Starry Blenny vs Lawmower Blenny

Stew18 · Dec 30, 2015

I was curious if the Starry or Lawnmower are more aggressive? Are they both fairly peaceful? Which one will get bigger?

Thanks again

Rob.D · Dec 30, 2015

I've had both and I've found the starry to be much more aggressive than the lawn mower.

TCB.Reefer · Dec 31, 2015

A fat blenny is a peaceful blenny...also both in my experience can be just as aggressive and just as useful to clean up algae and note if one of those blennies becomes the first fish to be added to a smallish tank ruffly 25 gal give or take 5 gal it will become a dominant fish and thus most likely to bully fish you add later...hmmm I'v had alot of aggressive starrys but also alot of aggressive lawnmowers...its a tuff call for sure...my advice is to select a fish personally at an LFS and ask the guy there how long they had em and if they behave well with others. If you have a good honest LFS they ought to point a good one out for you...note: these fish tend to be quite skittish for at least a cupel of months after being shipped so observing a recently shipped specimen can be quite difficult but I'v sneaked up on plenty of them in the act of bullying and also just perching on a rock and not bullying.

Stew18 · Dec 31, 2015

thank you all for you help - i appreciate it

Bryce Peterson · Dec 31, 2015

I have a starry name: "King Arthur". Great worker and big personality. He likes to jump out from behind the rocks and scare the meaner fish (Blue Devil Damsel, Sixline, Female Clown). Never actually makes contact or chases them. Almost like he is saying: "boo!". I have never seen him do this to the firefish or my leopard wrasse. IMO, the starrys are much more interesting than the lawnmower.

Bryce Peterson · Dec 31, 2015

eatbreakfast · Dec 31, 2015

I have observed similar aggression levels as well. I recommend finding one at an LFS that is eating. I have found that some specimens of each species will go on a hunger strike and whither away.

Stew18 · Dec 31, 2015

I picked up one that is currently in my QT. It is a starry. I liked the black with white spots. He is about 1 to 1.5 inches

jerseypete · Dec 31, 2015

I have the starry. He's not really agressive. But he can hold his own. I have a kole tang that is super agressive. The blenny don't back down.

Zane · Dec 31, 2015

I got a starry blenny for $4 at a 4th of July sale a few years ago. He's not too aggressive, but he does move sand around to his liking.

Monkeytank · Jan 2, 2016

My Starry moves too much sand around. He carries it to the top of the tank and drops it down onto places where I don't want it. I'm going to sell him. My Lawnmower doesn't do this.

neltel_7 · Sep 4, 2019

Monkeytank said:
My Starry moves too much sand around. He carries it to the top of the tank and drops it down onto places where I don't want it. I'm going to sell him. My Lawnmower doesn't do this.

Are they in the same tank? I want to see if I can put the 2 of them in my 100 gallon

Paleozoic_reefer · Sep 5, 2019

My starry blenny is hands down the best fish I've ever owned! Full of personality and never bothers anyone (who doesn't look like another blenny).

Monkeytank · Sep 5, 2019

neltel_7 said:
Are they in the same tank? I want to see if I can put the 2 of them in my 100 gallon

They were in the same tank. They didn't seem to have a problem with each other at all.

tbs246 · Apr 17, 2021

I have a starry blenny and he has lots of personality, although he is very aggressive with my lawnmower, and my diamond goby too. He rules the roost. I’m going to transfer my lawnmower to my second tank when it arrives. He’s a gentle soul and doesn’t need this harassment.