New lawnmower blenny not eating and lethargic in QT

Dodgersfan

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i have a lawn mower blenny in QT that I received from LA on Saturday. He hasn’t eaten yet that I’ve seen. And seems to be pretty lethargic. He just sits in a corner most of the time. I fed some LRS the first morning after I got him (there are 5 chalk bass in QT with him) I saw him picking at the glass bottom a little bit when the LRS was swirling around, but he didn’t go after the pieces of nori in the LRS, if he was eating the meaty parts of the LRS they were microscopic pieces, I didn’t see him grab any chunks that were visible to my eyes. What worried me though was when I netted him for TTM just now. He didn’t even try to get away, he kind of climbed halfway into the net and then just laid there half in half out of the net. I know blennies can be people friendly, but he spoooks when I get too close to the glass when he’s just hanging out, so I don’t think he was just being “tame”. I don’t see anything on him, one of his flanks is lighter in color from about halfway down his body to his tail, but it kind of just looks like washed out colors from stress. He lists over about 45 degrees from time to time but rights himself right away. Today I offered nori and GHA fresh picked from my DT, no interest. I’m going to leave the GHA in over night since it won’t foul the tank.

The whole shipment of fish had an ammonia scare when they came in. LA put them in tiny bags and ammonia was over 2 ppm when they arrived. I saw redened gills on the smallest chalk bass, but not on the blenny or anyone else. I didn’t want to net them again the day I got them and put them through more stress so I waited till today and treated the tank they were in with Methylene Blue 30 minutes before I did the transfer. (All the feeding attempts were before meds)

The Chalkies are all eating, though they’ve just barely started transitioning from wedging themselves under the pvc to hanging out inside it. They are still pretty shy also. But they are starting to color up. The blenny has no interest in the PVC, he liked the airstone the first day and was right up on it for several hours. Cannot recall if that is the side that was washed out or not. He’s had no interest in the airstone since then. No one is showing any spots or other signs of disease.

He’s perked up a bit since going to the 2nd tank, I’ve seen him swim a little bit and pick at the glass, but he goes right back to his corner.

I know it’s normal for fish to not eat for a while, especially when going into a bare QT, but how long before I really should start worrying? Including shipping time he’s probably somewhere between 3-4 days without food right now.
 
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Not a good pic but it’s the best I can get with where he’s got himself sitting:

CCE67A20-1529-4831-8EA9-AAB749E4FCE8.jpeg
 

Bullnose

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I've never seen my LMB eat anything except film algae. Anything that's floating or algae that's established he wont mess with.
 
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I've never seen my LMB eat anything except film algae. Anything that's floating or algae that's established he wont mess with.
What about nori or other prepared veggie foods? Does he take anything you put in the tank or is his diet 100% film algae?
 

cmcoker

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My lawnmower blenny would eat mysis, he'd go nuts on PE mysis specifically. Maybe try some of that if you have any laying around.
From what I've read they can be pretty hit or miss on eating. Yours looks thin in the picture but can't tell if it's just the camera angle. I'd keep trying different foods.
 
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I don’t have any on hand. And of course the only LFS that sells frozen food anywhere near me is closed today. I could get it if I drove way across town about an hour each way.... there is mysis in reef frenzy. Maybe I’ll try turning the power head off when feeding this morning and see if he can get to it that way.
 

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I got one from LA about a year ago. It wouldn’t eat anything at all during quarantine (two week tank transfer) and wasn’t moving much, so I thought it wouldn’t last. But it made it through the TTM and as soon as I put it in the main tank it started eating algae. It’s been fine ever since.
 

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My blenny eats anything. I'm sure he'd eat cardboard if I offered it. That said, when he sees me bring this over he loses his mind. Can be purchased at lfs, Petco, PetSmart, etc..

2156931-center-1.jpeg
 
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Didn’t eat any of the greens this morning. Picked at the bottom a little bit. If he was eating bits of the LRS they were too small to see.

I hate to just leave him in QT to possibly starve to death, but I’ve qt’ed everything in the DT, I can’t risk bringing disease in, still it seems kind of cruel. He def. doesnt like the bare tank.... it is somewhat uplifting to hear @PaulK ‘s didn’t eat for 2 weeks and still made it...
 

