Right time for a Lawnmower Blenny?

[Reefmack]

Hi. Is the best time to get a Lawnmower at the beginning of the growth of green algae, or after you have significant algae growth? It would seem to me that getting the algae eaten before it gets out of control would be better than fighting it later. I assume the blenny could be fed supplemental algae after the tank algae in under control? Do they eat foods other than algae based? Thanks.

 

[new2scene]

you could try Nori on a clip but i had one lasted 3 weeks and basically he starved to death, as he would not eat the algae pellets i had.

 

[Reefmack]

Thanks. The blenny starving afterwards was my concern. I suppose I could keep an eye on him & if he isn't eating some type of supplement take him back to the lfs. Maybe the nori would be a better thing to try than the pellets.

 

[mushumatt]

Getting him out of your tank is easier said then done. Mine has been in my tank for a month now and is looking good

 

[salty3]

Its hit or miss IMO I have had two lawnmower blenny's the first wouldnt eat anything but algae and starved the other eats algae and mysis shrimp so if my tank ever runs out of algae then he can turn to mysis and what ever else I can get him to eat. Try feeding him frozen from the start and see if he'll take it, thats how I got mine to. For the first week he would bite it and then just spit it out now he will try to steal it from the other fish and eat theres.

 

[jmait769]

I waited to add mine until the tank was established between 4 and 5 months. He (Brutus) eats the minute algae that grow on the glass and the rocks. Picks at it all day. He loves the nori on a clip also. Here he is in “his” toadstool! He’s a character!!

Jay

 

[Reefmack]

Nice picture. I feed mysis now so if I get one that won't eat algae or nori, he'll be getting mysis to try also. It doesn't seem like there are very many fish that are easy to remove once they're in the tank, without a trap.