starry blennies

[electrokate]

Hi,
A friend has a pair each of starry blennies (Salarias ramosus) and lawnmowers, both of which breed regularly. She catches the fry as she can't stand them just dying but doesn't have time to rear them so I am getting some. Anyone have experience and advice with blennies? I understand they are largely herbivores.

The last few days I am getting a message from RC that search has been disabled so I can't search this forum, so am starting a thread. Hopefully it will be filled with positive news soon

I have raised baby peppermint shrimp and my other friends have raised clowns so we have some experience. Have 2 strains of phyto and rotifers in culture but probably not a large amount-have been neglecting them unfortunately.
Thanks,
Kate

 

[clownfish75]

First step would be to try a green water cutlure of the larvae with rotifers, this will tell you if they are feeding or not, as if they live past a 3-6 days they are probably feeding on something, then from there its one big experiemnt.

Good luck

Christian

 

[electrokate]

That's what I am afraid of... we are flying blind Rotifers and greenwater have been given so far.
Kate

 

[G_melacara]

Reef culture technologies successfully raised canary blennies. I know they're a fork tailed blenny, not exactly like starries or lawnmowers but it might be a starting point for you. To give away the punchline, they can be raised on rotifers (s-type) and bbs but they do better with rotifers and wild caught plankton. You can check out the blurb yourself here: http://www.rcthawaii.com/research/4.htm
-Chris

 

[electrokate]

Thanks! Wish I had S strain roti's now... hopefully a few will make it on the larger roti's. Good to know about the tetraselmis. I have that and Nannocloropsis oculata, tend to use the latter since the tetraselmis clumps and crashes. At least I think it's tetraselmis... keeping it in suspension requires more agitation than the baby fish would tolerage so will have to drip it.
Thanks,
Kate

 

[mwp]

Tetraselmis and Nanno together would probably be more effective(?)...unless of course the blenny larvae actually FEED on the tetraselmis. It's my understanding that Tetraselmis isn't the "best" nutrition wise, but does produce some chemicals that help reduce the risk of infection etc, thus why it's used.

FWIW,

MP

 

[ediaz]

I have a friend who brings up the canary on just regular rotifers, I never had problems with tetra crashing in the tanks when i used with small gobies. T ISo can also be used for this, the water should be kept greener than when culturing clownfish.

There is a chance they might feed on the algae, small gobids do.
The reason for the plankton supplements is because of nutritional deficiencies of the foods used, there are commercial products available now than can bring up Meiacanthus sp. on rots alone.

Ed