Avoiding A Blenny Bummer! (Collection Practices for Blennies)  7/7/07
Dear Crew,
<Scott F. in tonight!>
Does anyone know how the Brown Combtooth Blenny, Atrosalarias fuscus, is typically collected? Specifically, whether chemicals are typically employed or whether these fish are generally subject to stressful transit due to their collection location? I purchased one on Wednesday and all was well, but this morning I found him serving as breakfast for my cleanup crew.
Thanks.
Andy Bulgin
<Interesting question, Andy. This is one of my absolutely favorite fishes! I did a little checking with a couple of my contacts at some wholesalers/transhippers here in L.A., and no one seemed to feel that they are subjected to any unusual collection practices. Most of them are net-caught, although there are collectors in parts of Indonesia and The Philippines that utilize chemicals to flush them from the rocky crevices in the reef where they are usually found. This practice, although less common than in the past, still occurs, unfortunately. For the most part, these little fishes do ship pretty well, although they do often go a long time without eating. Since a large part of their diet is composed of algae, they may take longer to adapt to captive life, and could be rather depleted by the time they reach the hobbyist. However, with careful quarantine and feeding, they generally adapt quite well. Hard to say what did yours in, but it could have been one, more-or none of the above-mentioned factors! In the end, you just need to use your judgment and select your specimen carefully. Good luck next time around! Regards, Scott F.>

Magic blenny?   12/11/06
<Hey Gloria and Jay, JustinN with you today.>
Our tank is about 7 months old, 125 gallons with 100 lbs of live rock, a variety of cleaning crew, 6 maroon clowns, 2 scooter blennies, 1 diamond goby, 1 Kole tang, 1 six-lined wrasse, 1 linckia star,  1 large brittle star (growing like a weed),  and a few corals that are not getting enough light.
<Yee-ikes! SIX maroon clowns?! That's a bruising waiting to happen! Clowns are typically kept in pairs, you're setting up for some serious aggression issues down the line here, and perhaps not as far down the line as you might think... Also, if you have corals in your tank, but are aware that they are lacking in light, I would be adding lighting to the setup before adding more circulation.>
Yesterday, we added a second pump to improve water movement and a few hours later we discovered a blenny (we think) that we had not purchased and had never seen before (we're certain)!
<Cool! Blennies are the absolute favorite species for my wife and I! Add to that the 'ultimate' in unexpected hitchhikers, and that's just too fun! Tis why I love this hobby *grin*>
It was a deep blue-green with red spots on the body and red lines along the belly and eyes. At first I believed it was a small wrasse (its fins, eye placement and coloring seem to match), but it behaved much more like a blenny and had the eel-like body and the round nose of a blenny. It hid in rock crevices at the bottom of the tank during the day and was out during the night a bit, but today is nowhere to be found.
<Definitely sounds like a blenny... Beautiful sounding too!>
Our question is: could this little creature have been in our tank all along, or hitch-hiked on some purchased coral from 4 moths ago and stayed in hiding that long?
<I would wager that either is just as likely. Any addition of live rock could have brought him along>
If so, is there a way to encourage it to appear more often?
<Reducing your pack of maroon bullies to two will likely bring him out more, as well as likely change the behavior of your other fishes in a positive way.>
Third question: since our brittle star is growing so fast, how do we keep it satisfied food-wise? Obviously, we don't want it to go on the hunt during the night.
<Is posted on WWM. The Google search bar is your friend *grin* Hope this info helps you! -JustinN>
Thank you for your time. I did search for surprise appearances by fish,
but didn't find anything by other owners.
Gloria and Jay

Midas Blenny - Hardy or not?  - 2/4/2006
I realize that people can only speak from experience, so I'm not trying to criticize... rather, I am seeking clarification.
On this page
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/blenselfaqs.htm
One person (Cody) says that the Midas Blennies one of the most hardy blennies, and then lower Steve says that they are NOT very hardy.    
So is this a hardy fish, or not?
-Jeff-
<Not to be (or even appear) disingenuous, but both statements can be/are correct. Ecsenius species that have been "well-collected, housed, shipped"... and provided for (large environment, clean, well-aerated water, lots of healthy live rock, not crowded, or housed with antagonistic fish tankmates... are exceedingly hardy, interesting captives. Now, in reality, most are starved, beat on arrival, stuck in too-new systems with bullies, and further stressed, starved to death... Get healthy specimen/s (usually only one to a tank unless it's huge), quarantine briefly (making sure they're well-fed daily), and place in a proper environment and you'll see. Bob Fenner>

