Barnacle blenny info

[EthanHawaii]

I can't find a lot of information on the web about this fish so I need a few questions answered before I get them.

My tank is a 55 gallon reef with 2 ocellaris clowns and one hoeven's wrasse, so I was wondering how many barnacle blennys are ok to keep together? I was thinking that I might get 5-7 of them?

my other question is will my 10 gallon QT hold the bio load of 5-7 of these little guys for a few months?

I'm not planing on using any treatments unless I see signs of disease, so would I be able to use the same barnacle from the QT and use it in my DT? after the two month quarantine is over? or is it best to use a new barnacle?

And do these guys need more than 1 feeding a day?

And finally where is the best place to get barnacles for this blenny? keep in mind I'm in Canada lol.

Thanks!

 

[Tjsmoot]

I purchased a group of 4 barnacle blennies about a year ago. Throughout the quarantine process all of the blennies ate and appeared to be healthy. After the quarantine period, I put all 4 of the blennies into a 90 gallon reef. I tried to release them next to holes in the live rock, but they ended up moving to different areas in the tank once adjusted. Over the course of a month or two, 3 of the 4 blennies disappearded. I saw the one regularly, so I assumed the others died although they could have been somewhere deep in the live rock. Unfortunately, the final surviving one I had for a couple months, but when I removed a rock from the tank, I didn't realize the blenny was in it. I thought it was out of the rock but I found it crisp the next morning on the rock. I don't know if having a barnacle would help to make them more visible and keep them in a group, but the single one that I did have was really interesting and I plan to get another one in the future.

 

[EthanHawaii]

I purchased a group of 4 barnacle blennies about a year ago. Throughout the quarantine process all of the blennies ate and appeared to be healthy. After the quarantine period, I put all 4 of the blennies into a 90 gallon reef. I tried to release them next to holes in the live rock, but they ended up moving to different areas in the tank once adjusted. Over the course of a month or two, 3 of the 4 blennies disappearded. I saw the one regularly, so I assumed the others died although they could have been somewhere deep in the live rock. Unfortunately, the final surviving one I had for a couple months, but when I removed a rock from the tank, I didn't realize the blenny was in it. I thought it was out of the rock but I found it crisp the next morning on the rock. I don't know if having a barnacle would help to make them more visible and keep them in a group, but the single one that I did have was really interesting and I plan to get another one in the future.

That was very helpful, one thing I heard is they are one of the shortest living blennies for sale, they only live 1 1/2-2 years. Maybe you got old ones? I heard they can hide really well. I'm going to make sure to get ones that are only 1" long to make sure they are juveniles. What did they like eating the most when you had them? how big was your QT you used?

Thank you.

 

[ThRoewer]

Being short lived really makes them not the greatest investment. Though I would think that they should be easy enough to breed. I wonder why none of the commercial breeders has tried them yet.

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[EthanHawaii]

Being short lived really makes them not the greatest investment. Though I would think that they should be easy enough to breed. I wonder why none of the commercial breeders has tried them yet.

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True, but as long as you get them as juveniles you'll probably have them for maybe 2 years which isn't terrible. Are there any other blennies that act like this one?

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I have one that I have had for about two years. He is cool. My tailspot blenny thinks he is a second barnacle blenny. If they aren't poking out of the same hole, they are poking out of holes near each other. The tailspot will swim in the open some, but the barnacle rarely does unless it is just to pop over to a different hole or blast out and back for a bit of food. Very entertaining and the head is always visible.

My barnacle blenny eats any meaty food or pellets or flakes. He is very able to snipe plenty of food out of the water column and I cant imagine feeding would ever be an issue. He never picks on rocks or algae like the tailspot does, but has no issues getting his fair share.

I used pvc for him in QT and he was happy as can be. I added a barnacle cluster to the DT and he never took to it, seeming to prefer holes in my rock,.He has three favorite spots he switches between.

Great fish, though I never heard they are that short lived.

