Mixing blennies

badbreath · 04/04/2012, 09:29 AM

Just wondering how well blennies of differing species get along together.

For example will rock dwelling blennies battle it out with other rock dwelling blennies?

Will the rock dwellers have issues with the more free swimming species like Midas blennies?

Thanks
Ryan

usatennisfan · 04/04/2012, 11:58 AM

I've always been told that as long as you have a big enough tank with enough space and perches for both without too much competition then you're fine. But I've never tried it.

GeorgeMonnatJr · 04/04/2012, 12:12 PM

I've had a 2.5-3" Bicolor Blenny for months in my 125gal, 6' DT and recently wanted to add a 2" (slightly smaller) Tailspot Blenny. I asked the LFS guy (who more often than not tells me not to buy something) if they would work together, and he said yes. Even though they have the same shape and "niche", I was hoping that the big difference in color and pattern would help.

Nope. Ever since my GSM clown died about a month ago, the Bicolor Blenny has ruled the 6' long DT with an iron fin. As soon as the Tailspot Blenny would come out to try and graze, the Bicolor Blenny would chase it back into its hole which made the Tailspot Blenny want to hide in a top, back corner (making me scared it was going to jump out). I had to use a piece of rigid air tube to "show the stick" to the Bicolor Blenny. I never actually touched it with the tube, but now all I do is point it at the tank and the Bicolor Blenny retreats.

Now several weeks later and the Tailspot Blenny is doing fine. It grazes and roams at will, and the Bicolor Blenny only harasses it sometimes when I feed (I guess it still gets jealous).

Anyway, that's my story. I hope it helps.

AndroidReef · 04/04/2012, 01:11 PM

May be changing rocks could help, so they both feel are new in the aquarium, that work with a damsel and a royal gramma I have

GeorgeMonnatJr · 04/04/2012, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndroidReef

May be changing rocks could help, so they both feel are new in the aquarium, that work with a damsel and a royal gramma I have

That's a cool idea. If I had to guess, based on my limited experience, if I had introduced the two different blennies at the same time they would be fine with each other. I'm even more confident in saying that the Bicolor would be easier on a Lawnmower-type blenny (back to the OP's question).

seapug · 04/04/2012, 01:41 PM

all depends on tank size. I have a starry blenny, blue and gold blenny and 3 barnacle blennies in my 200 and they get a long fine. Would probably be a different story in a nano cube.

badbreath · 04/04/2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seapug

all depends on tank size. I have a starry blenny, blue and gold blenny and 3 barnacle blennies in my 200 and they get a long fine. Would probably be a different story in a nano cube.

This is a picture of my 80 gallon tank.

I would like to get some barnacle blennies in addition to a Lawnmower blenny and possibly a tailspot or Midas blenny. Not too different from the combination you have.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

SecretiveFish · 04/04/2012, 02:32 PM

Lawnmower blennies are mean SOBs. They do not share space well at all, mine will actually chase my Kole Tang around in a 6ft 150. I would not by this type of blenny with hopes of trying to mix other blennies with it.

Now, I have mixed a fanged blenny with a combtooth blenny without any problems and was extremely happy with them.

IMO for your size tank, I might try a Midas and a Tailspot but that would be it.

GeorgeMonnatJr · 04/04/2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecretiveFish

Lawnmower blennies are mean SOBs. They do not share space well at all, mine will actually chase my Kole Tang around in a 6ft 150. I would not by this type of blenny with hopes of trying to mix other blennies with it.

I didn't know that, thanks. I've avoided them because I've been afraid of starving them to death (even though my wife really wants one cuz it's so cute).

Moort82 · 04/04/2012, 03:22 PM

I've mixed a few together before without problems. The first time was a fang blenny and a tailspot. That was in a 60 Litre tank and there wasn't any problems at all. The fang blennies are open water swimmers which make it easier.

The other time is what will probably help you most and its my current mix of midas and starry blenny in a 190 Litre. The starry was a long time resident before the midas and it never even flinched when the midas was added. Infact it was peacefully sitting on the head of the midas within minutes and seemed to calm the midas down. They now completely ignore each other. My friend had the same combination in her tank without any issues whatsoever.
The midas wasn't meant for this tank but whilst in qt it had a go at an ecsenius ops and as they were meant to go together i had to think of a new plan. So i think you'll likely get the biggest problems mixing similar species.

Its also normal for lawn mowers to fight or have issues with bristletooth tangs, or vice versa as they are both detrivors. By no means are they normally an aggressive species at least ime, they just defend their food source from similar feeders.

aleonn · 04/04/2012, 04:03 PM

My starry blenny is pretty territorial in my 180g. When I added a smaller midas blenny, the starry chased it around for the first week. Now they share adjacent barnacles without problems with each other. It helps that they occupy different parts of the water column IMO.

