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FAQs on the Algae Eating Blennies Systems Related Articles:
Algae Eating Blennies, True or Combtooth Blennies,
Ecsenius Blennies, Tube/Pike/Flag
Blennies/Chaenopsidae,
Related FAQs: Algae-eating Blennies,
FAQs 2,
& Algae Eating Blenny (AEB) Identification,
AEB Behavior, AEB
Compatibility, AEB Selection,
AEB Feeding,
AEB Disease, AEB
Reproduction, &
Combtooth Blennies 1,
Blenny
Identification, Blenny Behavior,
Blenny Compatibility,
Blenny Selection,
Blenny Systems,
Blenny Feeding, Blenny Disease,
Blenny Reproduction,
Ecsenius
Blennies, Saber-Tooth
Blennies, Blennioids & their Relatives,
Tube/Pike/Flag Blennies/Chaenopsidae,
With lots of live rock, space... and algae!
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Blenny Blunder? (Moving a Blenny Into A Nano Tank)
My Lawnmower Blenny was doing very well in my 125 g until I "rescued" a
black-tipped grouper from a LFS that was going out of business. After about a
week of what seemed to be peaceful co-habitation between the current tank
occupants, the blenny was obviously worse for the wear (no damage, but was so
exhausted that I scooped him out of the corner of the tank without a fight).
<Good move!>
By the way, the tank parameters are: 1.021; amm=0; nitrate=0; nitrite=0;
phos=undetectable; calcium=380; pH=8.2; temp=79-81; it's an All-Glass 125
FOWLR with 122# of LR and 150# of LS; lighting is 2 X 10,000 96W and 2 X 420
Actinic 96W.
<Sounds good!>
Anyway, I removed the blenny to my HOB refugium where he is eating and
recovering nicely. Now the question (usually that's the reason for these notes,
eh?)....I'm considering relocating the blenny from the refuge to my 12g
nano...parameters the same as above with the noticeable exception of lighting
and 1.023 salinity. The nano has 13# of LR and houses Xenia, Yellow Star
Polyps, a couple of small colonies of Zoos, and 3 small hermits. The only
occupant, fish-wise is a Yellow-head Jawfish, who has built a considerable
underground village under the LR which is supported by pvc. As the blenny is
not the world's smallest (about 3.5"), I wonder would he be comfortable, for
about 5 months, in the nano considering the current, happily running
environment. I'm adding a reef tank after Christmas of 90 gallon size to which
he would later re-locate. I don't want the blenny or jaw (or corals for that
matter) to suffer during this time period. I'd rather give the blenny to
another hobbyist if we can anticipate problems in the nano.
<Well, the main problem might be that the two inhabit similar "niches" (i.e.;
towards the bottom). You also don't want to push the bioload to far in such a
small tank. Fish, with their greedy appetites and copious metabolic waste
products can tax water quality quickly. I'd say go for it, but be prepared to
move someone if things get out of hand.>
Thanks and sorry for the length of the note.
Grunfeld in Detroit
<No problem on the length. Your accurate descriptions help us do a better job of
helping you! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
The corals don't like the Blenny
Hi,
<Hi Lisa!>
I got a rock with a few orange/purple Ricordea and another with
green star polyps about 1 1/2 weeks ago. They were doing great until
I got a Sailfin blenny. He climbs all over the rocks and occasionally
the corals. He knocked the Ricordea rock over 2 times!
<Hee Hee! Very normal Blenny behavior. They don't seem
to care much what they "climb" over or perch on, and in fact, mine
will forcibly throw objects off of his favorite perch!>
The first time he just tapped it and they seemed fine, 2nd time it
was flipped and sitting on one of the shrooms. I finally got some
glue but when I picked up the rock I realized the Ric was only
partially attached to the rock. It also has a small chunk missing,
the purple looks grayish and the mouth does too.
<Gluing or otherwise attaching corals is a wise choice to prevent such
falls.>
Is it dead or injured? Anything I can do to save it?
