curious mandarin claim

[clippo]

Hi folks. Doing a bit of research for a blog I operate. I've already had a search on here but can't see the topic being discussed... apologies if I've missed it somehow (and if so, please feel free to just direct me there).

I recently came across an article suggesting that Synchiropus splendidus has been observed in Singaporean waters for the first time... and the article suggested this was likely the result of intentional aquarium release. The article is here: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1614800/colorful-mandarin-fish-spotted-in-singapore-waters-for-first-time-likely-from-aquarium-trade . The observation itself was made in April 2022.

In researching the topic I came across the following page from this site: https://www.sgreefclub.com/home/dragonets-mandarin-fish/ . A passage from this article states "At least in Singapore, there are a number of dragonets that arrive at our shores quite regularly. These include the green mandarins" (the article later identifies green mandarins as S. splendidus)

The SG material was written in Feb 2021... so a clear year before the supposed "first observation" made by Venus Tan. This not only suggests to me that Tan's claim is invalid, but also that there's a strong chance that an aquarium release isn't "to blame" here. i find it extremely odd that they would reach this conclusion given populations of the species not too far away... plus there were supposedly a pair of the fish.

I just wanted to reach out to the community to see if anyone could provide any more detail on this situation as I am intending to rebuke the Inquirer article.

[clippo]

there's also a paper here https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/NIS-2022-0054.pdf

This paper makes reference to a previous study which can be found here: https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/app/uploads/2017/06/2012nis027-038-5.pdf

Edited August 13, 2022 by clippo

[clippo]

or does the "arrives on our shores" part of the SG article simply refer to imports for the pet trade rather than wild observation?

[rarf]

On 8/13/2022 at 11:08 PM, clippo said:

or does the "arrives on our shores" part of the SG article simply refer to imports for the pet trade rather than wild observation?

yes, the article is referring to imports for the aquarium trade

[clippo]

thanks... a simple explanation in the end!

Having said that, isn't it at least equally as likely that these fish have naturally moved into the area given the populations relatively nearby?

[rarf]

maybe they were around in the past but we don’t have very many suitable habitats left for them after extensive land reclamation and now they’re making a comeback with the reefs also growing back with sediments settling.


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