Starry Blenny or Tailspot Blenny?

[tcwells23]

I want to add a blenny to my tank and have it narrowed down to these two. My concern on the starry blenny is will it become territorial or aggressive after it has been in the tank for a while. I've read that about some of the lawnmower blennies and didn't know if the starry would be similar. And with the tailspot, is it too small to be seen in my 90 gallon tank. I already have a hi fin goby that I only occasionally catch a glimpse of. I don't want to add another fish that I may not see often. Here's what's in the tank now, which is a 90 gallon with a 30 gallon sump....

2 SA Fancy Clownfish
1 tricolor fairy wrasse
1 yellow fin fairy wrasse
1 hi fin goby and its pistol shrimp
and some snails and crabs

Thanks!

 

[shayna123]

i had a starry and it was one of my favorites. he was very peaceful towards everything large anf small and a lot of fun to watch. just try to make sure he is eating flakes or frozen before you buy.

 

[Hookup]

I have a pair of tail-spots in my 180. I see them quite often as they swim around quite a bit. I think they will be great in your system... But either is a win

 

[davocean]

I've heard mixed opinions on the starry being a little aggressive, but I've never heard any negs on tailspots.
When a tailspot gets used to you, they lose their shyness usually, and will spend alot of time observing YOU.

 

[elkinsda]

I had a starry blenny that was peaceful. When he was not picking algae off the glass or rocks he would be perched on things throughout the tank. My Kole tang would chase him away any chance he got.

 

[tcwells23]

Thanks for the input. Maybe it would help if I could see a tailspot in person. I've seen the starry at my LFS but haven't seen a tailspot there yet. Sounds like for the most part it's a toss up and both are great fish. Which is why I'm having a hard time picking which one I want.

 

[EllieSuz]

How could you resist a face like this?

Gentle, personable fish; everybody that sees this fish loves him. Eats everything I throw in there.

Here's a little video of him in action:

 

[tcwells23]

Eileen, That was a great video. Your tank is beautiful. You are right...that is a very cute face!! Thanks!

 

[niter]

I love the feather head tuffs on our starry blenny! Ours has a great personality and works on algae control (as well as eating what we feed the tank). The voracity for algae differs between blennies if that is important to you. This is why we ended up going with the starry blenny...I wanted a different blenny than our past lawnmower but still wanted an appetite for algae. This one does not eat AS much as our past lawnmower but has the personality to make up for it

 

[hoganrj1]

I ave had both now. I loved my tailspot. Unfortunately I lost him in a tank crash. In looking for a new one I got impatient and went for a starry. I have had him for two months now. At first he was pretty shy. But now he is always front and center at feeding time. And it is fun to play find the blenny when he camos in!

 

[rhdoug]

My starry blenny and scopas tang are buddies. They eat from the algae clip together, swim together, and have a lot of (gentle) physical contact with one another. Very funny to see two completely different looking fish together all the time. Starry is definitely one of the best fish I've ever had. Not shy at all, just the opposite.

 

[Sk8r]

No reason not to have both: ---mine get along quite well. The starry is a very shy fish, and not as brash as the tailspot. The starry likes to have 'dither fish' out and about before he will get bolder.

 

[rhdoug]

That goes to show the difference in individual personalities among fish. My starry is the boldest fish in the tank. Of course his tankmates are all smaller than he is which has a lot to do with it as well I would imagine.

 

[Moort82]

Mine is painfully shy as well. Its a peaceful tank and nothing causes him/her trouble but it still isn't particularly bold.

I also have a tail spot and its as bold as brass, very active and always out in the open.

They aren't in the same tank, the tailspot is in a smaller nano tank and the starry a larger reef. As mentioned above i don't you could lose chosing either.

 

[tcwells23]

No reason not to have both: ---mine get along quite well. The starry is a very shy fish, and not as brash as the tailspot. The starry likes to have 'dither fish' out and about before he will get bolder.

I would love to have both but thought I had read you should only have one blenny in a tank. That would be great and I wouldn't have to choose .

 

[hikarishadow]

I know I'm a bit late on the discussion here, but unless you have something more aggressive than the starry, I wouldn't suggest it. He would need to be "kept in line" by something larger/fiestier. The wrasses might work, I'm not sure.

I had one and he felt very strongly that he should be the only fish of his color in the tank. Unfortunately, he can turn from purple to yellow, with spotting anywhere from stars to splotches. He killed a bicolor blenny the very first night it was in the tank. He would try to attack my maroon clown (who ignored him completely), and battered my yellow watchman. I had a yellow tang for about a week and he tried to bully it as well, although it had no effect.

I'll admit though, I love the little brat and he now lives in the sump by himself. Getting him from the display was horrible though. They are VERY active fish, even if skittish, and always doing something different. The kiss marks on the glass are adorable as well.

I hope this helps a little bit.

 

[yellowbellied]

Funny, I've never had success with any blennies or gobies. I see them then they just disappear. Not sure if they just crawled somewhere and died or jumped out. One time, I added 3 gobies (they were around 1.5 inches each) and the never saw them again.

 

[cbr600rri]

Like Sk8r, I have both in my 50 gallon. I actually have another blenny (dusky yellow streak) in there as well. All 3 get along and were all added separately (dusky yellow streak, starry & tailspot last). But I do have to warn you, both established blennies were chasing the tailspot. After a couple days, they got along. Although the starry blenny can be a bully, the other 2 keep their distance if they are too close. Not sure if that helps, but good luck on whatever you decide

 

[kjreiner72]

I have a bi-color and a linear line blenny in a 34 gal tank. At feeding time the bi-color will chase the linear line but it is a couple rounds around the live rock and then they go back to their individual holes and leave each other alone. It is not every day either. I always make sure squirt food in different spots so that everybody gets plenty. I know they are not the blenny's in questions but they are 2 blenny's together in a smaller tank.

 

[RealReef7]

i actually got rid of my starry blenny, it was getting way to aggressive and biting all the fish, leaving circular marks everywhere. I'm currently looking for a tailspot blenny.