blenny issues...

[JeffGil]

I've got a tailspot blenny and a lawnmower (sailfin) blenny in a 72g tank and since we've added the lawnmower, the tailspot has taken to hiding in the rock and won't come out at all. The tailspot is a little guy around 2" long and the lawnmower blenny is considerably larger (maybe 3.5-4" long) and much more active and always bouncing around chomping on the rocks. It's been about two days since we added the lawnmower blenny and I haven't seen the tailspot blenny creep out of his hiding spot once since. We've also got two clowns, a Bartlet's damsel, and PJ cardinals in there that he's gotten along with fine for a while with no problems.

Before adding the lawnmower, the tailspot blenny was all over the place doing his thing and now I'm worried that the new blenny has scared him into hiding...until he starves to death maybe? He won't eat even when I target feed him mysis shrimp and I'm worried that he's afraid to come out of hiding to browse around and feed.

Should I be concerned? Should I move him off to a hospital tank or a different tank maybe? He doesn't seem sick, just scared to death.

 

[Scooterman]

Might be wise to relocate him, you have to consider relationships when adding fish like this, more so when they are similar.

 

[JeffGil]

Well, I did research it before adding him in and it's a 72g tank so I didn't think they'd have territory issues. Both of them are peaceful I thought and so I didn't think the lawnmower would be aggresive. I haven't seen the lawnmower be overtly aggressive against the tailspot and I think he's just spooked by that big fish.

Has anyone else ever had a problem with these two type fish together?

 

[JeffGil]

quick update: the tailspot is starting to come out a little at a time now. I saw him pop out of his little cave today and swim around pecking at rocks right in front of the lawnmower and his color is coming back to normal now. I guess he just needs some time to get used to his new neighbor...I hope.

 

[JeffGil]

OK for anyone still reading this: the blenny's are fine. They're both scurrying around the tank happily pecking on rocks together and the little one is starting to fatten up again. If you want to see them, I've posted pictures of them to my photo gallery.