Lawnmower Blenny Issues
- Thread starter ctopherl
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OP
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ctopherl
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That’s what mine does too, from back glass and rocks
LeftyReefer
2500 Club Member
My algae blenny is the fattest fish in my tank, and I have very little algae since it's a new tank. And he does such a good job. Mine also eats frozen foods, nori, and grazes algae all day. He's also a pooping machine.
Yours does not look good. I'd see if you can get him to eat something and hope for the best.
Yours does not look good. I'd see if you can get him to eat something and hope for the best.
OP
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ctopherl
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Update:
Still not looking good. Put him in a dip with API melafix and now have him in a separate container with a slice of an algae sheet and some pellets but he doesn’t seem up to eating. Dip had no noticeable effect.
Still not looking good. Put him in a dip with API melafix and now have him in a separate container with a slice of an algae sheet and some pellets but he doesn’t seem up to eating. Dip had no noticeable effect.
As a last-ditch effort, you can attempt to force feed your fish food and/or meds if you think it is a starvation issue:
Feeding meds using a syringe
I hate to recommend this since I've never tried it myself, and it's obviously not a long-term solution, but your blenny looks in rough shape. Might buy you time to find something he will eat on a regular basis.
Feeding meds using a syringe
I hate to recommend this since I've never tried it myself, and it's obviously not a long-term solution, but your blenny looks in rough shape. Might buy you time to find something he will eat on a regular basis.
OP
OP
ctopherl
Active Member
Im not confident enough to try this unfortunately, especially since we don’t for sure know this is the issue. My LFS seemed to think it was an internal bacterial issue based on same video I posted above, which is why he recommended the dip. I have him quarantined with some food and will see if he eats at all.
ReeferWarrant
Valuable Member
I have a bicolor that devours nori off of the clip I have. He also eats meaty foods and pellets when I feed. Not sure if its worth mentioning but Asian Markets are a perfect place to start making your own foods and might be a fix to get it eating.
If your blenny can barely move, then I would imagine so. I'm not really sure what's going on though, I don't see a starving fish in the video, but it's hard to tell.
Let's see if anyone else is around, the poor fish seems miserable.
#reefsquad
ReeferWarrant
Valuable Member
my initial thought is a swim bladder issue
OP
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ctopherl
Active Member
Not shown in the video, but he has been able to awkwardly propel himself up on rocks here and there. However, he managed to get himself up in front of a power head once and wasn’t able to regain control of movement until it blew him away. Based on how he is moving, my initial thought was that he was attacked and his side fin is broken, but looking at it that does not seem to be the case.
Jay Hemdal
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Sorry, I just got home from work, so chiming in late here. In the video, I didn’t see rapid breathing. The fish has a pinched belly, but I’ve seen worse. My first thought that the fish was moribund from disease or lack of food. The more I watched the video though, I’m more inclined to agree with the OP that it is some neurological/damage issue. It tries to swim, but just sort of drags along. That said, no cure for that....
Jay
Jay
NJDragonet
Active Member
I agree sometimes this may happen how are the other fish in the tank looking?
NJDragonet
Active Member
that is possible but the hawkfish did not even notice the blenny but again a lot can happen when the lights go out
OP
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ctopherl
Active Member
I did research that a bit and most people seemed to say they were fine, and if anything the blenny was the aggressor if there were issues. I only saw real issues noted in smaller (~30g) tanks. I have noticed 0 interactions with them since I got the hawk. My gramma actually bullies my hawk.
It’s possible there was an issue, but I’m not really sure how to figure that out short of forcing them together to see what happens.
OP
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ctopherl
Active Member
The other 5 seem fine. Handful of inverts seem fine. Around 10 coral frags (soft/LPS) all seem fine. No noticeable issues! I did have a mysterious clown disappearance last week and still have been unable to find him :-/
Darren in Tacoma
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Sorry about your blenny dude. Worst part of fish keeping. I've lost 3 Lawnmowers, all to different causes.
OP
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ctopherl
Active Member
Thanks man. I am still very new to this hobby and this would be my third loss so far so I feel like I am doing something wrong even though I’m trying to be diligent :-/ that may just be the nature of fish though
Darren in Tacoma
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Best thing, I think, is to quarantine new fish in a tank with a lot of structure where they can feel safe, no other fish to pester them, and get them to eat. Observing them for a month so you know they are well and eating gives them a better chance when you put them in the main tank.
Also, Lawnmowers need some good algae if they are not eating prepared foods. Dosing Vibrant might be eliminating a food source. I say might be, I don't know that for sure.
