Scooter Blenny ina New Tank

Frop · Jul 10, 2016

How hard are they to keep? I saw some website saying they should go in established reef tanks and that they're picky eaters. I put mine in a 16 day old dry rock/live sand tank.

This is where it said that info,
http://vividaquariums.com/products/scooter-blenny

jsker · Jul 10, 2016

That is a pretty new setup. Has the system been cycled?

WindeyD · Jul 10, 2016

Generally scooter blennies and mandarins feed on Copepods/micro fauna which most new tanks do not have in adequate supply to maintain their dietary needs. Getting one to eat prepared foods can be hit or miss, and even if you can get one to eat prepared foods it can be difficult to feed the fish enough without over feeding the tank as more aggressive fish/inverts learn to get to the food faster than these slower moving/eating fish can. That is why many say a larger well established tank is best practice for keeping dragonets. Good luck!

Bunnee911 · Jul 10, 2016

The ORA Scooters are eating pellets. I have a mated pair.

But, they prefer pods. I refresh pods twice a year.

Frop · Jul 10, 2016

jsker said:
That is a pretty new setup. Has the system been cycled?

I want to say yes it's at the end of the cycle.

Day 9) ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 40, pH 7.8
Day 11) ammonia .5, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, pH 8.0 (added a clown)
Day 14?) ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, pH 7.9 (added nassarius snail)
Day 17) ammonia 0, nitrate ?, nitrate 10, pH 8.3 (added 2 nassarius snails, added 3 red leg hermit crabs, scooter plenny)

(I guess I added him on day 17. Since today will be 18.)

Each day literally had a different person testing my water. Day 16 I bought my own API kit.

zwulfke · Jul 10, 2016

may be too soon I would try to get some pods to add to the tank to make sure he has some food to be safe

Frop · Jul 10, 2016

zwulfke said:
may be too soon I would try to get some pods to add to the tank to make sure he has some food to be safe

Since I'm new to saltwater tanks, any tips? How much should last about how long? I see the Arcti Pods / Tigger Pods are about $20/6oz.

RJ Harris · Jul 10, 2016

I agree. May be too early especially since there's no live rock that may have had pods come on it. My first mandarin was in a 20 gallon tank that was going for 6 months and had pods on the glass. Even still I had to seed other pods into. Then my 50 gallon I had a mandarin that I trained to eat frozen. And now I have a male and female that I trained.

If u have a fuge. You could add a bottle to that with cheato. Excellent combo for them

Frop · Jul 10, 2016

RJ Harris said:
If u have a fuge. You could add a bottle to that with cheato. Excellent combo for them

I don't have a sump/refugium yet. I ordered a return pump and have an overflow to custom make one (I'm on a budget).

Would they breed in the fuge or would I need to keep restocking stuff? I just saw some YouTube video where a guy had a small tank just to breed pods.

RJ Harris · Jul 10, 2016

I know how it is to be on a budget. If there in a dump they will reproduce. But occasionally u will need to add more or u can culture pods in a seperate tank which is a very common thing then you can add them right to your sump or tank but if u add directly to the tank do it when the lights are out because your fish will eat them before they get to the rock

zwulfke · Jul 10, 2016

Frop said:
Since I'm new to saltwater tanks, any tips? How much should last about how long? I see the Arcti Pods / Tigger Pods are about $20/6oz.

I got mine from get your pods I would start there and seed the tank you may need to do this a few times. A sump with live rock and cherto to reproduce is best

jsker · Jul 10, 2016

I know the feeling of having a new tank with nothing moving around except water. My I suggest to slow way the heck down

get all of you parts in place, such as the sump and tank at least 60 day before adding in fish or corals. I would get some cleaning crew in there to help with building a bio load to that you blenny can survive. I will also get some garlic and vitamin M to help you blenny with all the stress that it is going to go through in the new few weeks while the tank finished the first part of the cycle.

My system is 16 month old and I added a sump 3 months ago. I am finishing a small cycle by adding the sump after the original setup

your tank will be cycling for at least a year with different levels. that is why they recommend an established system because change is harder on them. Nothing wrong, just from now on be patient and remember time is your friend with a reef. small adjustment and wait

RJ Harris · Jul 10, 2016

jsker said:
I know the feeling of having a new tank with nothing moving around except water. My I suggest to slow way the heck down get all of you parts in place, such as the sump and tank at least 60 day before adding in fish or corals. I would get some cleaning crew in there to help with building a bio load to that you blenny can survive. I will also get some garlic and vitamin M to help you blenny with all the stress that it is going to go through in the new few weeks while the tank finished the first part of the cycle.

My system is 16 month old and I added a sump 3 months ago. I am finishing a small cycle by adding the sump after the original setup your tank will be cycling for at least a year with different levels. that is why they recommend an established system because change is harder on them. Nothing wrong, just from now on be patient and remember time is your friend with a reef. small adjustment and wait

Definitely agree with time is your best friend. My first tank I was so excited to getting things in it I didn't wait I jus through things in didnt qt fish and I lost everything accept a yellow clown goby which I have today. I still find it hard to wait but it's got to be done

jsker · Jul 10, 2016

RJ Harris said:
Definitely agree with time is your best friend. My first tank I was so excited to getting things in it I didn't wait I jus through things in didnt qt fish and I lost everything accept a yellow clown goby which I have today. I still find it hard to wait but it's got to be done

LOL

Bunnee911 · Jul 10, 2016

Check @AlgaeBarn for a sale.

Frop · Jul 12, 2016

I just bought some tigger pods at an out of town saltwater store. The guy said I should only need to add it to the tank one time (he said that's what he did for his show tank). Then thankfully the petco near to that store had a 5.5 gallon. So by the weekend I'll have a refugium up and going but as for tonight I'm going to add half or more of this bottle to my rock.

RJ Harris · Jul 12, 2016

Good choice only add half the bottle bc I don't agree with the guy. Even with a little scooter the pods can't reproduce enough to keep up with what he eats daily. I'd use the other half of the bottle to start a culture tank and get some green water also for the pods. With out that you will have to keep buying bottles occasionally to replenish the tank. Other fish will eat pods too. Wrasses. I've seen my clowns eat them too

WindeyD · Jul 12, 2016

Bunnee911 said:
Check @AlgaeBarn for a sale.

I second algae barn!

Frop · Jul 14, 2016

I don't see any more tigger pods in the tank. I just added them 2 days ago. When I added them I turned the filter off. Next day I turned it on. I think my water polisher collected them all or most of them. :/ at least half of that $30 jar is in the mini fridge.

If you look at it, I can see a lot of orangish color from the pods. I took the polisher out and put it in a jar of saltwater hoping some pods will escape. Only saw the one moving on the surface.