Strange behavior

[NewbieSeth]

Hi everyone. I have a Stary Blenny that is acting very weird. He is very shy (my last one always had to the star of the show) and he is constantly darting into the rocks. He also constantly swims around and poops lots of sand. I know the glancing off rocks is typically ich related, but obviously can't tell on a Stary Blenny if he has any white spots. No other fish shows any signs of ich and aren't scratching themselves. I had ich in the tank about 4 months ago and pulled and treated all fish and left it fallow for about two months ago. I then added the existing fish back (ich free after cupramine treatment) and replaced a few who died. They have all been in there around 2 months and, as far as I know, if there was ich I would have seen deaths and/or at least spots on other fish. Nothing else has been added to the tank since the last fish two months ago. Could he just be a little... Slow? Lol

 

[4FordFamily]

Hi everyone. I have a Stary Blenny that is acting very weird. He is very shy (my last one always had to the star of the show) and he is constantly darting into the rocks. He also constantly swims around and poops lots of sand. I know the glancing off rocks is typically ich related, but obviously can't tell on a Stary Blenny if he has any white spots. No other fish shows any signs of ich and aren't scratching themselves. I had ich in the tank about 4 months ago and pulled and treated all fish and left it fallow for about two months ago. I then added the existing fish back (ich free after cupramine treatment) and replaced a few who died. They have all been in there around 2 months and, as far as I know, if there was ich I would have seen deaths and/or at least spots on other fish. Nothing else has been added to the tank since the last fish two months ago. Could he just be a little... Slow? Lol

Blennies can be sketchy for awhile until they settle on, and there is a lot of variance in temperament between members of the species. Remain patient, but it doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about for now

 

[melypr1985]

I had ich in the tank about 4 months ago and pulled and treated all fish and left it fallow for about two months ago. I then added the existing fish back (ich free after cupramine treatment) and replaced a few who died.

Can I just ask.... You left the display fallow for only 60 days then introduced new fish and the existing fish? Did the new fish go through QT before introduction? I just want to make sure I understand correctly

 

[domination2580]

Can I just ask.... You left the display fallow for only 60 days then introduced new fish and the existing fish? Did the new fish go through QT before introduction? I just want to make sure I understand correctly

This is a very good question. Can you post any pics? Maybe vids if possible?

 

[NewbieSeth]

Yes new fish were in a separate quarantine system for 30 days before introduction while existing fish were in hospital. And yes 60ish days. It was prolly about 70 cause I was on vacation and introduced after coming back. As far as pics or vids... No. Second I get anywhere near the tank he takes off and hides. I can only see him do these things from across the room. My last blenny was only skittish for like 2 week and then he was so interested in seeing me that he would come right up and stare nose to nose. This one will run as soon as I even move off the couch and poke his head out a hole until I get close, then disappear.

 

[domination2580]

Yes new fish were in a separate quarantine system for 30 days before introduction while existing fish were in hospital. And yes 60ish days. It was prolly about 70 cause I was on vacation and introduced after coming back. As far as pics or vids... No. Second I get anywhere near the tank he takes off and hides. I can only see him do these things from across the room. My last blenny was only skittish for like 2 week and then he was so interested in seeing me that he would come right up and stare nose to nose. This one will run as soon as I even move off the couch and poke his head out a hole until I get close, then disappear.

Every fish has its own personality. Besides the hiding is there anything or of the ordinary? Rubbing on rocks? Showing signs of difficulty breathing?

 

[melypr1985]

Yes new fish were in a separate quarantine system for 30 days before introduction while existing fish were in hospital. And yes 60ish days. It was prolly about 70 cause I was on vacation and introduced after coming back. As far as pics or vids... No. Second I get anywhere near the tank he takes off and hides. I can only see him do these things from across the room. My last blenny was only skittish for like 2 week and then he was so interested in seeing me that he would come right up and stare nose to nose. This one will run as soon as I even move off the couch and poke his head out a hole until I get close, then disappear.

Ok great! That's why I wanted to ask.... I was misunderstanding the order of events there. Darting and hiding in the rocks is normal for these blennies. I have a starry blenny in the display at work and he mostly hides all day. He comes out for food and eat voraciously but then hides again after that. domination is correct that these fish all have different personalities and some will be more front and center than others. If he's not rubbing against the rocks or sand, not breathing heavy, and still eating.... then I wouldn't worry overly much at this point.

 

[NewbieSeth]

As stated in my original post he is rubbing against rocks and the sand bed. He's also pooping out lots of sand which leads me to believe he's eating it. Lol I understand they are going to have different personalities but I wanted him to have a hugely fun personality like my first one did darnit [emoji12]. Lol I'm confused because after 2 months no other fish have any signs of ich (last time I got it they all showed very shortly after adding the carrier and a couple died within a few days) and he isn't breathing heavy. He'll be fine for hours and then all of a sudden he is darting around the tank bouncing off rocks and the sand like he lost his mind. I'm just wondering if he's just got a few screws loose or if he could have a disease that hasn't spread after several months (which seems unlikely based on my research I did the last time I got ich).

 

[NewbieSeth]

Oh and he eats like a champ. Always grazing on the glass and rocks. Chases food when I feed the tank. And takes down nori on a clip within a few hours

 

[domination2580]

So he is running against rocks amd sand. Parasite? It could be ich. I know it would be hard to tell but if you can see him somehow to see if anything is showing like ich or velvet? If velvet i would think he would be far worse so i doubt it's velvet

 

[melypr1985]

Just throwing this out there. Have you checked for stray voltage in the tank? I just had a friend have this happen to her clowns... they would dark across the tank and bang into the rocks and glass. There are some major differences here though.... her's started seizing after that and would breath heavy and die. It took us a couple hours to figure it out.

for the record... my advice is to "wait and see". Keep an eye on him and the other fish and watch for other symptoms. Until then just keep up with the good feedings, regular water changes and, if you can, add vitamins to the food to help boost their immune systems.

 

[NewbieSeth]

Yea I can't think that it's a parasite or else I would have seen it after a few months and most would be dead or at least showing signs but he's the only one. Actually did check for stray voltage and that's not it. I have been waiting to see what happens for a month now. Figured I'd ask since nothing has really changed. Figure it's not too bad since everyone's still alive. Just starting to think he has mental issues lol