Help: Starry Blenny Flashing/Scratching

[ReeferGil]

Hey guys. I have a newly "established" 75 gallon mixed reef tank. The cycle ended in October and I have slowly been adding fish into the system along with a bunch of small frags and LPS corals. My very first fish went straight into the DT. One of those fish was a Starry Blenny. For the past month or even maybe longer, I have noticed him occassionally swim super fast and scratch his body consecutively against the rocks, dive very fast into the substrate then scratch some more on rocks. He will then perch himself on a rock and stare me down. He only does this occassionally, then again I am not watching him 24-7. He has developed ZERO signs of external parasites. He eats like a pig (food always soaked with Garlic Extreme). I have two clowns, spotted tail blenny, Melenarus Wrasse and a Watchman Goby, NO ONE has any signs of parasites and none of the others have behaved like the Starry Blenny. At night the Starry Blenny will perch himself on top of my pump, right up against the glass. I've used my flashlight and carefully examined his gills and body with NO visible abnormalities. No signs of being stung by a coral and I use RODI water with ZERO TDS.

I do have a QT that currently has a Purple Tang in it. Should I be concerned? Would a fish flash and scratch "just because?" I would think not, but like I said, I am new. Any ideas?

 

[MellowReefer]

I had a starry blenny that did the same thing.

Good news – when I searched the forums many others said their healthy blennies did the same thing, speculating they are trying to stir up possible food in the sand.

Bad news – mine did end up dying, and although it had no signs of ich spots at any time, I think it probably was ich because right after it died another fish showed ich spots and almost died before I got a HT going.

 

[ReeferGil]

Crap.

 

[MellowReefer]

Maybe someone who knows more about blennies will chime in - maybe it is just something that they do. But if I were you I’d leave that purple tang in QT for a few more weeks to make sure your other fish are okay. Since you didn’t treat all new fish for it, there’s a good chance you have it in your tank but the other fish have built resistance, or it’s not one of the deadlier strains. Feeding nori soaked in garlic or selcon is a good idea.

 

[ReeferGil]

Maybe someone who knows more about blennies will chime in - maybe it is just something that they do. But if I were you I'd leave that purple tang in QT for a few more weeks to make sure your other fish are okay. Since you didn't treat all new fish for it, there's a good chance you have it in your tank but the other fish have built resistance, or it's not one of the deadlier strains. Feeding nori soaked in garlic or selcon is a good idea.

Yeah, I am definitely not puposely exposing a $120 fish (Purple Tang) to a potential parasite by placing the Starry Blenny in QT with him. Not to mention, I would have to completely break down my tank by removing all the rocks to catch him, I have frags and LPS corals that have been glued on and have encrusted themselves on the rock. No way I can get my aquascape stacked the exact way again, so that's pretty much out of the question. I don't have any friends with a SW tank, so I can't find the Purple Tang a temporary home. Here is my plan, since you're the only one who posted here, I'll ask what you think of it.

1) Keep the Purple Tang solo in the QT, he's healthy and eating like a champ.

2) Continue to monitor the Starry Blenny and the other fish in the DT for any visible signs of parasites. Also monitor their breathing and eating habits.

3) Continue to soak their food in Garlic Extreme.

4) Wait 60 days and if still no visible signs of Ich or other parasites, introduce my Purple Tang to DT.

I definitely don't have the room or funds to purchase another QT even if I could catch all of the fish in the DT. The smartest thing to do is just that. Catch all of the fish, buy a new QT for all of them and treat them all with Cupramine. Like I said, I can't do that since it would require completely breaking down my tank. If there is a parasite in the DT, I am totally screwed. All I can do is hope it's a weak strain and hope the garlic will help them fight it off or hope that I am just being paranoid and the fish is just doing it's thing by scavanging for food by stirring up the sand like you said.... ug!!!

This could have all been avoided if I just used my QT to start with. The QT was in it's cycle process when I got the knee jerk reaction to buy the fish. My DT had finished its cycle and I was anxious to get some fish in it. With that said, the Starry has been in the DT for more like 2.5 months. I picked them all up from Blue Zoo Aquatics. ALWAYS QT YOUR NEW FISH, BE PATIENT! (Yelling at myself).

 

[MellowReefer]

Good plan, that’s what I would do. I might only do an extra 30 days in QT, depending on how large a QT you have. If the tang is comfortable in there I would think an extra 60 days is fine.

Are you quarantining all inverts, corals etc.? You know ich can hitchhike in on a coral or snail, if it was kept in a tank with fish. I think this is how I got ich originally. In my opinion, there are enough reports of it on here to warrant a separate QT for them.

 

[ReeferGil]

It's been two months since I posted about my Starry Blennies behavior and he never showed signs of Ich or parasites. He is healthy and happy.