Tail Spot Blenny... am I actually going to see it?

Jim96SC2 · 12/18/2009, 12:10 AM

Or will it hide in a rock the whole time and be a waste of purchase?

Sk8r · 12/18/2009, 12:13 AM

THey're shy at first, but get to be an always-out fish unless you have something it's scared of. Blennies are clowns, and like to observe whatever is going on. You may not be watching him, but he may be watching you. Remember these are wary, wild-caught animals, and it takes him a while to figure out if the vicinity is safe.

rollster · 12/18/2009, 12:18 AM

I have a lawnmower and the little guy blends-in with the rocks and he can be right infront of my nose and and not realize its there! (lol)! it may not be a waste of money, but you wont enjoy it as much as some other fish that swim day-and-night!

davocean · 12/18/2009, 12:25 AM

Yep, agree w/ sk8r.
Very cool fish.

Chloe1 · 12/18/2009, 12:27 AM

Great personalities.

Jim96SC2 · 12/18/2009, 12:48 AM

I don't care if it swims, but I want the stupid thing to be visable not hiding in a crevice 23 hrs a day.

Toddrtrex · 12/18/2009, 01:14 AM

Mine seems to be out a lot more when there are other fish in the tank. For a while there it was the only fish in my 33 cube, during that time I would never see it. However, once I added my SI Perc pair it was out a good amount of time. Granted it does like to sit on/in the rocks, but is out about 40% of the time.

And I word of caution, if you ever re-do your tank and take out some rocks, make sure to put them in a stryo box with a little bit of water. More then once I found mine in the bottom of the box while redoing the rock work.

asl4me76 · 12/18/2009, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim96SC2

I don't care if it swims, but I want the stupid thing to be visable not hiding in a crevice 23 hrs a day.

Maybe he is scared .. he may think you are scary looking so he's shaking in his boots

noahm · 12/18/2009, 09:30 AM

Blennies IME are king of their own domain. I've had a couple different kinds and they always feel the need to survey the whole tank to make sure no one is up to any shenanigans. I had a scooter and a zebra tail. Without necessarily being aggressive, they owned the tank once they got comfortable. Anything new in the tank is fair game to 'inspect' (corals, fish etc.). If you want to entice one out, they are a slave to their tummy and will happily eat until it wont fit anymore.

sbin · 12/18/2009, 09:48 AM

I had a Midas Blenny and it was my favorite great personality.

dwd5813 · 12/18/2009, 09:56 AM

dont expect him to be out swimming in the open water all that much but he'll probably be visible perched on a rock somewhere, or even a powerhead. when i had my starry blenny he loved being on the powerheads. at night he would find a spot down in the rocks and hide but when the lights came on he was back out and foraging. i'm sure had there been any other fish in the tank he would have been keeping a close eye on them. he certainly liked watching over every part of the tank.

danch · 12/18/2009, 09:00 PM

He'll be out perched on rocks watching you. Related to the guy in my avatar.

HOBrien · 12/18/2009, 10:06 PM

Anyone with personal pics of their Tailspot Blennies?

Jim96SC2 · 12/19/2009, 12:27 AM

Sounds like a plan, going to pick him/her up this morning after work hopefully. Lets hope we don't find this one with his jaw ripped out.

danch · 12/19/2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOBrien

Anyone with personal pics of their Tailspot Blennies?

In the main fish forum here, there's a thread with a number of Tailspot pics. If you can do a search in that forum you should find it.

danch · 12/19/2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim96SC2

Sounds like a plan, going to pick him/her up this morning after work hopefully. Lets hope we don't find this one with his jaw ripped out.

What else is in the tank?

jflick345 · 12/19/2009, 12:32 PM

I'll post a pic of my tailspot later tonight. I have an old snail shell sitting on top of some rocks that has some xenia growing on it. I could not have planned it any better since he chose that shell as his dart hole. He hangs out there all day, occasionally venturing out but flying right back to the shell as if he just realized he wandered too far away and someone might steal his home.

