Little dragon under the sea

The English name for this strange fish is Dragonet - derived from the word "dragon" (dragon). It also looks like something like a small dragon. Vietnamese is called "lizard fish", scientific name is Callionymus lyra.

Dragonet fish usually live on the sea floor near the shore with a depth of about 400m. They eat small crustaceans, molluscs, and other invertebrates.

Drumfish use light colors and dorsal fins to warn other drumfish that should stay away from its "territory". The drums that enter the forbidden area will be chased immediately, and the two opponents will do enough to scare each other.

Dragonet fish mate in shallow water. With a subtle flirtation ritual , the males seduce females by standing up their dorsal fins, while swimming side by side and swimming around the females. Then the two children will pair, swim back up on the water, belly close together. While swimming like that, females lay eggs and empty fish release semen to fertilize. Eggs gradually float to the surface.

The juveniles hatch, live near the water surface until they reach a certain size (at least about 1cm long) and swim down to the bottom of the sea.

Unlike the mythical dragon, this "little dragon" body has no scales. But the big head, the dorsal fin near the head is very long, there is a protruding prongs higher than the fins. Mature drum Dragonet is golden brown with dark streaks on the head, stripes on the body and on the tree. Young fish have no high back barbs.

The adult body length is about 3dm, the adult roof is about 2dm.