Scooter Blenny

agruetz

New member
Hey all,

I have a few questions. (Yes I know they are dragonets and yes I know they should not be kept in small tanks.)

1) What is the average life span of a scooter blenny?
2) What is the average max size for a scooter blenny?
3) What might cause a scooter blenny to stop eating all together?

Thanks
 
I have never seen one larger then 3" but i think they can get about 4". A scooter blenny never stops eating, they eat constantly, always on the search for copepods. From your signature, I dont think your system is large enough to house one. They are not too hard to get eating prepared foods, however their main diet is copepods and they need a lot of them.
 
I have had mine for about 2 years. Then he all the sudden stopped eating... I have feed station setup for him and he pretty much will take PE Mysis right out of the feeding tube.

However he just stopped eating all the sudden...I am wondering if it is getting towards the end of his life span. He is about 2.5 - 3 inches long, and estimated (about 2.5 - 3 years old) I have had him for 2 years. I know the store had him for a few months before I got him.
 
I didn't even read that you already had him. That's great that he ate mysis and that he was doing so well. The life expectancy I am not sure about, I have never been able to keep one for longer than 1.5 years. I have now given up on trying. Maybe they do have a short life expectancy in which case I might get another one. I just felt bad every time one died on me. I am curious to hear other peoples experience with them.
Sorry about yours, hopefully he starts eating again
 
Yea I cannot seem to find much online either in terms of life expectancy. Seems like the range is 3 - 5 years... But nothing concrete.

I have little hope he is going to recover unfortunately =/. I could not even get him to eat in an in tank QT thing today. Maybe I will get lucky but some how I doubt it.
 
To have that fish for two years in that set-up would be considered success in my book. Let's say that the fish CAN live for 5 years or more and people CAN live well over 100 years but only a few of us ever see triple digits. We succumb to ailments and organ failures and I would assume the same happens to fish. I don't know the "fish" years ratio as I do the "dog" years ratio to "people" years but I would guess that a fish, of unknown age, that has spent two years in your care would be a senior citizen. And to sum it up, I would say that your fish has the potential to live a few more years, per life-span, but it would not be a surprise if the fish died soon due to natural causes just as it wouldn't be a surprise for a human to pass by similar means at the age of 70.

That's about as much as I can do for life expectancy but I would encourage you to look at what you can control which is water quality. According to your signature, there are only 2 clowns with your scooter. If so, the scooter may show signs of stress before the clowns do.

1. Have you recently tested your water and what were the parameters (and with which test kit)?

2. Are there any new fish, corals or other inverts recently added?

3. Any other recent changes to your tank... water changes, filter changes (aquarium and/or RO filters), additives, foods, equipment?

4. Have you checked for temperature fluctuations?

Hope things turn around for you and your Scooter. Good Luck!
Mike
 
Mike,

Thanks for the info. You thoughts are right in line with mine. I was looking for the life expectancy just so I could see if he was with in it. I think it is with in the realm of reason to say it was most likely a natural cause. I am picky about my creatures, I do my best to ensure I am not the cause of their early demise. Unfortunately Mr Scooter passed about an hour ago.

1) I test weekly due to my small tank. I use Red Sea Pro kits and a Digital Milwaukee tester for phosphates.

2) Clam a good 3 - 4 weeks ago.

3) No

4) Those are spot on reef keeper monitors it.

Here are the records I keep. Only thing that has happened is I shocked the tank trying to lower phosphates which should not hurt the fish, but did **** of my corals big time and I believe killed one of my clams.

http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/agruetz/3
 
I had one housed in a 60g he lasted all of about 6 months and stopped eating and never seem to start back up. I guess you already know what happened to him :(
 
Agruetz,

Sorry to hear about the Scooter. Doing your homework and the added diligence with a feeding station most likely gave your fish at least a 1 1/2 years more than if someone else bought it. Unfortunately most scooters are doomed before they ever leave the lfs with sunken stomachs and then 99% that make it to someone's home slowly wast away over the next several months because of irresponsible vendors and/or irresponsible hobbyist. Sounds like it's time to give another fish (same or different species) a good home.
 
Yea, I am sure my clowns are going to be upset. He was their source of all the extra food. They even figured out how to get stuff out of the feed station...all though that stopped once the female almost got her self stuck in the tube.

I feel slightly better that I most likely gave him the longest life possible in captivity, and it was most likely nature causes.

I will most likely wait till I move into my new house (I am hope to get to do an upgrade build) and then will get another maybe one or a pair of the captive breed ORA mandarins...as I am all for captive breed creatures even if they cost a bit more.

Thanks,
Anthony
 
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