 

[EthanHawaii]

I have one that I have had for about two years. He is cool. My tailspot blenny thinks he is a second barnacle blenny. If they aren't poking out of the same hole, they are poking out of holes near each other. The tailspot will swim in the open some, but the barnacle rarely does unless it is just to pop over to a different hole or blast out and back for a bit of food. Very entertaining and the head is always visible.

My barnacle blenny eats any meaty food or pellets or flakes. He is very able to snipe plenty of food out of the water column and I cant imagine feeding would ever be an issue. He never picks on rocks or algae like the tailspot does, but has no issues getting his fair share.

I used pvc for him in QT and he was happy as can be. I added a barnacle cluster to the DT and he never took to it, seeming to prefer holes in my rock,.He has three favorite spots he switches between.

Great fish, though I never heard they are that short lived.

Very interesting, so the blennies show no aggression towards each other?

Well it's good to hear that I may have been wrong about them living only a few years.

 

[EthanHawaii]

Can you mix different types of barnacle Blenny species together safely?

 

[Tjsmoot]

That was very helpful, one thing I heard is they are one of the shortest living blennies for sale, they only live 1 1/2-2 years. Maybe you got old ones? I heard they can hide really well. I'm going to make sure to get ones that are only 1" long to make sure they are juveniles. What did they like eating the most when you had them? how big was your QT you used?

Thank you.

I fed the tank PE mysis and NLS pellets when I had them. The commotion of the other fish when pellets hit the water typically caused them to come out and grab a pellet or two, but the pellets appeared to be a tad too big so they had to "chew" the pellet to break it down a little. They loved PE mysis though and would shoot out and eat until their bellies were slightly bulging.

As far as QT, they were in a 10 gallon tank with black painted walls on 3 sides. I put in long pieces of pvc as well as a cluster of tiny pvc elbows siliconed together. It was tied into other QT tanks to increase water volume. If another fish in a different QT tank had a disease, I risked the potential of spreading it throughout the QT system, but I feel that the added water volume greatly benefitted the fish and my LFS usually has high quality fish. I don't run the connected system anymore though because I went a long time without purchasing any fish so I didn't need it and when I recently set it up again I only had a single fish at a time so it was unnecessary. I should also note that I didn't use any medications, just observation for a month.

 

[EthanHawaii]

I fed the tank PE mysis and NLS pellets when I had them. The commotion of the other fish when pellets hit the water typically caused them to come out and grab a pellet or two, but the pellets appeared to be a tad too big so they had to "chew" the pellet to break it down a little. They loved PE mysis though and would shoot out and eat until their bellies were slightly bulging.

As far as QT, they were in a 10 gallon tank with black painted walls on 3 sides. I put in long pieces of pvc as well as a cluster of tiny pvc elbows siliconed together. It was tied into other QT tanks to increase water volume. If another fish in a different QT tank had a disease, I risked the potential of spreading it throughout the QT system, but I feel that the added water volume greatly benefitted the fish and my LFS usually has high quality fish. I don't run the connected system anymore though because I went a long time without purchasing any fish so I didn't need it and when I recently set it up again I only had a single fish at a time so it was unnecessary. I should also note that I didn't use any medications, just observation for a month.

Ok thanks, that is a good idea to paint a few of the tank walls black so they feel more secure. I might go with 4 (do you think an odd number would be better?) instead of 5-7 so that my QT is not over crowded. I think I'm going to use a barnacle cluster in the QT and then when the quarantine is finished use vinegar to wash it out so I can use it in my DT.

 

[ThRoewer]

Can you mix different types of barnacle Blenny species together safely?

I've had 8 together, 4 Hancock's Barnacle Blenny (Acanthemblemaria hancocki ) and 4 other unidentified Barnacle Blennies and they seemed to get along well. I only lost half of them when they caught BSJ disease from the BSJ I had with them in the QT, likely because I kept the tank cooler for the BSJ.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I have seen different types together before with apparently no issues.

