Is my blenny alright ?

[Notsolostfish]

Had this bicolor blenny for like 2 weeks. Hes doing just fine today i see him opening his mouth. Tiny bit rapid breathing. Is that normal?

 

[KQuillan]

@vetteguy53081

 

[vetteguy53081]

Had this bicolor blenny for like 2 weeks. Hes doing just fine today i see him opening his mouth. Tiny bit rapid breathing. Is that normal?

Doesnt seem far off.
The behavior you mentioned suggest flukes but not seeing any.
Assure ammonia and nitrate are Not elevated and is fish eating ?

 

[Notsolostfish]

Doesnt seem far off.
The behavior you mentioned suggest flukes but not seeing any.
Assure ammonia and nitrate are Not elevated and is fish eating ?

I testes ammonia, and nitrite they are 0. Nitrate is 10.5 and the fish is eating yes. Flukes for real? dang.

 

[Lavey29]

I testes ammonia, and nitrite they are 0. Nitrate is 10.5 and the fish is eating yes. Flukes for real? dang.

Not unless you see him flashing his gills on stuff in the tank. That is an indication of marking territory usually but if they do it often then maybe flukes.

 

[Notsolostfish]

Not unless you see him flashing his gills on stuff in the tank. That is an indication of marking territory usually but if they do it often then maybe flukes.

Oh really? I didnt know they flash to mark their territory.

 

[Lavey29]

Oh really? I didnt know they flash to mark their territory.

Some fish do. My blenny do it when a snail gets close to their rock spot.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not unless you see him flashing his gills on stuff in the tank. That is an indication of marking territory usually but if they do it often then maybe flukes.

Not just flashing. Also gills will be red or swollen with rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, loss of appetite, shaking its head, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color .

 

[Notsolostfish]

Not just flashing. Also gills will be red or swollen with rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, loss of appetite, shaking its head, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color .

I mean none of that i have. I do have yawning but like very very rare. Is that an issue?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I mean none of that i have. I do have yawning but like very very rare. Is that an issue?

yawning a sign of fish irritated by flukes. To determine if it may be flukes, give the fish a freshwater dip in clean bucket of water the same temperature as display tank. After 5 mins return fish to display. Then look on bottom of bucket for what looks like fish scales or sesame seeds- those are flukes.
If not , you at least offered fish some temporary relief from irritants

 

[Notsolostfish]

yawning a sign of fish irritated by flukes. To determine if it may be flukes, give the fish a freshwater dip in clean bucket of water the same temperature as display tank. After 5 mins return fish to display. Then look on bottom of bucket for what looks like fish scales or sesame seeds- those are flukes.
If not , you at least offered fish some temporary relief from irritants

Actually thinking about it now he never really yawned. Im mistaken that. But this is his him now at night with lights off. Hes not rapid breathing anymore. I dont know.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Actually thinking about it now he never really yawned. Im mistaken that. But this is his him now at night with lights off. Hes not rapid breathing anymore. I dont know.

Looks quite normal. Perhaps try reducing white intensity a little.
Diet important with these guys- What are you feeding it ?

 

[Notsolostfish]

Looks quite normal. Perhaps try reducing white intensity a little.
Diet important with these guys- What are you feeding it ?

Nori, pellets, mysis shrimp, algae wafers.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nori, pellets, mysis shrimp, algae wafers.

I suspected a lack of diet why I ask. Its a myth that these and lawn Mower blennies are algae eaters. Truth is . . . . . the challenge of keeping a blenny is making sure it gets enough to eat. You can tell this by looking at its abdomen which should be a rounded shape like it swallowed a pea. A blenny with a pinched middle isn’t getting enough food.
Although a blenny needs plenty of algae to survive, its a common myth that it can survive alone on algae.
Since blennies frequent shallow water, they find their sanctuary within the coral reefs as they circle areas with coral branches and sponges, scraping their way along the sea bottom. Their feeding techniques are to pound and gnaw the coral which as a result they ingest detritus, or waste material primarily from the coral. This includes bits of coral skeleton, sand, gravel, and other organic matter such as fish eggs and tiny crustaceans.
Since a blenny in the wild does not subsist on solely algae, it stands to reason that their captive diet must be supplemented. If a blenny is not getting enough calcium carbonate in its diet, their overall condition will rapidly deteriorate.