Gareth elliott

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What do you have for decor in the qt? Maybe add more pvc sections and stack them a little like faux rock scape. Maybe hes confused by no territory to inhabit. Try perhaps also tying the nori to the pvc see if eating off the “rock work” like in the wild is more appealing to him.
 

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I am currently running 3 Lawnmower Blennies thru QT, and have yet to see any of them eat as well. :confused:

Very strange for this species, based on my past QT experiences with them...
 
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I am currently running 3 Lawnmower Blennies thru QT, and have yet to see any of them eat as well. :confused:

Very strange for this species, based on my past QT experiences with them...


Did yours come from LA too?

I'm thinking if i cant get him to eat tonight i will go to the LFS tomorrow and see if i can give them twenty bucks to give me a couple servings each of any/all foods they have open that a blenny might eat. I figure they've probably got a half dozen or more foods open that they feed to their tanks, and instead of me buying full bags/boxes of one product at a time just to see if he will take one I can try a shotgun approach and give him several options, if he goes for any of them I can go back and buy a full bag/box of that.
 

deedubz

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I am currently running 3 Lawnmower Blennies thru QT, and have yet to see any of them eat as well. :confused:

Very strange for this species, based on my past QT experiences with them...

When I got mine like 2 years ago(same guy who survived flukes, velvet, etc) he wouldn't touch anything. I suggested it to the OP, but this is what got my guy going..
2156931-center-1.jpeg





After introducing these he started accepting EVERYTHING. I still feed him these in qt because I love watching his dance. He STILL completely loses it when I grab the bag
 

ihavecrabs

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It could be just stress.

My Midas blenny that came in from LA didn't eat for 2 weeks. Finally I would see him picking at mysis that happened to float by him after that point but it refused to eat before that.

I made it a point to push some toward it while in AT. The fish is now happy as can be in the display.

Worst case if you are worried and want to fatten him up, set up a small tank away from your display and QT system. Sacrifice some LR from your display and get him eating in a more stress free environment. If you see any signs of disease, right into treatment he goes.

Good luck!
 
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Dodgersfan

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It could be just stress.

My Midas blenny that came in from LA didn't eat for 2 weeks. Finally I would see him picking at mysis that happened to float by him after that point but it refused to eat before that.

I made it a point to push some toward it while in AT. The fish is now happy as can be in the display.

Worst case if you are worried and want to fatten him up, set up a small tank away from your display and QT system. Sacrifice some LR from your display and get him eating in a more stress free environment. If you see any signs of disease, right into treatment he goes.

Good luck!


Thanks, the problem with sacrificing rock from the DT is I’m doing TTM, so at best it buys me a couple of days. I’ve only got 2 pieces small and accessable enough to do that, but I may if it comes to it...
 
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Petco had the seaweed extreme, when I got home he was in one of the PVC sections, couldn’t get a good look at him because if the way it was turned. I offered the seaweed extreeme, even got some right in front of the PVC he’s in, but no dice.

The chalkies in with him are venturing out and have started taking pellet today, so they’re all good.


The comments above are reassuring though, it looks like several people have had them go much longer without eating and have them pull through , so that helps me relax a little.
 

ihavecrabs

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Thanks, the problem with sacrificing rock from the DT is I’m doing TTM, so at best it buys me a couple of days. I’ve only got 2 pieces small and accessable enough to do that, but I may if it comes to it...
Just to confirm my recommendation wasn't misunderstood, I was suggesting pulling the lmb to another tank with established rock to ensure his survival before starting TTM. Getting him relaxed and fattened up first.

The rock you pull over for him would have to be fully dried out and or bleached before reintroducing to any post QT system.

Hope that makes sense.
 

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I have a starry blenny and it has never eaten anything but film algae. Won’t even look at nori. Lol
 
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Just to confirm my recommendation wasn't misunderstood, I was suggesting pulling the lmb to another tank with established rock to ensure his survival before starting TTM. Getting him relaxed and fattened up first.

The rock you pull over for him would have to be fully dried out and or bleached before reintroducing to any post QT system.

Hope that makes sense.

Yeah, that makes more sense, I didn’t read that the first time. I do have the equipment to do that, but only as a last resort, we’ve got a vacation coming up in a little over 3 weeks and I’d like to have the fish in the DT before then to simplify things for the tank sitter. How long would you go before stopping ttm with him?
 

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