Feeding lawnmower blenny

BinaryRun · 11/14/2016, 07:05 PM

Hello guys,

I have brought a lovely blenny home yesterday together with a blue hermit crab and two clowns. He's shy, but curious and loves going through and hiding in my caves. The LFS recommended frozen mysis for the clowns and frozen plankton for the blenny as I don't have too many algae yet. They are one of the best reef LFS in the country and they said that they feed them the same.

Although I haven't seen the clowns actually go after the mysis and eat, I fed them by melting the frozen mysis and then putting a bit into the tank. I then did the same with a bit of the melted plankton cube, but it's hard to imagine my blenny eating it since he is more a lurker then a swimmer. (Although I have seem him swim from rock to rock on occasion.

Should I feed the frozen plankton in a different way? If frozen plankton isn't a practical solution for feeding my blenny, would spirulina tablets or tied up nori be a better idea?

GimpyFin · 11/14/2016, 07:59 PM

IME, a seaweed/nori clip works pretty well as a starter for starry and lawnmower blennies. Gives them something to graze on. After that they often take to mysis and other stuff offered.

TauntingBeef · 11/14/2016, 08:01 PM

my lawnmower loves swimming i the length of my tank to get frozen brine and mysis and poop
mine eats everything has a big belly and craps a lot seems pretty happy

JMorris271 · 11/14/2016, 09:40 PM

Mine eats a thing but I usually give her green sheets

Half Vaped · 11/15/2016, 03:00 AM

I've had mine for just under two years in a 150G with about 25 other fish. It's just about the fattest fish in a tank full of fat fish. But I have never seen it eat anything I feed, even nori.

It does an outstanding job keeping algae in check. I bet a percentage of them just never get used to eating prepared foods and need to have a tank with decent algae growth.

gone fishin · 11/15/2016, 08:36 AM

Mine never really took to prepared foods.

scooter31707 · 11/15/2016, 09:14 AM

I agree. Had good success with Nori, Ocean Nutrition flakes and NLS pellets.

cincyjim · 11/15/2016, 09:32 AM

Mine ate anything that dropped into the tank and of course any algae in the tank. Probably my favorite fish... had a great personality!

scooter31707 · 11/15/2016, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincyjim

Mine ate anything that dropped into the tank and of course any algae in the tank. Probably my favorite fish... had a great personality!

I agree, but I am starting to notice mines picking at some corals.

Kolkri · 12/02/2016, 12:06 PM

I have had mine a year. Never noticed it eating anything.

lespaul339 · 12/02/2016, 02:17 PM

I've had some that I couldn't get to eat. Finally on my third try I got one thats a pig. He eats everything offered. Brine, mysis, black worms, and nori. He picks at algae on the rocks and glass too. He eats so much that his stomach will double in size. Awesome fish with a great personality. He is the one fish in my tank everyone always comments on. It's funny because I have all these bright and pretty fish and everyone is drawn to the lawnmower blenny.

Fiver · 12/02/2016, 02:27 PM

I've had mine for almost half a year, and have only seen it eat algae in the tank and nori sheets. He does not go after the frozen or pelleted food; I watch.

Janetsplanet · 12/02/2016, 02:32 PM

The only prepared food that my lawnmower eats is Nori sheets that I put in the tank. The blenny eats small pieces usually after my wrasse shreds it to tiny bits, but I haven't seen her/him eat meaty foods at all. It usually just grazes the live rock and glass. I often see "kiss marks" on the glass.

bill120reef · 12/05/2016, 07:53 PM

they all vary, I had one that ate Nori and frozen, one that just ate frozen and grazed. as far as swimming, they can really move if they are chasing a fish that invades its territory Especially other bottom feeders.

11/14/2016, 07:05 PM	#1
BinaryRun Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 40	Feeding lawnmower blenny Hello guys, I have brought a lovely blenny home yesterday together with a blue hermit crab and two clowns. He's shy, but curious and loves going through and hiding in my caves. The LFS recommended frozen mysis for the clowns and frozen plankton for the blenny as I don't have too many algae yet. They are one of the best reef LFS in the country and they said that they feed them the same. Although I haven't seen the clowns actually go after the mysis and eat, I fed them by melting the frozen mysis and then putting a bit into the tank. I then did the same with a bit of the melted plankton cube, but it's hard to imagine my blenny eating it since he is more a lurker then a swimmer. (Although I have seem him swim from rock to rock on occasion. Should I feed the frozen plankton in a different way? If frozen plankton isn't a practical solution for feeding my blenny, would spirulina tablets or tied up nori be a better idea?