The tailspot and barnacle have no issues whatsoever. I had the barnacle first and when the tailspot went into the DT he went straight to the hole right next to the barnacle blenny. Neither one had any issues and they remain close most of the time. I have no idea if this is typical or not.

 

[EthanHawaii]

I've had 8 together, 4 Hancock's Barnacle Blenny (Acanthemblemaria hancocki ) and 4 other unidentified Barnacle Blennies and they seemed to get along well. I only lost half of them when they caught BSJ disease from the BSJ I had with them in the QT, likely because I kept the tank cooler for the BSJ.

Good to know! I'm actually wavering on these fish or a goby seeing as I have a candy-cane pistol shrimp already in the tank. Hawkfish are also on my list.

But if I end up getting the blennies I think I would get 2 Ekemblemaria myersi and 2 Acanthemblemaria macrospilus (but who knows if my LFS can even order them in!)

Are there any other bottom dwelling fish that you would recommend?

Thank you.

 

[EthanHawaii]

I have seen different types together before with apparently no issues.

The tailspot and barnacle have no issues whatsoever. I had the barnacle first and when the tailspot went into the DT he went straight to the hole right next to the barnacle blenny. Neither one had any issues and they remain close most of the time. I have no idea if this is typical or not.

Cool! Thanks.

 

[ThRoewer]

Good to know! I'm actually wavering on these fish or a goby seeing as I have a candy-cane pistol shrimp already in the tank. Hawkfish are also on my list.

But if I end up getting the blennies I think I would get 2 Ekemblemaria myersi and 2 Acanthemblemaria macrospilus (but who knows if my LFS can even order them in!)

Are there any other bottom dwelling fish that you would recommend?

Thank you.

LA just has Ekemblemaria myersi and Acanthemblemaria hancocki in stock. I got two E. myersi from Diver's Den. Judging by their coloration I would say they come from Panama.

I would be careful with putting hawkfish together with small slender fish - they may end up as snack.

BTW: these blennies will likely settle higher in the rock structure so nothing speaks against adding a small shrimp goby - ideally a pair (= 2)

 

[EthanHawaii]

LA just has Ekemblemaria myersi and Acanthemblemaria hancocki in stock. I got two E. myersi from Diver's Den. Judging by their coloration I would say they come from Panama.

I would be careful with putting hawkfish together with small slender fish - they may end up as snack.

BTW: these blennies will likely settle higher in the rock structure so nothing speaks against adding a small shrimp goby - ideally a pair (= 2)

If I got the hawkfish I wouldn't be getting the Blenny or Goby.

That is very good to know! I thught that I would only be able to get the Blenny or Goby so this makes things a lot easier!

Thanks!

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[ThRoewer]

Blennies and gobies usually get along fine.

 

[ThRoewer]

Get a longnose hawk (or a pair = 2) - they don't eat fish (or only very tiny ones)

 

[Tjsmoot]

Ok thanks, that is a good idea to paint a few of the tank walls black so they feel more secure. I might go with 4 (do you think an odd number would be better?) instead of 5-7 so that my QT is not over crowded. I think I'm going to use a barnacle cluster in the QT and then when the quarantine is finished use vinegar to wash it out so I can use it in my DT.

When I had the 4, there didn't appear to be any fighting, just a little bit of squabbling to figure out dominance in the group. That being said, they were only close together in the QT for a month, and once they were in the reef they were spread out. I don't think an odd or even number would cause them to fight any more or less, I think it's really just a matter of how many you want.

If you decide to get them, let me know how it works out. If you can keep a group for more than a couple months I may try again.

 

[EthanHawaii]

When I had the 4, there didn't appear to be any fighting, just a little bit of squabbling to figure out dominance in the group. That being said, they were only close together in the QT for a month, and once they were in the reef they were spread out. I don't think an odd or even number would cause them to fight any more or less, I think it's really just a matter of how many you want.

If you decide to get them, let me know how it works out. If you can keep a group for more than a couple months I may try again.

Ok, will do.