Mandarin Fish

Mandarin fish are tiny dragonet fish with one of the most spectacular colour palettes in the animal kingdom — electric blue, orange, and green psychedelic patterns. They produce their colour from actual blue pigment (cyanophore cells) — one of only two animals on Earth to do so (along with the related picturesque dragonet).

Their mating ritual is the world's most famous dusk dive: 30 minutes before sunset, a male and female ascend slowly cheek-to-cheek 30–60 cm above the coral, release sperm and eggs into the water, then drop back into the rubble. The whole event takes seconds and repeats nightly.

Reliable mating sites: Lembeh, Anilao, Bali (Tulamben Secret Bay), Bunaken, Cebu (Moalboal house reef). Local guides know specific rubble patches. Bring a red focus light — white light disrupts the ritual.