On another note, I've noticed that my Kole tang sometimes chases my starry blenny during feeding time, but nothing major.

aleonn · 04/04/2012, 04:06 PM

double post

Johanv · 04/04/2012, 07:30 PM

In my old 62gal tank, i had a lawnmower and midas live peacfully together for 2 yrs untill i had to sell m tank.

04/04/2012, 09:29 AM	#1
badbreath Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Garden Grove 92845 Posts: 536	Mixing blennies Just wondering how well blennies of differing species get along together. For example will rock dwelling blennies battle it out with other rock dwelling blennies? Will the rock dwellers have issues with the more free swimming species like Midas blennies? Thanks Ryan

04/04/2012, 11:58 AM	#2
usatennisfan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 643	I've always been told that as long as you have a big enough tank with enough space and perches for both without too much competition then you're fine. But I've never tried it. __________________ "I have seen the face of Death And I choose not to accept It's form."

04/04/2012, 01:41 PM	#6
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	all depends on tank size. I have a starry blenny, blue and gold blenny and 3 barnacle blennies in my 200 and they get a long fine. Would probably be a different story in a nano cube. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

04/04/2012, 04:06 PM	#12
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	double post Last edited by aleonn; 04/04/2012 at 04:10 PM. Reason: double post

04/04/2012, 07:30 PM	#13
Johanv Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ft Myers, Fl(between Tampa and Miami) Posts: 195	In my old 62gal tank, i had a lawnmower and midas live peacfully together for 2 yrs untill i had to sell m tank. __________________ Johan Biggest baseball fanatic you know : ) 16 YRS OLD Current Tank Info: 45 gal hex softy

04/04/2012, 12:12 PM	#3
GeorgeMonnatJr Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 281 Blog Entries: 3	I've had a 2.5-3" Bicolor Blenny for months in my 125gal, 6' DT and recently wanted to add a 2" (slightly smaller) Tailspot Blenny. I asked the LFS guy (who more often than not tells me not to buy something) if they would work together, and he said yes. Even though they have the same shape and "niche", I was hoping that the big difference in color and pattern would help. Nope. Ever since my GSM clown died about a month ago, the Bicolor Blenny has ruled the 6' long DT with an iron fin. As soon as the Tailspot Blenny would come out to try and graze, the Bicolor Blenny would chase it back into its hole which made the Tailspot Blenny want to hide in a top, back corner (making me scared it was going to jump out). I had to use a piece of rigid air tube to "show the stick" to the Bicolor Blenny. I never actually touched it with the tube, but now all I do is point it at the tank and the Bicolor Blenny retreats. Now several weeks later and the Tailspot Blenny is doing fine. It grazes and roams at will, and the Bicolor Blenny only harasses it sometimes when I feed (I guess it still gets jealous). Anyway, that's my story. I hope it helps.

04/04/2012, 01:11 PM	#4
AndroidReef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 78	May be changing rocks could help, so they both feel are new in the aquarium, that work with a damsel and a royal gramma I have

04/04/2012, 02:32 PM	#8
SecretiveFish Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 713	Lawnmower blennies are mean SOBs. They do not share space well at all, mine will actually chase my Kole Tang around in a 6ft 150. I would not by this type of blenny with hopes of trying to mix other blennies with it. Now, I have mixed a fanged blenny with a combtooth blenny without any problems and was extremely happy with them. IMO for your size tank, I might try a Midas and a Tailspot but that would be it.

04/04/2012, 03:22 PM	#10
Moort82 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 1,576	I've mixed a few together before without problems. The first time was a fang blenny and a tailspot. That was in a 60 Litre tank and there wasn't any problems at all. The fang blennies are open water swimmers which make it easier. The other time is what will probably help you most and its my current mix of midas and starry blenny in a 190 Litre. The starry was a long time resident before the midas and it never even flinched when the midas was added. Infact it was peacefully sitting on the head of the midas within minutes and seemed to calm the midas down. They now completely ignore each other. My friend had the same combination in her tank without any issues whatsoever. The midas wasn't meant for this tank but whilst in qt it had a go at an ecsenius ops and as they were meant to go together i had to think of a new plan. So i think you'll likely get the biggest problems mixing similar species. Its also normal for lawn mowers to fight or have issues with bristletooth tangs, or vice versa as they are both detrivors. By no means are they normally an aggressive species at least ime, they just defend their food source from similar feeders.

04/04/2012, 04:03 PM	#11
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	My starry blenny is pretty territorial in my 180g. When I added a smaller midas blenny, the starry chased it around for the first week. Now they share adjacent barnacles without problems with each other. It helps that they occupy different parts of the water column IMO. On another note, I've noticed that my Kole tang sometimes chases my starry blenny during feeding time, but nothing major.