CBehr · 12/23/2009, 11:58 AM

It seems this blenny is reef safe?

BethanyM · 12/23/2009, 12:20 PM

I have a tail spot in tank with 2 ocellaris, 2 peppermint shrimp, sps and softies. He is up front hanging with the clowns most of the day and the rest of the time hunting on the glass. This is the most crapping-ist fish I have ever had. Every time I look in to check on things he is eating and crapping. =)

There has not been any coral recession since putting him in and I have never seen him do much more than perch on the corals.

axia55 · 12/23/2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBehr

It seems this blenny is reef safe?

Mine hasn't touched LPS/Softies. I caught it nipping an SPS one time but it didn't do any damage so I think it was coincidental. Mine spends hours everyday cleaning my sand. Has anyone else seen their tailspot doing that?

Jim96SC2 · 12/23/2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danch

What else is in the tank?

Currently:
Ocelleris Clownfish
Purple Firefish
Clown Goby
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Fire Shrimp

Future:
Tail Spot Blenny
Mandarin
Possibly a small puffer

dnreef · 12/23/2009, 06:25 PM

My bicolor blenny was the same way for a month or so. He would hide in the rock and only come out to eat. Now he's up in front whenever there is any food and usually sits on a rock checking me out. I also have an algae blenny and he's a great character too. I'd like to add a tailspot and midas blenny to the group if possible.

jflick345 · 12/30/2009, 03:06 PM

Here's the photo of my tailspot in his shell home. He keeps a close eye on everyone from his perch to make sure they stay in line.

SpencerG · 12/30/2009, 10:40 PM

Super fish, mine cruises around and does his thing. Mine gets downright scrappy sometimes but for the most part is laid back. I don't see any fish on your list that would normally be a problem. Maybe it's sick, traumatized, or just depressed.

rhdoug · 12/31/2009, 08:22 AM

Do your tailspots (or other blennies) eat a noticeable amount of algae?

12/18/2009, 12:10 AM	#1
Jim96SC2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 311	Tail Spot Blenny... am I actually going to see it? Or will it hide in a rock the whole time and be a waste of purchase?

12/18/2009, 12:13 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	THey're shy at first, but get to be an always-out fish unless you have something it's scared of. Blennies are clowns, and like to observe whatever is going on. You may not be watching him, but he may be watching you. Remember these are wary, wild-caught animals, and it takes him a while to figure out if the vicinity is safe. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/18/2009, 12:25 AM	#4
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Yep, agree w/ sk8r. Very cool fish. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

12/18/2009, 01:14 AM	#7
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Mine seems to be out a lot more when there are other fish in the tank. For a while there it was the only fish in my 33 cube, during that time I would never see it. However, once I added my SI Perc pair it was out a good amount of time. Granted it does like to sit on/in the rocks, but is out about 40% of the time. And I word of caution, if you ever re-do your tank and take out some rocks, make sure to put them in a stryo box with a little bit of water. More then once I found mine in the bottom of the box while redoing the rock work. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

12/18/2009, 09:56 AM	#11
dwd5813 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: 813 Posts: 2,827	dont expect him to be out swimming in the open water all that much but he'll probably be visible perched on a rock somewhere, or even a powerhead. when i had my starry blenny he loved being on the powerheads. at night he would find a spot down in the rocks and hide but when the lights came on he was back out and foraging. i'm sure had there been any other fish in the tank he would have been keeping a close eye on them. he certainly liked watching over every part of the tank. __________________ order some golf shoes, otherwise we'll never get out of this place alive. what can i say? in dog beers, i have only had one. - dublo8 Current Tank Info: 40B aiptasia farm

12/18/2009, 12:18 AM	#3
rollster Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 32	I have a lawnmower and the little guy blends-in with the rocks and he can be right infront of my nose and and not realize its there! (lol)! it may not be a waste of money, but you wont enjoy it as much as some other fish that swim day-and-night!

12/18/2009, 12:27 AM	#5
Chloe1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 157	Great personalities.