<It sounds like it is a bit bleached. It should recover
quickly and completely if you prevent further insults.>
As if that's not enough trouble from the blenny, he's also upset
the GSP. They were 1/2 closed up after the first day w/the blenny,
now they've been closed solid for 2 days. Are they OK? Will they get
used to him?
<It is normal for GSP's to periodically close for a while. If you
are sure it is the Blenny, they may adapt, but it is probably best to move the
GSP's out of his territory.
Thanks,
Lisa Spencer
<best regards! Adam>
Potters Angel <Lawnmower Blenny and Catalina Gobies> in Possible Danger
Related to Lack of Research.
Howdy!
<Hey there!>
I'm not sure where to start, so I'll start from the top and be very verbose
(my apologies)....
<No apologies my friend.>
2 months ago I set up a brand new "NanoCube 24" by JBJ (24 gal) with about
30 pounds of live rock, and 2 bags of live sand. The rock came from a friends
75gal, which he had for 6 years. There is about 16 gal of water in the tank (at
a guess) and it has been doing fantastic.
<OK.>
I let it cycle for about 3 weeks, then inserted my test pilot, a small Yellow
Tail Damsel, who also did great.
<Not the most ideal means of cycling a tank. Please read here for future
reference: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/estbiofiltmar.htm >
The following week, the insanity overtook me, and I had a trio of Catalina
Gobies, 5 different button corals, and few very pretty mushrooms delivered.
<Mmm, yes, insanity and impatience. My, this is not a good mix. Catalina
Gobies (Lythrypnus dali) are a cool water species, preferring water temps
between 64-71 F.
Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/lythrypnus.htm
Your corals are found in tropical waters. An appropriate temperature would be
around 78-79 F.>
The mushrooms were in baaaad shape, most having detached from their strata and
curled into spit wads.
<Is that the technical term?>
Currently, 1 is doing great, 2 are doing ok, and the other 2 are losses.
<See temperature suggestion above and below.>
The button corals have their days where they are wide open, and their days where
they are partially open....
<See temperature reference above and below.>
At this point, all of the fish were doing great. Some hermit crabs and
snails were added to help with some algae, eventually swelling to 16 crabs (tiny
blue legs, zebra, Scarlets, and some normal Mexican red legs), and about 12
snails of various kinds (the Turbo snails will be exiting the tank in a day or
2, due to their constant tossing of my corals).
<A lot of crabs and too many snails for such a small system. High likelihood of
starvation for the snails.>
2 weeks ago I inherited a Lawnmower Blenny from a friend, and he too is
doing well, though I have never seen a blenny swim freely so much...
<He's probably hungry.>
He seems to eat well, and everyone gets along.
<The minimum recommended tank size is 55 gallons for a Lawnmower Blenny
(Salarias fasciatus). The Blenny may starve in systems that are not well
established or have insufficient algae growth. Your system is too small and too
new to be an appropriate home for this fish. I would try to find a more
appropriate home for this fish.>
A small peppermint shrimp also came with the blenny.
<OK.>
4 days ago, my girlfriend heard me say "That is a beautiful fish. I
wouldn't mind getting one at some point, like when I have a 75..." at which
point she wandered off to look at the puppies. When I got home from work the
following evening, she surprised me with that beautiful Potters Angel
acclimating in his bag in my 24! I was delighted, yet also totally freaked
out. I called the pet store, and they wouldn't take him back. Now, they had
him for 2 months, and he has done better than any other Angel (save a little
Eblii they had). I took about 2 hours to acclimate him, and during the transfer
from bag to tank, my dog barked, which surprised both me and the fish. He
became tangled in the net due to that gill spike, and it took me about 2 minutes
to extricate him with very small scissors snipping the net.