Blennies (Ecsenius Sp.)  10/19/05
We don't see much written about the tail spot blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura). <Understandable it’s not such a common offering.> We're looking for a small fish who will help keep the green hair algae in check. This is our only concern so far in the few weeks that we've had the fish in my tank which was first cycled by the live rock. <Care for the Ecsenius stigmatura is relatively easy care should be very similar to that of blennies in the Ecsenius Genus such as the Bi-Color Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor). Provide a tank with plenty of live rock for grazing accompanied by a varied diet and you should be fine.>
We have a 40 gallon with 30 lbs. live rock, 2 green chromis (Chromis viridis), 1 false percula (Amphiprion ocellaris), 2 cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis), 6 blue leg hermit crabs (Clibanarius sp.), 6 Astrea Conehead snails, and 6 red leg hermit crabs (unsure of genus / species). Future plans include a royal Gramma and a wrasse (you've helped me narrow the wrasse choice in a previous message). <Ok.>  Also corals (Fungia sp., Actinodiscus sp, and Sarcophyton sp.) and on the wish list. I've read your cautions about having the hermit crabs once we more into the corals. <Risk varies depending on the species.>
Thanks for the prior advice.
<No problem and good luck. Adam J.>

Blenniidae Recommendations For a 20 Gallon Aquarium 8/21/05
Hi Bob
<<Ted here>>
I was wondering if there was any member of the family Blenniidae small enough to fit in a 20 gallon tank? <<Acanthemblemaria macrospilus (Barnacle Blenny), Ecsenius bimaculatus (Two Spot Blenny) and Meiacanthus mossambicus (Harptail Blenny) are all suitable for a 20 gallon aquarium.>>
Thanks
<<Cheers - Ted>>

- Bicolor Blenny a Good Addition? -
Dear Wet Web Media Crew,
I'm thinking about adding a bicolor blenny to my 90 gallon reef tank. Currently I have three damsels, three bar gobies, a strawberry Basslet, and a six-line wrasse. I've read that blennies will sometimes not get along with certain gobies. <I've not heard this... and certainly the bi-color blennies seem to keep to themselves - generally peaceful.> Do you think it would fight with any of the bar gobies? <Probably not - they tend to occupy different spaces in the tank - the bar gobies being in open water and the bi-color usually on the substrate. Provided there are plenty of spaces to hide and share, all should be fine.> Almost everything I've read on the bicolor blenny says that they are reef safe, however, I have read on your site that they might nip at certain corals and clam mantles. <Have never seen this personally... have seen numerous bi-color blennies in fully stocked reef tanks, and never heard anyone complain about the blenny nipping their invertebrates. Have seen a bi-color repetitively perch on a clam mantle, but did not nip it.> I have many LPS, soft corals, and various polyps along with a crocea clam. Do you think that I should avoid getting the bicolor blenny, and if so, is there any other blenny that might be a better fit? <I'd think the bi-color would be a fine match, but you might also look for some barnacle blennies which I've always found to be entertaining - you rarely see much more than their head, but this amuses me for reasons I can't explain. In any case, very peaceful.> Thanks so much.
-Natalie
<Cheers, J -- >

Re: Neat Blenny Bob: Here is a picture that you may enjoy.  it sure to inspire those who are struggling with this addiction we call a hobby.  This little blenny has tons of personality.  Sometimes we are so busy working on our tanks that we don’t take a few minutes to enjoy the habitat that we have created. <Indeed. Thank you. Bob Fenner> Enjoy: Dan Sovetsky

Blennies (6/24/03)
<Hey! You got Cody today!>
Hello.   Is there a blenny that is hardier than others?<I like the midas and Redlip blennies as far as hardiness goes.  Cody>