Fish advice: blenny

[Dtip]

I'm thinking about getting a blenny-type fish, and I was looking for recommendations. I'm interested in personality and hardiness more than color (i.e. no mandarins) and I was considering the lawnmower blenny, which seems to be inexpensive, widely available, and is described as being highly active and personable. Does anyone have any experience with these guys, or have a recommendation on a better species?

I'm not expecting to luck out and get one that eats hair algae, though that would be nice. But I've heard that they can be finicky eaters. My system is 55gal, and there's plenty of LR and film algae to graze on. Should I make sure in the LFS that a given specimen will accept an easy supplemental food like nori as well?

 

[Paul_PSU]

That is a great fish and very hardy. You can get a starry blenny also which has a nice patten on it.

Paul

 

[DiscoReefRover]

Ive always been partial to the Bi-Color blennys great personallty mine eats out my hand....

 

[ReefWidowed]

I loved my scooter blenny...very human responsive and was easily trained to eat mysis as a supplement (sometimes even ate flake)

 

[Dtip]

Are they are jump-prone as gobies?

And has anyone had any luck getting these species to eat in tank algae?

 

[EllieSuz]

I cast another vote for the Starry Blenny. Mine eats everything I throw in there, although I do concentrate on getting him something green every day. They are easy keepers and comical looking with a great personality.

 

[DiscoReefRover]

ive have personally never had one jump ...and yes they are voracious alge eaters!!!!both my sailfin and my bi color do a wonderful job!!

 

[vietcu]

I have a lawnmower that will not touch any type of nori that I put in the tank. It will however eat everything else that goes in the tank that I use to feed my other fishes. I seem to have lucked out on mine, because I have heard of a lot of horror stories of others that seem to just starve to death.

 

[pgolnick]

I have had 2 Midas Blennies. The first did jump the tank. It was kind of strange, he jumped into the overflow once and I got him out. The 2nd time, I found him on the floor in the back of the tank. The new one is pretty cool. Most sitting around waiting for food. He has a nice yellow/gold colors with cool blue eyes.
Phil

 

[Murphs205]

Bi-color blennys are nice , and they will jump ,,,,all of the blennys have a cool way about them ,,, almost cartoonish at times

 

[Murphs205]

Bi-color blennys are nice and colorful , and they will jump ,,,,all of the blennys have a cool way about them ,,, almost cartoonish at times

 

[o0xerog0o]

My lawnmower blenny is full of personality. I've got him now where he'll come up to the waters edge and eat flakes from my hand... I guess I've lucked out as well seeing as how many people have issues with them not eating anything but algae, thus starving to death eventually...

I've also had two diamond gobies that jumped the tank as soon as they saw their opportunity, the blenny has never even considered anything like that.

 

[serpentman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13291622#post13291622 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vietcu
I have a lawnmower that will not touch any type of nori that I put in the tank. It will however eat everything else that goes in the tank that I use to feed my other fishes. I seem to have lucked out on mine, because I have heard of a lot of horror stories of others that seem to just starve to death.

I just had one starve to death. Wouldn't touch anything I put in. Unfortunately (and fortunately knock on wood) I didn't have any algae for it feed on.