Aggressive starry blenny

christinna77

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From the beginning, my starry blenny has been an ******* toward every fish I add. It even picks fights with my tilefish, which is twice its size. I have a 75 gal tank and expected it to guard its rock, but it actually travels the whole tank and nips at every fish that swims by.

Yesterday I moved all my fish into two QT tanks because of ich, and today I found my diamond goby with ripped fins, breathing heavy. The blenny is a terror, only my blue assessor seems safe. For now I transferred the goby to the other QT tank.

I'm seriously considering selling it and getting a different blenny. I want a peaceful tank. Is there a blenny that's more laid back, perhaps a midas or a bicolor?
 

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Unfortunately that's the way a lot of Starry Blennies end up. Even if they're added later in the stocking. Mine used to be one of the biggest bullies in my tank until I added a Foxface and he keeps him in check.
 
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christinna77

christinna77

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Unfortunately that's the way a lot of Starry Blennies end up. Even if they're added later in the stocking. Mine used to be one of the biggest bullies in my tank until I added a Foxface and he keeps him in check.
Thanks, that sucks. I see so many people recommend and praise starries, but honestly, mine has been a disappointment. Not only is it aggressive, it also immediately darts into the rockwork whenever I get too close to the tank, and it's just not that fun to watch in general.
 

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Thanks, that sucks. I see so many people recommend and praise starries, but honestly, mine has been a disappointment. Not only is it aggressive, it also immediately darts into the rockwork whenever I get too close to the tank, and it's just not that fun to watch in general.
I love my Starry. He's super active and a gorgeous fish. But he can be a jerk whenever food is involved.
 
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christinna77

christinna77

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I love my Starry. He's super active and a gorgeous fish. But he can be a jerk whenever food is involved.
Mine gets a seaweed clip every day (just for himself, no other fish eats it), as well as regular 3-4 frozen feedings a day with the other fish (I've got tilefish that needs to eat a lot), but still goes out of its way to terrorize others between feedings lol.
 

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If you really like him, re-home this one and get a new smaller one?

I've got no experience with either the Midas or Bicolor. I had a Fang Blenny before (similar to a Midas) and he was very timid. Unfortunately, as seems to happen with a lot of Blennies, he eventually starved to death. 😟
 
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christinna77

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Just wanted to update this thread. Diamond goby is gone. Unfortunately I found it too late after the blenny attacked it. It had ripped fins and heavy breathing. I really hoped it'd pull through, it was such a character :(

There were plenty of hideouts, and they were together for less than 24h in my quarantine tank. Blenny was added last. Fed them a lot too. Yet I still saw the blenny relentlessly following and attacking the goby.

Once I'm done with the 30d QT, I'm rehoming it 100%.
 

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