How to feed an algae eater (Bicolor Blenny)?

[Brakaan]

I recently got a bicolor blenny to help control algae. The fish has a ton of personality and is so much fun to watch. I see it picking at algae on the glass, rock and sand all day long. My question is: should I also be feeding it something else? I feed my two clownfish marine pellets, but the blenny never even comes out of its hole at feeding time to compete with the clownfish.

Is there a way to do direct feeding? Should I even bother given the amount of algae in the tank? (It's a 16g biocube with two clownfish and one blenny).

 

[muzikalmatt]

I recently got a bicolor blenny to help control algae. The fish has a ton of personality and is so much fun to watch. I see it picking at algae on the glass, rock and sand all day long. My question is: should I also be feeding it something else? I feed my two clownfish marine pellets, but the blenny never even comes out of its hole at feeding time to compete with the clownfish.

Is there a way to do direct feeding? Should I even bother given the amount of algae in the tank? (It's a 16g biocube with two clownfish and one blenny).

How long have you had him? I have a bicolor blenny and I was worried at first that he wasn't eating the foods I was providing and I didn't see him picking at algae much. Eventually he started getting more comfortable in the tank and got more aggressive at feeding time. He now eats pellets, flakes, and frozen LRS Reef Frenzy and PE Mysis in addition to pecking at algae throughout the day.

I tried feeding him nori a couple of times, but he didn't seem interested. The one thing about pellets, you'll want to use smaller sized pellets or soak larger pellets a bit to soften them up. Occasionally mine would spit the larger ones out. You can also buy algae pellets if you want to try that, but they tend to sink too fast in my experience. My blenny loves the Nyos Wild Goji pellets as do the rest of my fish.

My clownfish and cleaner shrimp are the most aggressive feeders in the tank so I try to give them enough to eat first. Then I focus on the bicolor blenny, yellow watchman goby and firefish afterwards as they are bit more timid eaters.

 

[ddrueckh]

Nori on a clip. He will find it and eat it with the rest of your fish.

 

[cheras]

I feed mine the Seaweed extreme as well as the Green Sea Veggies by Two Little Fishies. I have a starry blenny for over a year and a half and after about 6 months he started to go after me whenever I put my hands in. It became a habit for the blenny to go after me. It even sat on the glass cleaner whenever I put my hands in just waiting to attack me. Probably the fish with the biggest personality in my tank.

 

[Brakaan]

I’ve only had it since Sunday, so five days. I’ve definitely seen it swimming around the tank the last few days, so I do think it’s getting more comfortable.

I’ll try the clip feeding. Thanks for the suggestion.

My clownfish and cleaner shrimp are the most aggressive feeders in the tank so I try to give them enough to eat first. Then I focus on the bicolor blenny, yellow watchman goby and firefish afterwards as they are bit more timid eaters.

How do you focus feeding? I drop pellets in and the clowns go straight for it. My tank is pretty small so I can’t really drop the food in at different locations.

 

[muzikalmatt]

How do you focus feeding? I drop pellets in and the clowns go straight for it. My tank is pretty small so I can’t really drop the food in at different locations.

Either feed until the clowns have had their fill, or add just enough pellets that a few slip by the clowns for the other fish. I try to drop only a few pellets at a time, but if I drop say 5 or 6, the clowns will grab the first 3 or 4 and a couple get by them for the other fish.

 

[Brakaan]

until the clowns have had their fill

when is that?? Lol