blennies and gobies

JCnflies · 06/22/2006, 11:16 PM

Part of me likes the idea of having a lawnmower blenny to fight the hair algae - plus they pack personality. But it seems gobies have personlaity and more color.

Can anyone tell me the pluses and minuses of both and are lawnmower blennies important in algae control? Thx.

Sk8r · 06/22/2006, 11:37 PM

Gobies that clean generally sift sand; blennies generally suck rocks and I would not suggest the fanged blennies for a first blenny. The combtooth blennies are adapted for scraping algae off rocks, and that's what you want.

Gobies and blennies are compatible with each other in general, probably better than putting two blennies into the same tank.

. Lawnmowers can get to a crisis when the algae runs out, if you can't get them onto spirulina or some other food, but they're easier than dragonettes in that regard.

The problem with diamond gobies, one of the more potent sandsifters, is that they're too good---they tend to strip the sand of pods as well as algae. My little yellow watchman sifts a modest amount of sand, a hill about as big as a golf ball.

Someone did have a compatibility issue with a lawnmower blenny---that he got rather aggressive. My own warning is against getting two blennies of the same body type, that look alike---they do tend to argue. Gobies are a bit more peaceable with other gobies.

06/22/2006, 11:16 PM	#1
JCnflies Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Patchogue Posts: 410	blennies and gobies Part of me likes the idea of having a lawnmower blenny to fight the hair algae - plus they pack personality. But it seems gobies have personlaity and more color. Can anyone tell me the pluses and minuses of both and are lawnmower blennies important in algae control? Thx.

06/22/2006, 11:37 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Gobies that clean generally sift sand; blennies generally suck rocks and I would not suggest the fanged blennies for a first blenny. The combtooth blennies are adapted for scraping algae off rocks, and that's what you want. Gobies and blennies are compatible with each other in general, probably better than putting two blennies into the same tank. . Lawnmowers can get to a crisis when the algae runs out, if you can't get them onto spirulina or some other food, but they're easier than dragonettes in that regard. The problem with diamond gobies, one of the more potent sandsifters, is that they're too good---they tend to strip the sand of pods as well as algae. My little yellow watchman sifts a modest amount of sand, a hill about as big as a golf ball. Someone did have a compatibility issue with a lawnmower blenny---that he got rather aggressive. My own warning is against getting two blennies of the same body type, that look alike---they do tend to argue. Gobies are a bit more peaceable with other gobies. __________________ 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%.