12/18/2009, 12:48 AM	#6
Jim96SC2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 311	I don't care if it swims, but I want the stupid thing to be visable not hiding in a crevice 23 hrs a day.

12/18/2009, 09:30 AM	#9
noahm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,736	Blennies IME are king of their own domain. I've had a couple different kinds and they always feel the need to survey the whole tank to make sure no one is up to any shenanigans. I had a scooter and a zebra tail. Without necessarily being aggressive, they owned the tank once they got comfortable. Anything new in the tank is fair game to 'inspect' (corals, fish etc.). If you want to entice one out, they are a slave to their tummy and will happily eat until it wont fit anymore.

12/18/2009, 09:48 AM	#10
sbin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lakewood Posts: 485	I had a Midas Blenny and it was my favorite great personality.

12/18/2009, 09:00 PM	#12
danch Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 614	He'll be out perched on rocks watching you. Related to the guy in my avatar. __________________ Asking dumb questions since '06! Or, a dumby asking questions since '06! Current Tank Info: 29G FW, 75G LPSing

12/18/2009, 10:06 PM	#13
HOBrien Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Abilene, TX Posts: 1,439	Anyone with personal pics of their Tailspot Blennies? __________________ Heath Disabled Vet Current Tank Info: Have a Neo Nano just set up.

12/19/2009, 12:27 AM	#14
Jim96SC2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 311	Sounds like a plan, going to pick him/her up this morning after work hopefully. Lets hope we don't find this one with his jaw ripped out.

12/19/2009, 12:32 PM	#17
jflick345 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 884	I'll post a pic of my tailspot later tonight. I have an old snail shell sitting on top of some rocks that has some xenia growing on it. I could not have planned it any better since he chose that shell as his dart hole. He hangs out there all day, occasionally venturing out but flying right back to the shell as if he just realized he wandered too far away and someone might steal his home.

12/23/2009, 11:58 AM	#18
CBehr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ephrata, PA Posts: 588	It seems this blenny is reef safe? __________________ 1st time w/o a tank in 10+ years. Planning 65g..mainly fish, maybe a few LPS/Softies

12/23/2009, 12:20 PM	#19
BethanyM Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Indiana / Louisville Metro Posts: 385	I have a tail spot in tank with 2 ocellaris, 2 peppermint shrimp, sps and softies. He is up front hanging with the clowns most of the day and the rest of the time hunting on the glass. This is the most crapping-ist fish I have ever had. Every time I look in to check on things he is eating and crapping. =) There has not been any coral recession since putting him in and I have never seen him do much more than perch on the corals. __________________ Maybe this world is another planet's hell. - Aldous Huxley Current Tank Info: 24 nanocube D, 125 in the works

12/23/2009, 06:25 PM	#22
dnreef Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: port jefferson, ny Posts: 73	My bicolor blenny was the same way for a month or so. He would hide in the rock and only come out to eat. Now he's up in front whenever there is any food and usually sits on a rock checking me out. I also have an algae blenny and he's a great character too. I'd like to add a tailspot and midas blenny to the group if possible. __________________ David Current tank: 75 gallon mixed reef + 40 gallon sump ~ 90 gallon volume

12/30/2009, 03:06 PM	#23
jflick345 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 884	Here's the photo of my tailspot in his shell home. He keeps a close eye on everyone from his perch to make sure they stay in line.

12/30/2009, 10:40 PM	#24
SpencerG Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Orleans Posts: 356	Super fish, mine cruises around and does his thing. Mine gets downright scrappy sometimes but for the most part is laid back. I don't see any fish on your list that would normally be a problem. Maybe it's sick, traumatized, or just depressed.

12/31/2009, 08:22 AM	#25
rhdoug Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Dutchess County, NY Posts: 897	Do your tailspots (or other blennies) eat a noticeable amount of algae? __________________ --Randy Current Tank Info: 58 Gallon mixed reef running since 1999, Super Reef Octopus Skimmer, 180w Maxpect Razor LED Light, August 2015 TOTM