Small marine fish, such as jawfish, gobies, and blennies

[tiderunner]

I've got a 30g tank with a clown, a watchman goby, and a pearly jawfish - which I thought was a pearly blenny when I bought it, until I got home and it started spitting sand everywhere. LFS is almost an hour away, so I don't really want to return it, plus it's kind of cute when I do see it. I'm thinking of adding a real blenny to the mix - I love these little guys. I was considering a lawnmower or scooter blenny, but I'm open to suggestions. Can anyone tell me if this would work, or if I'm just setting myself up for disaster?

[zenoxa]

You've got some great options for blennies that are generally pretty docile. The Meiacanthus, or fang blennies, are often a good choice, and some of the smaller Escenius species can also work well.

If you're considering the lawnmower or scooter blenny, just make sure you've got a good supply of food for them - tons of hair algae for the lawnmower blenny, or plenty of 'pods for the scooter. And keep in mind that scooter blennies aren't actually blennies, but rather fluxeonets.

[dune9x]

Lawnmower blennies are a great choice, I'm definitely a fan. When you're selecting one, make sure to observe it eating before making the purchase. While many will accept a variety of foods, some can be quite picky and will only eat algae. It's also crucial to avoid buying a thin or underweight lawnmower blenny, as this can be a sign of health issues.

[tiderunner]

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. The guy at the LFS said the lawnmower blennies he has will eat nori sheets too, which is great since I already have those on hand. I'm thinking of picking one up this weekend, we'll see.

As for the scooter blenny, I don't think that's going to work out - I don't have many pods in my tank yet. Do they just naturally form in the tank over time, or do I need to try to get some from the LFS? Either way, I think I'll hold off on the scooter for now.

[dune9x]

I've got a 30g tank with a clown, a watchman goby, and a pearly jawfish - which I thought was a pearly blenny when I bought it, until I got home and it started spitting sand everywhere. LFS is almost an hour away, so I don't really want to return it, plus it's kind of cute when I do see it. I'm thinking of adding a real blenny to the mix - I love these little guys. I was considering a lawnmower or scooter blenny, but I'm open to suggestions. Can anyone tell me if this would work, or if I'm just setting myself up for disaster?

I think pods will show up eventually if you have live rock and not many other critters competing for them. I'm not a fan of scooter blennies myself, to be honest.

[rusticore]

I'm with dune9x on this, I'd advise against a scooter blenny. Also, don't just take the LFS employee's word for it, make sure you see the fish eating whatever food you plan to feed it, like nori, before you buy it.

[tiderunner]

Thanks for the advice. I'm really stoked because tonight I saw all these tiny white creatures crawling on the glass - I'm guessing they're from the jawfish stirring up the sand. There were itsy-bitsy starfish-looking things, and even some slightly bigger ones. I know I sound crazy, but I'm super excited about it.

If the lawnmowers don't eat in front of me, are there other blenny options that are pretty common and chill? I'd love to hear some suggestions.

[zenoxa]

I think you can add a blenny to your tank. Meiacanthus, or fang blennies, are generally pretty laid back. Some of the smaller Escenius species are also worth considering, as they tend to be docile.

[tiderunner]

I stopped by the lfs last night and found a gorgeous lawnmower blenny - he's got a nice round belly and looks super healthy, so I just had to bring him home. He's absolutely amazing, and I'm so glad I got him. I've been feeding him nori sheets, and he loves them, but only after they break apart and start floating around - it's pretty funny to watch. I've also caught him grazing on some algae on the back glass, which is great. His coloration is just stunning - he's got this beautiful reddish hue running down his back and on his tail, and then these adorable little blue dots on top of that. I'm totally smitten, and I'll try to get a picture of him soon to share.