11/14/2016, 07:59 PM	#2
GimpyFin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,032	IME, a seaweed/nori clip works pretty well as a starter for starry and lawnmower blennies. Gives them something to graze on. After that they often take to mysis and other stuff offered. __________________ Brian Current Tank Info: 110 gallon

11/14/2016, 08:01 PM	#3
TauntingBeef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Aztec,Nm Posts: 200	my lawnmower loves swimming i the length of my tank to get frozen brine and mysis and poop mine eats everything has a big belly and craps a lot seems pretty happy __________________ 2 blue chromis,1 maldives exquisite firefish, 2 yellow clown gobies,1 green clown gobies, lawnmower blennie it 1 flamehawk Current Tank Info: 48"long 55 gallon 30 pounds of dead sand,40 pounds of reefsaver rock, 5 pounds of live fiji rock, 2 sun powerheads,20 long sump with a viaAqua 2600 pump

11/14/2016, 09:40 PM	#4
JMorris271 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Foothills of SC Posts: 2,010	Mine eats a thing but I usually give her green sheets __________________ 120 gal mixed tank. Lightly stocked now but....

11/15/2016, 08:36 AM	#6
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Mine never really took to prepared foods. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

11/15/2016, 03:00 AM	#5
Half Vaped Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 401	I've had mine for just under two years in a 150G with about 25 other fish. It's just about the fattest fish in a tank full of fat fish. But I have never seen it eat anything I feed, even nori. It does an outstanding job keeping algae in check. I bet a percentage of them just never get used to eating prepared foods and need to have a tank with decent algae growth.

11/15/2016, 09:14 AM	#7
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	I agree. Had good success with Nori, Ocean Nutrition flakes and NLS pellets.

11/15/2016, 09:32 AM	#8
cincyjim Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,147	Mine ate anything that dropped into the tank and of course any algae in the tank. Probably my favorite fish... had a great personality! __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: SCA 150G, 5 inch sand bed, 2 Tunze 6095s, ReefBreeders v2+ 50" with 2 all Blue Reefbrites, and Continuous Water Change System

12/02/2016, 12:06 PM	#10
Kolkri Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: United States Posts: 259	I have had mine a year. Never noticed it eating anything. __________________ I'm really more a fresh water tank person 125 planted community tank. 29 gallon saltwater tank restarted June 2018 Current Tank Info: 29 gallon coralife bio cube with Superlux lighting

12/02/2016, 02:17 PM	#11
lespaul339 Reefer Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 903	I've had some that I couldn't get to eat. Finally on my third try I got one thats a pig. He eats everything offered. Brine, mysis, black worms, and nori. He picks at algae on the rocks and glass too. He eats so much that his stomach will double in size. Awesome fish with a great personality. He is the one fish in my tank everyone always comments on. It's funny because I have all these bright and pretty fish and everyone is drawn to the lawnmower blenny. __________________ Reefer Madness! Current Tank Info: 60x24x24 150 gallon reef, 55 gallon sump.

12/02/2016, 02:27 PM	#12
Fiver Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 365	I've had mine for almost half a year, and have only seen it eat algae in the tank and nori sheets. He does not go after the frozen or pelleted food; I watch.

12/02/2016, 02:32 PM	#13
Janetsplanet Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Seattle Posts: 49	The only prepared food that my lawnmower eats is Nori sheets that I put in the tank. The blenny eats small pieces usually after my wrasse shreds it to tiny bits, but I haven't seen her/him eat meaty foods at all. It usually just grazes the live rock and glass. I often see "kiss marks" on the glass.

12/05/2016, 07:53 PM	#14
bill120reef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 61	they all vary, I had one that ate Nori and frozen, one that just ate frozen and grazed. as far as swimming, they can really move if they are chasing a fish that invades its territory Especially other bottom feeders.