My Lawn Mower ain't cuttin it!

[rjallen]

:headwalls:
After 30 years I am once again keeping a salt water tank. I currently have a 120 gal. With a very light bio load. Salt water filled the tank over last labor day weekend. I've got about a hundred pounds of rock mostly dead reef rock seeded with 4 pieces from a LFS. The tank holds 5 chromis, an orange spot goby and my Lawn Mower Blenny. Some snails, 2 peppermint shrimp, 2 very small hermits round out the crew.

Most would call the tank stable. I will not put anything else in for a couple more months when the tank is more mature.

I feed mostly frozen food with some flakes a few times a week. I feed 3x daily. The Blenny has shown some growth but is acting strangely. When first introduced, he ate nothing but micro algae on the glass. Took a nip or two a the micro on the rocks but left it alone. He is not interested in any type of macro algae. Because of this I do not clean the back glass. After 30 days of this, he suddenly became interested in frozen shrimp & hake I feed. He would eat till I thought the bugger's stomach would burst.
I tried Nori on a clip and he ignored that the first two times. For the last couple of months, he eats a little algae. Attacks the Nori after it has been in the tank for more than 12 hours and I assume he eats some but he seems more interested in ripping it to shreds with most of it floating in the tank. He still eats a little of the shrimp & fish but is very particular to the size of the meal. He ignores small bits and is only attracted to big pieces that are so large he has to spit it out. Every once in awhile he finds a piece that is small enough [barely] to swallow. He no longer seems to fill his stomach with anything. He spends a lot of time swimming up & down the glass and not doing blenny things.

Anybody with experience with Lawn Mower Blennys? What did you feed them? Is there a particular herbivore flake food that attracts them? I know Lawn Mowers can be hard to keep if there is not enough algae but my tank has a little too much algae. There is still quite a bit of micro on the rear glass. He wants to eat but seems not to like my menu. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[pktech]

With the exception of 1, the blennies I had were eating machines - everything was on the menu. One major indicator of health for me was that each blenny was truly personable - came right up to the glass & waited for me to feed him (like a dog). It's probably sick if it's not eating to it's hearts content - does it greet you when you approach the tank? Maybe trying the algea discs would help? Hikari makes a version.

 

[rjallen]

Thanks Pktech for the reply. He is a typical Blenny, knows me and does come up to the top of the tank to greet me. He seems hungry. Swims with the chomis. He just rejects what I have to offer. When 1st in the tank he would expand his stomach on glass algae alone. He would spend hours on the back glass leaving blenny kisses in the algae.

Now, he seems to focus on the frozen shrimp but, as I said, rejects all but the largest pieces. He tracks down those in the current but is forced to spit them out. I have noticed he will take a FEW smaller pieces every other day when he is seem desperate to get something. Even then he stops after gulping 1 or 2 bits. He still goes for the big score taking the really big bites he cannot swallow.
One last thing. His stomach is not shrunken- he just never has the blenny bulge so endearing to owners.

 

[rjallen]

" Maybe trying the algea discs would help? Hikari makes a version."

Anybody have sucess with the Hikari version or perhaps the Two Little Fishs line of algae based food.