scooter blenny. looking for some advice.

[shroutk3]

Hi all,

I got a scooter blenny about 4 weeks ago, and I've been quarantining hiim from the get go. The quarantine is not however medicated, is actually kind of like a 10 gallon FOWLR. My problem is that I can't decide if he has ick. He never stops moving so its hard to get a good look at him, and his pattern makes it very difficult. I don't want to medicate if I don't have to because I don't want to ruin the LR in the tank.

Anyone have any suggestions? I know what ick looks like, just can't get him to sit still, and don't want to ruin the LR.

Thanks,
Tim

[mat167]

Set up a video camera and film him up close for a bit. Then take a look at the video; you can pause it or take a still frame to try and get a better look. If he has ich you can treat, just remove the LR and sand and set them aside in some saltwater. Maybe add a piece of PVC pipe for the fish to hide in, take out the carbon (if you have any in the filter) and you're done.

[VacavilleFC3S]

most likely he doesn't most blennies and dragonettes seem pretty resiliant to ick. i'd be more worried about it being in QT for almost a month and starving to death, i have 2 scooters in my 90g and there my favorite fish, massive amounts of pods are a must though or it will starve to death in no time .. also scooters bury themselves in the sand and usually have a some stuck to them through out the day

[snorvich]

Originally posted by VacavilleFC3S
most likely he doesn't most blennies and dragonettes seem pretty resiliant to ick. i'd be more worried about it being in QT for almost a month and starving to death, i have 2 scooters in my 90g and there my favorite fish, massive amounts of pods are a must though or it will starve to death in no time .. also scooters bury themselves in the sand and usually have a some stuck to them through out the day

Actually they are in the dragonette family (Ocellated Dragonet) not blenny family. Good advice above.

[kel2682]

Originally posted by VacavilleFC3S
most likely he doesn't most blennies and dragonettes seem pretty resiliant to ick. i'd be more worried about it being in QT for almost a month and starving to death, i have 2 scooters in my 90g and there my favorite fish, massive amounts of pods are a must though or it will starve to death in no time .. also scooters bury themselves in the sand and usually have a some stuck to them through out the day

+1 get it in the tank

[Tokalosh]

I had one for 6 month then one day I found it in the cleaner shrimps claws :-( don't know why as my tank has plenty of pods in it.

I think it may have starved to death and I believe they are very fussy eaters.

Would love to get another but don't want to kill the poor thing.

Tok

[otrlynn]

I have a similar situation. I bought a red scooter blenny about three weeks ago. He was in QT with two other small fish. They are looking great, but yesterday he seemed to be moving less and less. I was never sure if he was eating in the QT. I had tried live brine shrimp, frozen mysis, and Arctic pods. So---last night I acclimated him and put him in my DT. He seems to have spent the night on the sand in the front of the tank, which is where he landed when I put him in. Keeping my fingers crossed that he did not have an illness or parasite, and that he was just getting hungry and will recover.

[cwbhawk]

I dont think it is neccessary to quarantine dragonettes because, as stated above, they are resistant to ich and other common diseases. If you keep a dragonette in a 'podless' quarantine tank it could starve very quickly.

[shroutk3]

he actually eats frozen very readily, hes been keeping fat on 2-3 feedings a day. The reason that I was worried is that I though I saw an ick spot on him, but his fins are never out, so its hard to see.

Thanks for all the input,
Tim

[cwbhawk]

If it eats frozen then it should be safe to quarantine, I just wish I could get my mandarin to eat frozen foods

[TwistedEnvy]

My mandarin and red scooter both love live brine, I just have to put so much in the tank because of my tangs. I thought that the scooter might have had ich when I first got him, but i watched and he was just covered in sand.

[snorvich]

Dragonettes, in general, will not survive on frozen food alone. If you have sufficient copepods, you will be fine. If not, it will waste away long term.