Algae Blenny

[Detri]

This question is more for my wifes ease of mind. She wanted one from the begining. Tara absolutely loves there face and has fallen in love with one that was in a display tank, that's not for sale, at the LFS.

Well she came home with one 3 days ago. Along with a variety of food. I swear she would have gotten a leash and some chew toys to if she thought she could, she loves this fish so much.

Anyway, The blenny didn't come out from under our massive amount of 3, 2 lbs rocks the first 1.5 days. He has started to come out and swim a bit and has found a perch on my power head. Has yet to eat. How long can I wait and not worry about the blenny before I need to be concerned? This is day 3

 

[steve-s]

Depends on the actual species you're refering to. More commonly "algae blenny" is used by hobbyists for Salarias fasciatus. If so, it is not uncommon for this species to never take to prepared foods. They are faily strict herbavors and feed primarily on film algaes that grow on the glass and the rock. They are not recommended (at least by me) for smaller tanks for just that reason, your 30 gal may be reason enough to return the fish , you'll have to play that by ear. The one thing to remember with any newly aquired fish is depending how long a time they have been in the "collection system", is they may not have had the opportunity or ability to "learn" this way of feeding. Some fish, like Salarias fasciatus never do. Supplimentation is often hit and miss (more miss) due to the fact this fish does not have the ability to grind it's food or tear algae free. When they are seen knawing on macro algaes or even nori for that matter, it's the film on them the fish is after, not the leafy parts itself. Short cropped hair algae would be a different story though.

One recommendation is to try keeping one viewing pane of the tank glass uncleaned at all time. Alternate which ones you clean to prevent build up. This will often provide at least some consistant food supply the blenny will always have available. It will be a "learned" feeding routine to some extent but much easier than prepared foods. Don't give up on the prepared foods but try to keep alternating the types in hopes of finding one the fish will consume and be sure the particle size is quite small to accomodate it's lack of grinding/cheewing ability.

How does the belly look now, round, flat or sunken?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Detri]

I was pissed when my wife brought it home. I have had to cram a ton of information into my head. This blenny doesn't look like a typical Lawnmower blenny. I will try to get a pic of it, or find a pic of one simular. Thanks for the info...he may just go back tonight. Well last night it was flat looking at him right now it seems to be slightly larger.

 

[Detri]

Ok it took me a while but I finally got a pic or 4. Its a real nice looking fish!

The first pic is what I notice while trying to get a decent pic of him seems he has been eating a little, the second is of him checking things out. He has yet to perch on the powerhead today. The third is the only other decent shot I could get of him.

 

[Detri]

I should have mentioned. the algae on the down tube for my filter has clean sections.

 

[steve-s]

It does look like a Salarias sp. but not a fasciatus from what I can see. The picture you posted at least confirms that to a degree I think but there's not enough of the fish's features showing/present to go beyond that.

If you have the time, you might want to check fishbase.org

Cheers
Steve

 

[Detri]

I will try to get a better pic when he decides to rest a few on the sandbed. Plus I will look through the link you left.

 

[spongebob lover]

dood all i can say is that your wife likes really kewl looking fishes .

 

[Detri]

Ok found it, The third one is the the one that looks excactly like him. The black dot on the fin and blue neon specks were what I was looking for. Blenniella gibbifrons (AKA) Hump-headed Blenny



http://fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.cfm?StartRow=1&ID=7871&what=species
http://fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.cfm?StartRow=8&ID=7871&what=species
This one looks almost exactly like him

 

[Krish]

Cool looking fish Detri! Bahamians call them mud skippers for some strange reasons, but they also call Queen Triggerfish Durgons too so who knows(LOL) Nice fish though...

 

[steve-s]

Actually I think their commonly refered to as Rock Skippers.. Istiblennius sp. Basically puts you in the same boat though as far as being a film algae eater. I have not kept one of these species in particular so I can't help you in terms of the adaptiveness towards tank fed foods. Still give it a try you never know, just be sure the diet is geared mainly towards spirulina based foods if it does "learn" to feed artificially.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Detri]

Well tonight I made sure I ground up the flake as much as possible, my clowns didn't care. He would dart out, swim around the one side of the tank and go back in to his hideing spot several times till the food was gone. It was hard to tell if he was feeding or not, but he stopped when the food was gone. I just read the ingredients on the container, it does contain spirulina. It does mention that it contains vitamins and nutrients for herbivore and carnivore growth and color. I am heading to the LFS tomorrow to take a good look at all the foods available to me and try to pick something more geared for grazing livestock.

Thanks a million Steve!

 

[Detri]

I was looking at the Istiblennius sp. in a search I believe this is what you are looking at Krish

http://worldwidefauna.com/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=2302&page=1

 

[Detri]

Ok finally got some good pics of him now. He is doing really well so far and is actually swimming about more now. My clowns are a little scared of him, but he hasn't chased them at all and the clowns have yet to try and pick on him. His belly isn't as big as I would like to see it, but, atleast it doesn't look like he is starving to death.

 

[jase0723]

I wish you luck.
I/ve never been successfull at keeping one of these guys in my tank (I don't know why), They alwasys seem to die off after a few months.

 

[steve-s]

Have you been able to get the blenny to eat yet? Or seen it grazing?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Detri]

Its been grazing thats for sure, the side of my tank that I haven't cleaned is clean now. I have seen him scoop up sand bed and spit it out. When I feed the clowns he zips around the tank while thery eat. I am assuming he is eating alittle of it. So far so good I think. he hangs out in the open alot more now.