Midas Blenny color

TWallace · 10/18/2006, 10:28 PM

I got a Midas Blenny from an online vendor yesterday after having seen a gorgeous pair of them at a LFS. They were bright orange with yellow and blue highlights. The one I received yesterday however is dark grey. Here are some pics. Sorry for the image quality, the blenny prefers the side of the tank, which is right next to my display tank, so there's no way to get a camera in close to it. Plus the glass is hard to clean on the side of the QT.

I've read that they can change their colors depending on mood. When they're hiding on rocks, they can turn grey, and when they're swimming around in the open, they turn orange or yellow and that this is an attempt to mimic the local schooling fish, specifically Pseudanthias squamipinnis. Is this true? Is it normal for a new midas blenny to appear dark grey? Will he eventually turn orange/yellow?

petoonia · 10/18/2006, 10:31 PM

I think depending on where they are collected, the color can vary.
Give it some time. Stress can cause pale coloration as well.

petoonia · 10/18/2006, 10:33 PM

Here are two different midas blennies

http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=1956

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/ble...ygoldenafrica/

DrBegalke · 10/18/2006, 11:10 PM

That doesn't look like any midas blenny I have seen.
Any change in its coloration?

TWallace · 10/19/2006, 12:01 AM

The one in the Marine Center pic is similar to the ones I saw at the LFS. But they were in the display tank, not for sale. The pics I posted were taken tonight, a little over 24 hours in the QT. I coaxed him out of his rock with food, but he's very shy. If I move around 10 feet from the tank, even slowly, he spots me and retreats into the rock.

DrBegalke · 10/19/2006, 01:26 AM

Your fish looks more like a black or black sailfin blenny.

HotRod68Camaro · 10/19/2006, 08:51 AM

It is definetely a midas blenny but i have never seen one that dark. Mine would get pretty dark but you could still tell it had really good coloring. And its enitre body would not get dark.

TWallace · 10/19/2006, 11:36 AM

Yeah, I'm pretty certain it is actually a midas blenny. I'm just curious if anyone else has had one this dark, and if it eventually got bright orange/yellow.

Amphiprion · 10/19/2006, 02:14 PM

That is Ecsenius midas. Like petoonia said, their coloration can vary extensively.

SDguy · 10/19/2006, 02:31 PM

I was under the impression only the ones that shoal with lyretail anthias have the orange color and blue eyes. All other midas blennies are various colors of brown/grey.

TWallace · 10/22/2006, 02:32 PM

Here are some updated pictures after a few days.

He's a little less shy now, but still hides a lot. The white spots on him are from trying to burrow in the shallow gravel, not ich. He's still much darker than I was expecting from a midas blenny

.

adamatic · 10/22/2006, 09:13 PM

I have a dark blue midas blenny myself - I'm pretty sure that he's a male. I thought that the females were the ones that were orange and pink.

I can tell you that mine does change colors rapidly tho... I think they kind of 'settle' into a color they prefer and then change based upon stress, excitement, etc... My guy turns almost black when he's stressed!

10/18/2006, 10:28 PM	#1
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	Midas Blenny color I got a Midas Blenny from an online vendor yesterday after having seen a gorgeous pair of them at a LFS. They were bright orange with yellow and blue highlights. The one I received yesterday however is dark grey. Here are some pics. Sorry for the image quality, the blenny prefers the side of the tank, which is right next to my display tank, so there's no way to get a camera in close to it. Plus the glass is hard to clean on the side of the QT. I've read that they can change their colors depending on mood. When they're hiding on rocks, they can turn grey, and when they're swimming around in the open, they turn orange or yellow and that this is an attempt to mimic the local schooling fish, specifically Pseudanthias squamipinnis. Is this true? Is it normal for a new midas blenny to appear dark grey? Will he eventually turn orange/yellow?

10/18/2006, 10:31 PM	#2
petoonia HereWeGoAgain... Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,648	I think depending on where they are collected, the color can vary. Give it some time. Stress can cause pale coloration as well. __________________ I've been in the hobby for about 10 years....(so I know a little bit)...(but not all that much).... Current Tank Info: 58G. Oceanic (Starphire). Mixed Reef

10/18/2006, 10:33 PM	#3
petoonia HereWeGoAgain... Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,648	Here are two different midas blennies http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=1956 http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/ble...ygoldenafrica/ __________________ I've been in the hobby for about 10 years....(so I know a little bit)...(but not all that much).... Current Tank Info: 58G. Oceanic (Starphire). Mixed Reef

10/18/2006, 11:10 PM	#4
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	That doesn't look like any midas blenny I have seen. Any change in its coloration? __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

10/19/2006, 01:26 AM	#6
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	Your fish looks more like a black or black sailfin blenny. __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

10/19/2006, 12:01 AM	#5
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	The one in the Marine Center pic is similar to the ones I saw at the LFS. But they were in the display tank, not for sale. The pics I posted were taken tonight, a little over 24 hours in the QT. I coaxed him out of his rock with food, but he's very shy. If I move around 10 feet from the tank, even slowly, he spots me and retreats into the rock.

10/19/2006, 08:51 AM	#7
HotRod68Camaro Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Katy, Tx Posts: 282	It is definetely a midas blenny but i have never seen one that dark. Mine would get pretty dark but you could still tell it had really good coloring. And its enitre body would not get dark.

10/19/2006, 11:36 AM	#8
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	Yeah, I'm pretty certain it is actually a midas blenny. I'm just curious if anyone else has had one this dark, and if it eventually got bright orange/yellow.

10/19/2006, 02:14 PM	#9
Amphiprion Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 6,611	That is Ecsenius midas. Like petoonia said, their coloration can vary extensively. __________________ You've done it now, haven't you? Current Tank Info: 40g breeder patch reef w/ seagrass; 2-250w XM 10K; Vortech MP40wES & MP10wES; BM Curve 7 skimmer; carbon & occasional GFO

10/19/2006, 02:31 PM	#10
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	I was under the impression only the ones that shoal with lyretail anthias have the orange color and blue eyes. All other midas blennies are various colors of brown/grey. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

10/22/2006, 02:32 PM	#11
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	Here are some updated pictures after a few days. He's a little less shy now, but still hides a lot. The white spots on him are from trying to burrow in the shallow gravel, not ich. He's still much darker than I was expecting from a midas blenny . Last edited by TWallace; 10/22/2006 at 02:45 PM.

10/22/2006, 09:13 PM	#12
adamatic Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 140	I have a dark blue midas blenny myself - I'm pretty sure that he's a male. I thought that the females were the ones that were orange and pink. I can tell you that mine does change colors rapidly tho... I think they kind of 'settle' into a color they prefer and then change based upon stress, excitement, etc... My guy turns almost black when he's stressed!