Mandarin fish

Family: Manatee fish

Size: Up to 7 cm long

Distribution: Pacific Ocean

Food: Crustaceans

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The mandarin fish is one of two known animal species that produce blue pigment. Most blue animals are blue by optics. The color comes from lots of tiny colorless crystals into which light is refracted so that blue light is reflected back. The Mandarin fish doesn't do that. It has really blue color pigment. This fish is also poisonous. It has spines that contain a toxic slime.