Tail Spot Blenny

[returnofsid]

Hi Lee,
So Angie has recently fallen in love with the Tail Spot Blenny, Ecsenius stigmatura, and is wanting to set up a Nano to house one. I've been trying to learn about this particular fish but am having trouble finding any recent information. Google results are mostly several years old, as is information I'm able to find on a few forums. What can you tell me about this cute lil' guy? Natural Habitat, diet, compatibility issues it may have and such? Thanks so much for any information you can supply!!

Thanks,
Michael

 

[returnofsid]

Bump to top for information. I know you're very busy Lee...lol.

 

[leebca]

I'd be a bit concerned about this fish being in a 10 gallon tank. Can you talk Angie into a 20 gallon?

This fish is mostly found in the Philippine Islands and still some are coming through that have been captured by cyanide. It is so shy and hides so well, that I think divers can usually only capture it by their old methods of cyanide.

If the fish manages to get by that hurdle without being poisoned, then the next will be acclimating it to captive life. It needs to be quarantined in order to teach it how to eat prepared foods. If put into a tank with live rock, it will continue with its life of eating off the live rock and, as we know, that won't be enough food nor the right nutrition for this fish.

The fish is a herbivore so its prepared foods should contain liquefied macro algae, kelp, and with plenty of spirulina. It should be eating about 80% vegetable matter. Few prepared foods live up to this requirement which is another reason why these fish don't fair too well in captivity.

 

[returnofsid]

The nano we'd set up would be either an 18 or 25, not a 10.

Is there a way, possibly purchasing through a reputable LFS, to assure this fish wasn't caught using Cyanide?

Can you give me a little more information about the "liquefied" macro algaes? That's one I've not heard of.

 

[leebca]

Sorry for my choice of word, "liquefied." I mean homemade foods, liquefied then gelled.

LFSs are at the mercy of wholesalers. Wholesalers are at the mercy of exporters. Exporters are at the mercy of the collector. Collectors are usually 'on their own' and others up the chain never know how the fish was collected. I believe personally that the cyanide caught fishes out of the Philippine islands are less than 15%.

When I read "nano" nowadays, I think of 5 and 10 (or smaller).

 

[returnofsid]

Ahhh gotcha on the "liquefied." LOL and some consider anything under a 75 a Nano!!

I'll have to look into homemade recipes using lots of algae as a base.

Thank you for your great information. It'll be a bit before we get this "nano" up and running, but it is our next project. Will give me more time to learn about this beautiful fish!!

Angie just loves them, but I gotta admit, they're growing on me as well. Especially seeing all of Blazer's pics of his.

 

[returnofsid]

Lee,
I am Angie, the one that loves the Tailspot Blenny. Just wanted to say thank you for your helpful information. I'll be helping Michael think of a good algae based food as well. This will be my project with Michael's assistance. He's the real fish expert in our house. I'll be sure to start doing my own research on this fish as well. Thank you again!!


Oops!! Once again logged in under Michael's.....GRRR

 

[leebca]

You're more than welcome, Angie. Hope it works out okay for you.

Be sure to read through this post (print it out even) and consider it closely if you will be suggesting a recipe for homemade food: Fish Health Through Proper Nutrition.