses in the rock pile below Magic Pier.
Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) emerging from a wide number of crevasses in the rock pile below Magic Pier.

Magic Pier Mandarinfish Video: https://youtu.be/JRdHeTgruao

In addition to a group of about seven on this dive, there were still more emerging from a wide number of crevasses to my right and left. Most were females milling about awaiting the arrival of a suitor–or in this case suitors, which made their appearances in short order.

The only real give away to identifying the sex of the mandarinfish is generally in its size, as mature males are typically larger than the females. In most fish I.D. books, the average size female mandarinfish is described to be 1-1/2 inches in length with males only slightly larger. What I find surprising is that a good number of the males at Magic Pier are… well, above average and appearing to be close to 3 inches in length, having me wonder what these guys are eating. 

Strutting their Stuff

With unabashed confidence, the males will mark their arrival with a little bit of a flourish and pectoral fins fluttering like a hummingbird. And at the same time, they “work the room” by tightly circling the ladies in a courting fashion. 

A threesome of Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) during courtship.
A threesome of Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) during courtship.

Typically, during this phase of the courtship, the dance might involve up to three fish – one male to two females. But as the more willing individuals of the group take over, pairs will begin a spiraling ascent two to three feet above the coral. The purpose for this maneuver is because mandarinfish are broadcast spawners; both the eggs and sperm are released simultaneously into the water column to be carried away in the currents. To achieve optimum fertilization, the female must come as close to the male’s pelvic fins as she can, at the peak moment of their climb, where she will then release her eggs.

Mandarinfish are broadcast spawners; both the eggs and sperm are released simultaneously into the water column to be carried away in the currents.
Mandarinfish are broadcast spawners; both the eggs and sperm are released simultaneously into the water column to be carried away in the currents.

With my camera armed with modeling lights set on red-light mode I was able to easily follow the upward progression of the pairs without losing them in the frame as I shot. At the point at which you would think they would continue ascending, the pairs would suddenly break contact and rapidly descend back to their starting place. 

I have posted a short article on photographing these beautiful fish which you can see by Clicking Here

Two large male mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) sizing each other up for a possible fight.
Two large male mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) sizing each other up for a possible fight.

Looking down and expecting the show to be over, I was surprised to see another male already at it again putting the moves on the next available babe. At the same time, two large males hit a disagreement on who should stay and who should go. With dorsal fins erect, the two sized each other up trying to determine who was the bigger badass, which I thought was hilarious given their excessively flamboyant coloration. Expecting to see the fur, rather fins fly, their squaring off behavior suddenly came to an end in a draw.

During the span of some 35 to 40 minutes, the entire area within this embankment of rocks below the pier looked like a swinging singles club of Mandarinfish with as many as 3 to 4 different males successfully mating with up to 6 different females. Talk about some guys having all the luck.

Learn more about diving from Pelagian at wakatobi.com/dive-yacht

Ask a guest experience representative about booking a cruise on Pelagian. 
www.wakatobi.com Email: info@wakatobi.com

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YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS43RkJGOTAwRDhCOEQ1RjIy

Is This The Best Dive Center Ever? W\@wakatobidiveresort

@sennacher 
#askmark Hi there, regarding DSMBs. I’m no expert whatsoever and normally I deploy it correctly. This weekend we dove on very strong current and I almost lose my breath while deploying it (mouth inflate) as it tangled a bit on my reg. It scared the sh&t out of me so. Is there any “little cylinder” kind of thing in order to keep my reg in my mouth to deploy it safer?  I haven’t tried to do it with my LPI… but asume it would tangle also.
Thanks
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@sennacher
#askmark Hi there, regarding DSMBs. I’m no expert whatsoever and normally I deploy it correctly. This weekend we dove on very strong current and I almost lose my breath while deploying it (mouth inflate) as it tangled a bit on my reg. It scared the sh&t out of me so. Is there any “little cylinder” kind of thing in order to keep my reg in my mouth to deploy it safer? I haven’t tried to do it with my LPI… but asume it would tangle also.
Thanks
Please visit our website for more Scuba news, underwater photography, hints & advice, and travel reports: https://divernet.com/

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=================================

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Is There an Easier Way to Deploy a dSMB?

How Twinset Valves Work In Scuba Diving | Shutdown Drills And Isolator Tips Explained #scubadiving #askmark #twinset

Confused about how to use twinset valves or perform a proper valve shutdown drill? You’re not alone.

In this AskMark episode, Mark explains how valves work on twin cylinders, including how to safely open and close them, how isolator valves function, and why valve drills (also known as shutdown drills or V-Drills) are critical for diagnosing leaks during technical and recreational dives. Please visit our website for more Scuba news, underwater photography, hints & advice, and travel reports: https://divernet.com/ 

Mark also shares tips on muscle memory for reaching your left and right posts, isolator-first vs isolator-last logic, and how to prevent over-tightening or unsafe valve positioning. This guide is perfect for divers transitioning to twinsets, sidemount divers curious about manifold setups, or anyone wanting to improve their gas management skills. 

Let us know in the comments how your instructor taught valve drills and don’t forget to leave your questions using #AskMark to get featured in a future video. 

@mostafametwally1

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=================================

Disclaimer: The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training. This video's content, including text, graphics, images, and information, is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor.

🔎 Related Phrases:

How Twinset Valves Work In Scuba Diving, Shutdown Drills And Isolator Tips Explained, How Twinset Valves Work In Diving, Scuba Valve Drill Tutorial, Shutdown Drill For Twin Cylinders, How To Use Twinset Isolator Valve, Twinset Manifold Explained, Best Way To Close Dive Valves, V-Drill For Scuba Divers, Twin Cylinder Gas Management Tips, Scuba Regulator Shutdown Steps, How To Practice Twinset Valve Drills, Muscle Memory For Valve Shutdowns

#scubadiving #askmark #twinset #scubavalves #shutdownskills #divingsafety #scubatraining #scubatech #divetips #manifoldvalve #valvedrill #scubagear #divingtechniques #scubacommunity #technicaldiving

How Do Valves Work on Twin Cylinders? #askmark
@mostafametwally1
#askmark hi Mark. Could you do a video on how to deal with the valves and manifold on twin cylinders. It’s confusing to remember which way to open the valves and it’s easy to get wrong particularly in emergencies. Thanks
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The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training or recommendations for every manufacturer. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor or specific requirements from equipment manufacturers.

YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS5EQkEyODM0NTk2MUFEQkYz

How Twinset Valves Work In Scuba Diving | Shutdown Drills And Isolator Tips Explained

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