migs Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Despite all I heard and what they told me at Aquadome.... Blennies are not reef safe. I purchased a Blue and Gold Blenny (combtooth) on Sunday... today I notice all my monti's, caps, leng sy, etc have what look like small scratches or patches missing... I looked and wait and saw the bloody fish just nipping away at them... it wasn't easy to catch him, but I finally got him and put him in an isolation net... probably going to dump off at RCA... now to get my corals to heal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starsprinkle Rainbowsmile Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I have no experience with a Blue and Gold, but I have a Tailspot Blenny that has been perfectly reef safe for me. Sorry to hear your bad luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikedelgado Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Oh thank goodness, I just put a tail spot blennie in my tank and after reading the 1st post I started to worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I had a bicolor blennie that acquired a taste for my orange plate coral. So am not surprised. It probably varies from fish-to-fish (like other species). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Well, I'll be . . . I would have said it was reef safe, just one more example of how few absolutes there are in this hobby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migs Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 I guess I should have qualified with "Blue and Gold Blenny"... I have heard the Tailspots are safe but that is what I heard about these guys too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I will verify the tailspot's safety, and add lawnmower to the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonSequitur Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I've not noticed any bad behavior from my flame-tail or my lawnmower blenny.. unless you count hiding in my powerheads when they're switched off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I think what's happening is the Blenny is trying to scrape algae off the coral, but it's damaging the coral in the process. I don't think it's trying to eat the coral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I think what's happening is the Blenny is trying to scrape algae off the coral, but it's damaging the coral in the process. I don't think it's trying to eat the coral. In my case, the blenny was blatantly nipping at the plate coral flesh... no algae on it to eat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaJMasta Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I will verify the tailspot's safety, and add lawnmower to the list. Any herbivore blenny should be fine, maybe they can be irritants but I would say most blennies don't even eat meat. That said, the info I see says the blue and gold is a herbivore, you sure it's not damage from irritation or damage from skirmishes with other tankmates? EDIT: Apparently what's commonly called the blue and gold blenny is different from the combtooth blenny. Combtooth blennies make up quite a number of species and are larger and not necessarily herbivores. Make sure the ID is correct and you've actually got a combtooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migs Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 I have to agree with JamesL... no algae on plate coral - he was just going to town on it. I double checked his ID... he was sold as Ecsenius lividanalis.. which I thought was a combtooth blenny... this picture is a dead ringer for him... http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+23+2105&pcatid=2105 I guess I should have checked here first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I'll tell you what, I have had that exact blenny in my tank now for about 7 months. I love it and wouldn't allow anything to mess with it. My tank is full of corals, all kinds, well 'cept softies. All it does is hang out on my corals, in my corals, around my corals, etc... Has never messed with a thing. It changes colors to blend in. Just to cool. Feel free to drop by to debate it further, but it has never touched a coral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Goes to show the variability of behaviors from fish to fish within a given species. Kinda like how some dwarf angels are not nippers, while others are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Generally they are reef safe. You must have some weird insane blenny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneroller Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Lesson learned, don't buy fish without doing the research first. I've been guilty of that on too many occasions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dena Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 My blennies have all been good, even the ones I caught on the coast...I still have three and one I caught was about 3-4" long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migs Posted August 20, 2010 Author Share Posted August 20, 2010 Definitely a lot of variability in blenny behavior... I was actually talking to someone else who said their Tailspot was munching away on coral... I do wonder if the diet I was feeding was not sufficient and cause the nipping... mainly cyclopeeze and seaweed sheets on clips... they might just need more steady source of veggies like some flake food... or I just got an insane blenny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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