My Midas blenny is super mean...

[Burrito]

so my Midas is a huge dbag, will he change or do I need to catch him? He is one of my original fish and besides annoyingly throwing sand around he was fine. I added a bunch of new fish in my tank upgrade and he’s extremely territorial now where ever he chooses as home.

His current home as seen has a hole he hangs out in which is accumulating algae all around since he won’t let snails, crabs or my foxface near to eat it. He’s fought with my foxface and taken bites out of him and my bar gobys. I plan on adding a couple tangs soon, will they put the blenny in his place or should i get him a new home?

The picture is the hole he spends his time in ambushing anyone who comes near.


Thoughts?

 

[JumboShrimp]

It’s funny how it’s often the little fish who pack-the-punch. I doubt he’ll change though.

 

[Maritimer]

If he wants to push it with the foxface, he's asking for trouble ... I can recall recently reading of a midas/foxface interaction which became fatal for the blenny. Foxface stings are no joke.

~Bruce

 

[Burrito]

besides annoying the foxface, who flashes/aims his spines at the blenny when he messes with him. any detrimental effect to the foxface if he does use his venom (or to the tank)?

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

If he wants to push it with the foxface, he's asking for trouble ... I can recall recently reading of a midas/foxface interaction which became fatal for the blenny. Foxface stings are no joke.

~Bruce

Just happened recently to a member from our local fish forum who posted about it here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/foxface-killed-midas-in-5-minutes.500332/#post-5339979

@Makers Marc

 

[Makers Marc]

besides annoying the foxface, who flashes/aims his spines at the blenny when he messes with him. any detrimental effect to the foxface if he does use his venom (or to the tank)?

Yep. Instant spasms and death if it dares touch the foxface spines. No residual toxin to other fish.

 

[ca1ore]

Isn't that interesting. My midas blenny is about the meekest fish in my tank. It also swims in the open water column 100% of the daylight hours - clearly there's something wrong with it.

 

[Burrito]

mine has always been a percher, high, low, anywhere and swims when it wants. the aggression started once moved from the 30 to 100g tank. no inverts can get within 2-3" of its cave or he tosses them across the tank, thats actually kinda funny but the aglae around his cave bothers me. the biting my fish i cant have. i've seen at least 3 flesh wounds on my fish from him

 

[mattzang]

i've never seen my midas get mean at all. he was one of the later additions to the tank, but he doesn't mind any fish lurking near his favorite spots including a hole in a rock. snails and hermits are all over his rock, my springer damsel hangs out nearby, the red line wrasse cruises by without issue. the midas and my solo lyretail anthias are buddies i think, constantly swimming together which is apparently fairly common in the wild, so that's cool. bummer about your mean midas dude

 

[Tamberav]

I have had a total of two midas blennys at different times and both turned into the meanest fish I have ever owned. I got rid of my last one and replaced it with an adult sixline which is much more peaceful.

My last one was grabbing my clownfish and shaking/tossing them like a rabid dog. It was crazy and he had to go. The clowns were there before him too.

 

[Jesterrace]

Yup, get rid of him. . . .before the Foxface manages to nail him with one of his spines.

 

[mtfish]

I think the midas blenny is much like all blennies. The smaller the tank, the more aggressive they are. In a larger tank, maybe not so bad. Mine would perch on the open rocks during the day, but was mostly in the water column. Was always in the same hole at night. They will definitely show no fear even in a larger tank, but mostly only defensively. Who cannot fall in love with those blue eyes, though!