<Aye!>
Since then, he has been very active in the tank, and was nipping at the
glass, rocks, and strands of algae the very next morning. I've recently done a
profusion of reading, and I am in fear that he won't last in my little 24. So
far, he seems very happy, but only eats off of the rocks, and occasionally
nibbles at the dried seaweed I clip in. No one chases anyone around, and it is
a very peaceful tank with everyone mingling and swimming about, including the
Potters. I change out about 2-3 gallons every 3 days, using RedSea for my
salts. and the daily temperature beings at 72*F in the morning, at is usually at
75.5*F in the evening when I turn off the light.
<This water temperature and its fluctuation is less than ideal for your system,
best to keep temps stable and warmer, 78-79 F.>
I've been able to keep "perfect" water quality, with almost nonexistent Nitrite
and Nitrate, and the KH is at the optimum level.
My question is... what can I do to keep this fish happy and alive?
<Actually the Potter's Angel (Centropyge potteri) is the most appropriate fish
you currently have in your tank. I would try offering some well-rinsed frozen
foods soaked in Selcon several times a day. The problems lie with the Blenny
and Gobies. Your system is not an appropriate home for either. The gobies do
not belong in your system. They require a cool water setup. The gobies need to
be relocated to an appropriate cool water home. The blenny should be kept in a
larger more established tank.>
I've called a few stores in the area, and the only one willing to take him off
of my hands will only take him for free. I'd hate to break my wonderfully
misguided gals heart by giving her gift away, and I do like the Potters so....
Any advice or help would be GREATLY appreciated.
<Your girl seems to have done more homework regarding appropriate choices for
you system than you have my friend. She is not as misguided as you may
think. Her selection is more appropriate than your selection of a Lawnmower
Blenny and Catalina Gobies. Your water temperature should be higher and more
consistent. You have too many snails and quite a few hermits which will compete
with the angel for algae. Please do more research before making purchases. The
lives of these amazing creatures are solely in your hands. You may want to
consider a book by Robert M. Fenner titled "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist"
to help you on your journey. I think you will find it most helpful. It is a
book I continuously reference. It is money well spent.
Thank you,
Darby
<Welcome. -Mich>
Re: Potters Angel <Lawnmower Blenny and Catalina Gobies> in Possible Danger
Related to Lack of Research.
Mich,
Thank you very much for your advice.
<Hello Darby! You are quite welcome!>
Doing research can be so very frustrating because there are so many
contradictory sources out there, especially the people in the shops "who know"
and urge you on to get things going quickly.
<Yes, it can be a big challenge, but doing your own research is essential to be
successful in this hobby. Shame on shops who encourage quickness... the
antithesis of appropriate.>
I may have found a home for the Lawnmower Blenny, and a good number of the
snails will be making an exit this evening.
<Very good, as long as they are going to appropriate homes.>
I'll continue to look for some place for the Catalinas, as I'd hate for their
lifespan to be shortened on my account.
<Yes, a shame these fish are occasionally sold as tropical species to well
intended folks as yourself.>
Perhaps I should set up a second tank ( I have a 10 gal that could be used for
that, but it would be too small, except for a refugium).
<This might be a good temporary solution. Where they are at now is too
warm. The issue here really is temperature. In many places in the world this
system would require a very expensive chiller. If you are in a Northerly
climate, there is a possibility, but these fish like it as some would say, cool,
I would say, brrr... cold.>
Another question, if you don't mind: How can I keep the water temperature
from fluctuating, without heaters or chillers?
<Mmm, you need a heater if you're keeping tropical fish, my friend. These are
quite affordable, tiny ones are less than $10 and super deluxe go for around
$50. I am shocked that you don't have one. Go get one ASAP. And while you're
out, stop at your local bookstore and pick up a copy of "The Conscientious
Marine Aquarist" by Robert M. Fenner. This book will be a tremendous resource
for you. I reference it frequently. It is money well spent and you will use it
as long as you are in the hobby.>
I keep my house at a constant temp, so I can only theorize that it is the
lighting system raising the temp, which I was assured that the Nanocubes were
immune from. These little systems don't leave very much, if any, room to add
systems...
<Yes, an inherent problem, but add a heater please.>
thank you again,
Darby
<Welcome! Mich>
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