Starry Blenny Starving?

[nim6us]

So we got a Starry Blenny for our tank 2 weeks ago and he's been an awesome addition, we love having him, but I'm concerned about his eating. I was told they have the nickname "lawn mower" because they are constantly eating algae. However I never see our blenny eating anything!

Now granted I don't have a ton of algae in the tank, but there are little bits here and there. He's very active, he jumps around perching on the rocks, but I never see him eating... never. Then about a week ago he started showing up for feeding time. I've got two clowns and a damsel and when I feed them mysis shrimp my blenny tries to swim up to the top and eat as well. I don't know if he was just shy before and now he just feels confident, or if he's desperate to eat and he's going after the mysis shrimp.

The confusing part is I thought they were herbivores, so him wanting to eat the shrimp seems like he's just trying to stave off starvation. I could even deal with him eating the shrimp, but he's no match for the clowns and damsel. The blenny can only swim about half way up the tank and the fish are so voracious they don't let any sink to the bottom. The only way I can get the blenny food is to dump an excessive amount in so that some sinks to the bottom.

My concern is my blenny is starving, but I don't know how to tell. Is he okay, or should I take some action? Any advice is welcome!

 

[sbash]

As far as I know (just going by what my LFS said when I ordered my Starry Blenny); Starry blennies and lawnmower blennies are different fish, but with similar appetites They are great fish, I got mine to eat some of the algae in my tank, but I really enjoy him!

Have you tried feeding dried seaweed (i.e. nori)? I would cut a square off, then cut strips in it (not all the way through, but like you see on telephone pole ads) and then put small rock on it to hold it down. Place it near his favorite hang out spot and see what happens...

I have also heard of some people cultivating hair algae to feed these little guys, but that sounds risky to me...

Lastly, when I first got mine, he was in QT for several weeks. I would put chunks of hair algae in the tank every day and I never saw him eat it... But it was all gone, every day... He was very timid for the first 6-8 weeks, so he could just be a shy eater...

 

[nim6us]

Wow thanks for the great info! I didn't even know about those strips of dry sea weed. I thought when it cam to food it was either frozen or pellets. That really solves my problem with getting food down to him, I will give that a shot for sure.

Also thank you for sharing your experience, it's so helpful to get feedback from someone who's been there. This is a awesome forum!

 

[leahfiish]

Like the previous poster said, Starry blennies are a different blenny and in my experiences, the Starry blennies readily eat prepared food whereas lawnmowers don't. Lawnmowers eat a lot of hair algae, as well as algae on the glass, and seaweed rubber banded to a rock.

 

[Turkey head]

My starry blenny eats anything and everything. It's normal it seems, for them to eat mysis. I feed mine seaweed from a clip suctioned to the side of the tank. It eats that and anything I feed the other fish. They are fun to watch. They can get territorial though.

 

[Xanthurum]

Mine is a jerk but he's still cool. He barely grazes on algae anymore and is a huge fatty because he is the biggest bully at feeding time. At least once a week one or more of my tangs will be on the receiving end of a starry blenny bite mark. Most of the time it's my prized hybrid tang that is bitten. The blenny is always biting at anything standing between him and food even if it's me.

 

[eatbreakfast]

The blenny eating the foods offered to the other fish is fine. Many herbivores eat meaty food when the opportunity presents itself, as it's more energy dense.