Problem: My Blenny keeps trying to get himself killed

[gemini9]

I have this problem. Every time I turn off the pumps (feeding or whatever), my lawnmower blenny likes to perch himself up in the powerhead right where the blades turn.

He goes in there, peeps out, hides, rolls around and plays. I'm afraid one day I won't see him and he'll get chopped up. Occasionally, the electric goes out here. I don't want the electric to go out and come home to a chopped up blenny because he was in there when the electric came back on. As soon as I shut the pump off, he goes right up in there. (yeah, I know the tank is a bit ugly at the moment. I have a razor/scrubber on the way)

How can I keep him out of there????? :squigglemouth:

 

[paul4140]

Perhaps some Prozac In the water. Honestly the only thing I can think of maybe some plastic window screen material wrapped around it. It might be kind of ugly though.

 

[thormx]

Mine does the same thing! I always make sure i know where he is before i turn power heads back on. The clear netting is a good idea. Just super glue some to front opening

 

[racin2438]

I glued clear screen netting on the cages, if you don't look...you can't see them. And now there's coraline, algae all over them and I act tell at all it netting.

 

[saltyphish]

You know never thought of using the netting to cover the power heads. That is a great idea! That is the main reason I don't have a BTA.

 

[saltyphish]

Now that I think of it my clownfish would sleep at night sucked up against the grate of the overflow on my tank. The first couple of times I saw this I freaked out. I thought my fish was dead or dying. When I shined a light on it she would just swim away like normal. Wife and kids even woke me up a couple of times worried. Gave her a little black and white clownfish for company and she stopped. Love at first sight! In a slightly abusive way, but I think he likes it.

 

[gemini9]

Netting? Not a bad idea. So long as it doesn't restrict any flow. Do you have any trouble with the screen getting plugged up? About the clown's sleeping habits, yeah that would freak me out too!

 

[racin2438]

I have no problem with netting getting plugged up. If anything does get caught like food, nori, I just rub the netting on the cage and it blows rights out. Intern I use a net to scoop up or it will go down in overflow box.

 

[gemini9]

I may have to try that after christmas when I get my new wavemaker.

 

[PatW]

Netting is a good idea. Benny's love nooks and crannies. I bet a powerhead looks really interesting to a Benny.

 

[Damon]

I saw this thread a few times and just kept going because i figured it was for other blennies, but i got curious today. And a word of warning from experience.. I thought mine would be fine, and i lost him.. If you see them going at all near the powerheads, please do the net or some other device.

I was (and still am) saddened by losing my lawnmower blenny..

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Good luck keeping him out :neutral:

And I'm excited for you getting your new wavemaker!

-Yating

 

[Sirspeedy77]

Resurrecting this thread because it came up in search lol.
I have a lawnmower blenny that loves to stick himself to the filter intake on a 30-60g HOB filter that I use for charcoal media. Saw this the other day and freaked out, instantly unplugged it and he swam away. Wife comes in and says he’s been doing thwt for a couple days, he likes it. anyhow, tonight after work I catch him getting cozy with a power head..sitting on top of it and looking around like the king of his fiefdom lol. Is this normal? Is mine mentally damaged? Did I fry a few too many of his brain cells raising my alk a full point the other night?? Lol