Red Spotted Blenny

[ReefinManhattan]

Anyone have any experience with these guys? I haven't added a fish to my 75 gallon reef tank since Sept, because everything I want to try is incompatible with my Melanurus Wrasse. I was thinking if I get a really large red spot, he'd have a fighting chance.

I tried a Red Spotted Blenny a couple of years ago and couldn't get him to eat --never made it out of my QT. Tried nori, frozen spirilina brine, Mega Marine frozen food, nothing. Want to try another one, but am unsure about what to feed it, and whether he can go toe to toe with the wrasse.

Thanks for any help...

 

[Maritimer]

I've got one in QT right now. He came in a bit thin, but he'll eat anything I drop in the water, and has great condition now.

Can't say whether he'd be able to take on a cranky melanurus, but he can certainly slip into tight accommodations better than the wrasse should be able to.

~Bruce

 

[Bluecbs]

Blenny under the blenniella and salarias family can usually hold their own, even with larger fish. Ive seen they hurl themselves to the larger fish when they get too close, but no damage done.
The challenge is sustenance. I would suggest that you pick only if hes already eating at the lfs

 

[enveetie]

I LOVE these guys. Have one in every tank

 

[enveetie]

The challenge is sustenance. I would suggest that you pick only if hes already eating at the lfs

100% agree. the biggest reason you dont see many of them is because they just refuse to eat. do not buy unless its eating. this is coming from fish pickers i know in la.

they're pretty rare and i see them maybe once or twice a year in my town with 4 LFS. all of the ones i've ever had came from diver's den, where they pretty much keep em long enough to acclimate them to accepting food before sale.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I keep mine with a few Halichores species of wrasses and it does just fine.

Most are not picky feeders and eat just about anything fed to the tank. However, about a quarter of them I come across don't eat. Because of that, the advice to get them from an LFS so you can observe if they are eating is good.