Algae blenny starving

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

I’ve mad my algae blenny for a while and whenever I look at him he is Leo fat and healthy. Lately my tank has been doing pretty well and has had no algae and he is so skinny. I’m stunned I caught it this late but he is still alive and forging for food. The thing is he won’t eat the nori, Mysis, fish eggs, or pellets I put in the tank! I need to find something quick that will fill his stomach.

Brad Waddell Wrath's Reef · Feb 24, 2020

May throw some chaeto in the tank? Or maybe a veggie flake?

W1ngz · Feb 24, 2020

Hikari algae wafers?

8.8 oz Algae Wafers Sinking Fish Food

Originally created by Hikari for the finicky fish that like to graze like blennies, tangs, and other herbivores. High-quality raw materials and special disk-shape, compliment the manner in which these fish eat. Features High levels of vegetable matter High in stabilized vitamin C - reduces...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

rirun · Feb 24, 2020

did you try soaking nori or pellets in garlic? my tsb will eat pretty much anything i soak in it.

ether · Feb 24, 2020

Might be time to give him away...

ThePurple12 · Feb 24, 2020

Did you try rubber banding seaweed to a rock so that it’s flat? This worked for my yellow tang. It wouldn’t eat from a clip until it ate from the rock.

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

ThePurple12 said:
Did you try rubber banding seaweed to a rock so that it’s flat? This worked for my yellow tang. It wouldn’t eat from a clip until it ate from the rock.

I have. He doesn’t seem to be interested.
He’s tasted it but doesn’t like it

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

rirun said:
did you try soaking nori or pellets in garlic? my tsb will eat pretty much anything i soak in it.

I’m gonna try that now. How should I soak it in garlic?

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

W1ngz said:
Hikari algae wafers?

8.8 oz Algae Wafers Sinking Fish Food

Originally created by Hikari for the finicky fish that like to graze like blennies, tangs, and other herbivores. High-quality raw materials and special disk-shape, compliment the manner in which these fish eat. Features High levels of vegetable matter High in stabilized vitamin C - reduces...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I’m worried it might take too long to ship but I’ll order it if he doesn’t eat the garlic soaked food. I’m also going to try a cucumber and broccoli

Big G · Feb 24, 2020

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AmaleeC · Feb 24, 2020

Did you rubberband the Nori to a rock? It took mine a day or two, but he caught on and eats it like crazy now.

ThePurple12 · Feb 24, 2020

JohnnyTJ09 said:
I’m worried it might take too long to ship but I’ll order it if he doesn’t eat the garlic soaked food. I’m also going to try a cucumber and broccoli

Walmart, petco, and petsmart have algae tablets

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

ThePurple12 said:
Walmart, petco, and petsmart have algae tablets

Okay then, maybe I’ll drive out tonight.

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

AmaleeC said:
Did you rubberband the Nori to a rock? It took mine a day or two, but he caught on and eats it like crazy now.

I did but im going to try it again

AllSignsPointToFish · Feb 24, 2020

I had the same thing happen to mine, but he was not starving. It was an internal parasite as far as I can tell. He would eat the food I put into the tank when he was healthy, but he stopped eating all of a sudden. He never recovered despite soaking food in metroplex and other treatments. I suspect yours may have a similar situation going on

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

AllSignsPointToFish said:
I had the same thing happen to mine, but he was not starving. It was an internal parasite as far as I can tell. He would eat the food I put into the tank when he was healthy, but he stopped eating all of a sudden. He never recovered despite soaking food in metroplex and other treatments. I suspect yours may have a similar situation going on

Mine won’t eat anything I put in the tank and had always had a full stomach up until maybe a week ago. Could he have gotten a parasite from the tank. I hadn’t added a fish in months up until yesterday

AllSignsPointToFish · Feb 24, 2020

JohnnyTJ09 said:
Mine won’t eat anything I put in the tank and had always had a full stomach up until maybe a week ago. Could he have gotten a parasite from the tank. I hadn’t added a fish in months up until yesterday

That's exactly what happened to mine. He would eat well and had a full stomach...then suddenly, he wouldn't touch anything. Not algae wafers or nori or even veggie flakes/pellets. He used to vacuum up all of those things. I also had not added any new fish in months or even a year or more (I don't recall exact timeframe).

Eva Rose · Feb 24, 2020

Agree on above:
nori rubber banded to rock
algae wafers
Hikari Algae blend

Also try Masstick pasted to small rock or empty clam shell.

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

AllSignsPointToFish said:
That's exactly what happened to mine. He would eat well and had a full stomach...then suddenly, he wouldn't touch anything. Not algae wafers or nori or even veggie flakes/pellets. He used to vacuum up all of those things. I also had not added any new fish in months or even a year or more (I don't recall exact timeframe).

But mine never ate any of those things. It’s only a problem now because there is no algae in the tank for him to graze on. Maybe he does have a parasite though.

JohnnyTJ09 · Feb 24, 2020

Eva Rose said:
Agree on above:
nori rubber banded to rock
algae wafers
Hikari Algae blend

Also try Masstick pasted to small rock or empty clam shell.

Ok. I’ll see if I can get out to the store tonight or tomorrow