lawnmower blenny, not eating any algae!

BeachVacationer · 02/07/2016, 08:01 PM

I see him scraping something from rocks snails' shells but never even tries any green algae growing on rocks. I've had him for over a month, it's true these guys won't touch macro algae. Guess I'll just watch him slowly starve to death. Too bad, I do like the little guy.

Sully6768 · 02/07/2016, 09:52 PM

Why watch him die? Why not rehome him?

Marchillo · 02/07/2016, 10:17 PM

Have you tried to feed him other foods? My starry blenny eats everything.

peasofme · 02/08/2016, 07:10 AM

a typical end for lawnmowers. they are the most picky of any blenny. sometimes they will only eat algae growing on glass. especially film algae.

kmbyrnes · 02/08/2016, 07:58 AM

My LMB goes thought stages, Sometimes he has a big round belly and others he is fit and trim. Offer yours a variety of flake, pellet and frozen.
Mine is about 4" long and really seems to like the large size Formula 2 pellets that have sat the bottom for 5 or 10 minutes, even though he can't them all in one bite.

MondoBongo · 02/08/2016, 08:13 AM

try offering some nori rubber banded to a rock for him, or other meaty food items like myses shrimp, pellets, etc...

my guy mostly finds his own food in the tank (150g long, so plenty of grazing room) but always appreciates other food items.

in my experience these guys mainly eat film algae and detritus, not so much the long hair algae. sometimes what helps is manually removing the super long strands so that your algae eaters can keep up with it before it gets too long for them.

how does his physical condition appear? he should have a little round Buddha belly.

rt67ghy · 02/08/2016, 08:38 AM

Mine ate all the pods that used to be on the glass and now eats Formula 1 pellets with the other fish. So, they can be trained to eat commercial food.

Fish Keeper82 · 02/08/2016, 10:05 AM

My LMB eats anything i put in the tank and also munches on the rocks all day long but it did not start out that way.
I think the key for me was acclimation in QT. He was in a 10 gal QT tank along with a firefish for 2 months. At first he didnt eat much of the veggie brine frozen blend ( cant remember the exact name at the moment). When he got hungry enough he started eating it. Then i offered only flakes soaked in selcon, he did not take for days then when he got hungry enough started eating it and now devours it. Then on to frozen brine followed by frozen mysis and finally frozen squid.

scooter31707 · 02/08/2016, 11:08 AM

Mines don't eat meaty foods, but will hammer some Nori and New Era Algae Flakes.

BeachVacationer · 02/10/2016, 12:32 AM

What the most unfinicky blenny? I don't want to feed a blenny, I want it to eat the algae that grows perhaps due to extra nutrients in the water.

scooter31707 · 02/10/2016, 07:20 AM

You have to feed any Blenny at some point. They need other nutrients than just the algae. If you don't want to feed them, catch him, and give him to your LFS or someone who will take care of him.

peasofme · 02/10/2016, 08:40 AM

bicolor blennies are easiest to feed. but you still have to feed them.

Fish Keeper82 · 02/10/2016, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeachVacationer

What the most unfinicky blenny? I don't want to feed a blenny, I want it to eat the algae that grows perhaps due to extra nutrients in the water.

What you want is a blenny that will eat both that way you can keept it healthy and alive if all you tank algae is gone.

DivingTheWorld · 02/10/2016, 11:59 AM

What does his belly look like? Mine is always picking at the rocks but I've never seen any reduction in algae. But his belly...wow...he looks pregnant. Clearly he's getting his fill of food.

02/07/2016, 08:01 PM	#1
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	lawnmower blenny, not eating any algae! I see him scraping something from rocks snails' shells but never even tries any green algae growing on rocks. I've had him for over a month, it's true these guys won't touch macro algae. Guess I'll just watch him slowly starve to death. Too bad, I do like the little guy.

02/07/2016, 10:17 PM	#3
Marchillo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 1,178	Have you tried to feed him other foods? My starry blenny eats everything. __________________ 80G Frag as DT Proflex Sump Model2 Reef Octopus Skimmer 2xMP10 & 2XR30W Pros I love technology

02/08/2016, 07:58 AM	#5
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	My LMB goes thought stages, Sometimes he has a big round belly and others he is fit and trim. Offer yours a variety of flake, pellet and frozen. Mine is about 4" long and really seems to like the large size Formula 2 pellets that have sat the bottom for 5 or 10 minutes, even though he can't them all in one bite. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

02/08/2016, 08:13 AM	#6
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	try offering some nori rubber banded to a rock for him, or other meaty food items like myses shrimp, pellets, etc... my guy mostly finds his own food in the tank (150g long, so plenty of grazing room) but always appreciates other food items. in my experience these guys mainly eat film algae and detritus, not so much the long hair algae. sometimes what helps is manually removing the super long strands so that your algae eaters can keep up with it before it gets too long for them. how does his physical condition appear? he should have a little round Buddha belly. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

02/08/2016, 08:38 AM	#7
rt67ghy Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 984	Mine ate all the pods that used to be on the glass and now eats Formula 1 pellets with the other fish. So, they can be trained to eat commercial food. __________________ 180g mixed reef. 53g sump including 20g fuge. 320lbs LR, 140lbs LS. 1/2 hp chiller. Temp 75-79. Current Tank Info: Fish: 1 yellow tang, 1 mandarin, 1 pair of tomato clowns, 1 maroon clown, 1 skunk clown, 1 banggai cardinal. Anemones: 1 green haddoni carpet, 2 heteractis auroras, 1 LTA.

02/07/2016, 09:52 PM	#2
Sully6768 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 18	Why watch him die? Why not rehome him?

02/08/2016, 07:10 AM	#4
peasofme Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: usa Posts: 1,405	a typical end for lawnmowers. they are the most picky of any blenny. sometimes they will only eat algae growing on glass. especially film algae.

02/08/2016, 10:05 AM	#8
Fish Keeper82 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 691	My LMB eats anything i put in the tank and also munches on the rocks all day long but it did not start out that way. I think the key for me was acclimation in QT. He was in a 10 gal QT tank along with a firefish for 2 months. At first he didnt eat much of the veggie brine frozen blend ( cant remember the exact name at the moment). When he got hungry enough he started eating it. Then i offered only flakes soaked in selcon, he did not take for days then when he got hungry enough started eating it and now devours it. Then on to frozen brine followed by frozen mysis and finally frozen squid.

02/08/2016, 11:08 AM	#9
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	Mines don't eat meaty foods, but will hammer some Nori and New Era Algae Flakes.

02/10/2016, 12:32 AM	#10
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	What the most unfinicky blenny? I don't want to feed a blenny, I want it to eat the algae that grows perhaps due to extra nutrients in the water.

02/10/2016, 07:20 AM	#11
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	You have to feed any Blenny at some point. They need other nutrients than just the algae. If you don't want to feed them, catch him, and give him to your LFS or someone who will take care of him.

02/10/2016, 08:40 AM	#12
peasofme Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: usa Posts: 1,405	bicolor blennies are easiest to feed. but you still have to feed them.

02/10/2016, 11:59 AM	#14
DivingTheWorld Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: San Ramon, CA Posts: 1,963	What does his belly look like? Mine is always picking at the rocks but I've never seen any reduction in algae. But his belly...wow...he looks pregnant. Clearly he's getting his fill of food. __________________ Current Tank Info: LeeMar Rimless (40x24x22), ATI 8x39 Dimmable w/Reefbrite XHO, 2x Vortech MP40w QD w/ Battery Backup, Apex Gold, Trigger Systems Ruby30S, Reef Octopus POV-DC1 w/Auto Waste Collector