Lawnmower Blenny ☠️☠️

[Ramon Estevez]

I’ve had my lawnmower Blenny for 5 months or so. He was healthy and growing one day and I check the tank and the hermits are piled on him like a wild feast! The only thing I could point to is not enough micro-algae on rocks and glass to sustain him? He didn’t take frozen foods or pellets ever. A very frustrating loss... Any pointers from you guys on keeping these guys happy and healthy?

 

[reef lover]

If there's not enough in the tank then you have to feed him algae sheets.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Algae blennies can be a challenge to start to get eating. Providing grazing opportunities can help.

Starry blennies provide a similar personality, but much more readily accept offered foods.

 

[bdejong1112o]

Following... I have a single lawnmower in my 220g right now tomassist the CUC on the rocks. At this tume there is plenty for him yoneat and he is a very busy and satisfied fish. I resisted the urge to put more than on in the tank knowing that they need enoigh food. However, i do want to plan for when he gets all caught up or the tank stops making natural food for him.

I have not seen him go after the food the other fish eat and I dont currently have anything that eats nori yet. But there is a foxface in QT that does eat nori and will be in the display soon. I would hate to see the blenny take a liking to the nori and stop trimming my grass.

Any advice or expirence on how this will go? Should i hold off on nori and let both the foxface and blenny work down the natural stuff first?

 

[ChadLo]

I’ve had my lawnmower Blenny for 5 months or so. He was healthy and growing one day and I check the tank and the hermits are piled on him like a wild feast! The only thing I could point to is not enough micro-algae on rocks and glass to sustain him? He didn’t take frozen foods or pellets ever. A very frustrating loss... Any pointers from you guys on keeping these guys happy and healthy?

I personally only clean 3 panes of glass. I got lucky and my lawnmower will eat algae sheets as well as the hikari carnivore pellets. You always want their belly to look like it has a small marble in it. Mine eats a little hair algae off the rocks but not if it's too long. I've tried algae wafers in which he did not like at all. Hope this helps a little bit. Lmk if you have questions

 

[Ramon Estevez]

Yea I leave the back glass to grow. I think using the Nopox has almost brought nutrient levels to low to provide natural algae’s to grow.

 

[Kayvon]

Mine eats blackworms

 

[keddre]

I haven't tried a lawnmower blenny, but What works for me is rubber banding nori to rocks, then scratching it up with a knife so that it is stringy and sways like algae. Doesn't look that realistic, but still gets their attention

 

[Corey Baker]

Starry blenny all the way! I have tried lawnmowers twice with no luck. They just don't take frozen very well. My tank(110gal) is well over a year set up but i think its too clean for them to survive on natural growing algae alone. Starries have the same awesome personality and also look awesome when they change their color patterns. I've had two Starries and both took to frozen food within days of being in the tank. Just my 2 cents

 

[Ramon Estevez]

Yea. When I’ve mourned the Lawnmower I’ll move on to the Starry

 

[DeniseAndy]

I love lawnmowers. I had a starry, but it came to me soooo skinny it died shortly after. From another person tank. I have one guy in my 40g and one in my 210g and they are both fat and happy. I definitely only recommend them for mature tanks. Mine now eat all kinds of stuff, but first they had to have the algae.