Fang Tooth Blenny Life Expectancy

Huskymaniac · Jun 12, 2020

anyone have any idea what it is? I have been keeping Kamohara Blennies since 2014 and they only last 2-3 years. Any other fang blenny keepers with similar experience?

Haydn · Jun 12, 2020

Yep I had 6 in the tank all healthy for 2 years and then they started to disappear the last one went after 3 1/2 years

mattzang · Jun 13, 2020

wonder if it's because kamoharas are probably cooler water fish than we keep them at?

what about other fang blennies?

Haydn · Jun 13, 2020

mattzang said:
wonder if it's because kamoharas are probably cooler water fish than we keep them at?

what about other fang blennies?

In 2016 I ordered via TMC (UK wholesaler) from ORA 5 of each, Smith’s Blenny (Meiacanthus smithi), Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes), and Blackline Blenny (Meiacanthus nigrolineatus) with the Kamahora's. All tank bred. They were all about the same size (3") they lived together without any issues (except a couple of losses) until mid 2019 when they started to disappear- the last one went early 2020.

OK it may have been a disease that only affects Fangs, no other fish in the tank were affected and there was no outward symptoms and no fangs (or blennies) were added during that time.
My guess is 3-4 years is a reasonable life span for fangs.

mort · Jun 13, 2020

I agree that 3-4 years is potentially the best guess at lifespan. These seem to be a fish that gets a few years old and then just dissappears or rapidly looses condition.

Huskymaniac · Jun 13, 2020

Haydn said:
In 2016 I ordered via TMC (UK wholesaler) from ORA 5 of each, Smith’s Blenny (Meiacanthus smithi), Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes), and Blackline Blenny (Meiacanthus nigrolineatus) with the Kamahora's. All tank bred. They were all about the same size (3") they lived together without any issues (except a couple of losses) until mid 2019 when they started to disappear- the last one went early 2020.

OK it may have been a disease that only affects Fangs, no other fish in the tank were affected and there was no outward symptoms and no fangs (or blennies) were added during that time.
My guess is 3-4 years is a reasonable life span for fangs.

Very good information. Did you notice if the Kamohara's were the first to go?

Haydn · Jun 13, 2020

Huskymaniac said:
Very good information. Did you notice if the Kamohara's were the first to go?

No the group just dwindled over 6-8 months in no apparent order.

JohnGP · Jun 16, 2020

@Haydn
I currently have a Green Fang Blenny. I've always enjoyed Blennies, Gobies and the like, wonderful fun fish with great personalities so I was considering another Fang, have been eyeballing the Harptail(M. mossambicus) or Midas/Golden Midas or the Striped Blenny(M. grammistes) but I was under the impression you couldn't keep these guys together as they'll fight each other but it seems several of you have kept numerous Fang Blennies with no problems? Shoot I just recommended to someone yesterday not to do this as they'd most likely not get along-goes to show what I know.....

Any tips should I attempt this or just add em and enjoy? Thank you!

Zionas · Jun 16, 2020

Strange how some Gobies like the Cryptocentrus, maybe other genuses too can last over a decade yet blennies are a short-lived fish.

OP, I’ve never kept these fish but from what I’ve read they’re a subtropical species, so I don’t know if the higher temperatures of fully tropical reef systems have some negative effects on their lifespan?

Haydn · Jun 16, 2020

What size is the tank and are there plenty of sites for them to sleep.

JohnGP · Jun 16, 2020

It's a 140g, 6' long. Have quite a bit of live rock and several barnacle clusters(they love those darn things). I have a couple different Gobies/Blennies; Blue dot sleeper, Bicolor and of course the Green fang, oh I also have a YWG w/shrimp. Everyone does get along but I do love the Fang Blennies and would like more if it's possible.

Huskymaniac · Jun 16, 2020

JohnGP said:
It's a 140g, 6' long. Have quite a bit of live rock and several barnacle clusters(they love those darn things). I have a couple different Gobies/Blennies; Blue dot sleeper, Bicolor and of course the Green fang, oh I also have a YWG w/shrimp. Everyone does get along but I do love the Fang Blennies and would like more if it's possible.

I think you need to add a lot to disperse the aggression. I have tried individual trios of blacklines and harptails and failed miserably at it.

mattzang · Jun 16, 2020

ORA recently did that waterbox event thing and they talked about the kamohara blennies and how at first they were collected closer to mainland Japan and those didn't do very well at reef temps, but then a couple years later they collected some from further south more tropical (okinawa perhaps?) and those have done great at 78+

maybe they're just a fairly short lived fish like flasher or fairy wrasses

nereefpat · Jun 16, 2020

mattzang said:
maybe they're just a fairly short lived fish like flasher or fairy wrasses

They certainly behave less like gobies and more like wrasses.

JohnGP · Jun 16, 2020

Huskymaniac said:
I think you need to add a lot to disperse the aggression. I have tried individual trios of blacklines and harptails and failed miserably at it.

That's what I was afraid of. Have you tried two that look quite a bit different color wise, such as a Canary and a Striped?

Huskymaniac · Jun 16, 2020

JohnGP said:
That's what I was afraid of. Have you tried two that look quite a bit different color wise, such as a Canary and a Striped?

I haven't but I can't imagine it would end well.

JohnGP · Jun 16, 2020

You did have Smith's, Striped and Blacklines together in one tank didn't you or did I misread?

Huskymaniac · Jun 16, 2020

JohnGP said:
You did have Smith's, Striped and Blacklines together in one tank didn't you or did I misread?

No, not me. I only had Kamoharas but have kept them all at one point or another.

Haydn · Jun 16, 2020

My fangs were all tank bred by ORA (excellent quality fish BTW). I never saw any interspecies aggression. There was a bit of handbags when they were spawning but nothing I would be worried about. I did add 3 wild Canary fangs which was a mistake they didn't feed well and slowly wasted away. The Kamohoras were the stars of the show under blues I could never do them justice in photos.
I think in a large tank it is possible to keep a number but they do not shoal or group, and only interact when breeding.

JohnGP · Jun 16, 2020

Huskymaniac said:
No, not me. I only had Kamoharas but have kept them all at one point or another.

Oops, it was Haydn that had multiple in one tank. Sorry about that.

My Green Canary is not captive bred but seems to be laid back, Chromis will give him some pokes and he'll completely ignore them, Fairy Wrasse flares up and dances around him sometimes and again, he couldn't care less. I'm tempted to try maybe a Blacklined or Striped. Thank you for all the advice guys, hope I didn't step all over OP's thread.