Are Starry Blennies known Bullies?

S

schnebbles

New member
I've had an exquisite firefish from LA ever since I started my tank. It has a cave but I'd always see it out swimming daily, rather frequently.

I've noticed it doesn't ever come out anymore - I have to look at night with a flashlight in his cave to see it, I needed to make sure it was ok. It's in there.

Last time I saw it try to come out the starry immediately went in the cave. I think I've seen the blenny go into the cave on another occasion but didn't think much of it.

Does this sound like a blenny bully? I'm not sure what to do. I love the blenny and the firefish is beautiful and I miss it.

I have a 40b. Flame hawk, 2 clowns, the firefish, starry and a scooter blenny.
 
All blennies can be bullies! Even tiny barnacle blennies will chase other fish away from their preferred holes.
 
My starry is certainly the tank bully. He even chases my flame angel!

Only fish he doesn't bother is my leopard wrasse. The one time I did notice him picking on the leopard, the leopard turned and chased him back to his hole. Now he leaves the leopard alone.
 
My starry is definitely the bully. He's full grown, but happily picks on my 5" powder brown tang and puts it in its place!!

If I could go back, I wouldn't have added the starry. From my prior research they had personality, this one is def a bully and if I get close to look at him, off he goes into hiding.


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MrsReefK said:
If I could go back, I wouldn't have added the starry. From my prior research they had personality, this one is def a bully and if I get close to look at him, off he goes into hiding.
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Exactly why I got one! Everything I read said they have great personalities, no one ever mentioned they were bullie's. Mine does the same thing, out and about munching on algae all day, get near the tank and he dives for his hidey hole.
 
Haha really? Mine is the biggest wimp in my tank! He pokes around everywhere for algae, hides if you move too fast to the tank, and the only time I've EVER seen him be aggressive his he occasionally chases my Melanurus away from his hole. I wouldn't call chasing another fish away from his hole bully behavior.
 
I had a Diamond Watchman Goby for 2 years. He had a cave that he slept in, but otherwise, he was always an open water swimmer. As soon as I added a Starry Blenny, I never saw the Goby come out of his cave again. The Blenny didn't harass the Goby at all, but the Goby just seemed to have a natural aversion towards it.

Sounds kind of like your Firefish has the same natural, intimidation.
 
Mine sits around lounging all the time, just watching the other fish. He seems quite intrigued by my Lyretail Anthias. He tilts his head around just watching everything around him. My scooter climbs all over him with no response, but if the shrimp comes around, he goes into full Gran Torino mode...

get-off-my-lawn.jpg
 
sde1500 said:
Haha really? Mine is the biggest wimp in my tank! He pokes around everywhere for algae, hides if you move too fast to the tank, and the only time I've EVER seen him be aggressive his he occasionally chases my Melanurus away from his hole. I wouldn't call chasing another fish away from his hole bully behavior.
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I'm with you on that. Protecting his hole isn't bullying. Mine is outright bullying not near his hole. My powder brown tang often has the lovely "kiss" marks from my starry on his side. Never have seen the tang interested in his hiding hole. Typically it's the starry darting out from another area and going after the tang then.


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I've had them for years and not had a problem. My stocking list includes starry and tailspot blennies, who are compatible, and maybe it's that combo that keeps them polite. I have 3 firefish, a gramma, 3 chromis, and a pink margin wrasse that all get along swimmingly. The only other cause I can think of is that the 40 MIGHT be too small, but I've had no trouble in a 52 gallon with the same combo. Take a look at the alk, maybe ? That can cause sensitivity.
 
My Starry, is King of the tank. What I mean by that, is it will swim out of its hole to one of the highest spots and oversee its kingdom. Just sitting there watching and observing. I just introduced a pistol/goby pair to the tank. Our Starry has quite the personality, Once they caught its eye, it swam down to them (like introducing itself), staying close and followed them around the tank. Similar to a guided tour. Mine is not a bully at all, and it usually makes me laugh most times Im watching it just from its personality.

Now my Perc clowns those two are bullies, at least to my hand.. They dont like my hand creeping around there Nem.
 
Mine is. Only to me. He doesn't bother other fish, but if my hand goes in he tank he is prone to nip at me. I've put frags near his barnacle and he knocks them over.

But I love his personality and he's such a cool looking fish. I will always keep one.

Corey
 
biecacka said:
Mine is. Only to me. He doesn't bother other fish, but if my hand goes in he tank he is prone to nip at me. I've put frags near his barnacle and he knocks them over.

But I love his personality and he's such a cool looking fish. I will always keep one.

Corey
Click to expand...

Ditto, mine assaults my arm every time I'm in the aquarium be it for maintenance or coral pruning/arranging.
 
Mine is a bully he seems to get into it with all my fish my foxface even had bite marks all over him from the blenny
 
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