What is wrong with my blenny?

randyreef93

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 7, 2024
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Location
Leicester
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My blenny is no longer zooming around the tank, in fact he isn’t moving much at all, I’ve seen my shrimps go for him a little - is he dying?

He is breathing ever so slightly, is it too late to try help and revive him?

image.jpg
 
OP
OP
randyreef93

randyreef93

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 7, 2024
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Location
Leicester
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My blenny is no longer zooming around the tank, in fact he isn’t moving much at all, I’ve seen my shrimps go for him a little - is he dying?

He is breathing ever so slightly, is it too late to try help and revive him?

image.jpg
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    240.4 KB · Views: 18

Biokabe

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,551
Reaction score
2,247
Location
Tacoma, WA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Per the second image... it's probably dead.

Looks like a red ruby dragonet red scooter blenny, which are primarily pod eaters. Not to the same extent as mandarins, but they need a pretty heavy pod population to prey upon, or they need to be weaned onto frozen foods. It's supposedly easier to do with them than it is with the wild-caught mandarins, but either way they're difficult fish with challenging food requirements.

ETA: corrected fish species.
 

Sharkbait19

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
11,065
Reaction score
13,614
Location
New Jersey
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As said, the dragonet is dead/dying after having starved.
They have a very specific diet and need a lot of pods in a day to keep going. Once they consume the whole population, they would soon starve themselves. They need deceptively large and well established tanks to thrive.
Per the second image... it's probably dead.

Looks like a red ruby dragonet red scooter blenny, which are primarily pod eaters. Not to the same extent as mandarins, but they need a pretty heavy pod population to prey upon, or they need to be weaned onto frozen foods. It's supposedly easier to do with them than it is with the wild-caught mandarins, but either way they're difficult fish with challenging food requirements.

ETA: corrected fish species.
Correct me if I’m wrong, aren’t the ruby dragonet and red scooter blenny the same species anyway?
 

Biokabe

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
1,551
Reaction score
2,247
Location
Tacoma, WA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As said, the dragonet is dead/dying after having starved.
They have a very specific diet and need a lot of pods in a day to keep going. Once they consume the whole population, they would soon starve themselves. They need deceptively large and well established tanks to thrive.

Correct me if I’m wrong, aren’t the ruby dragonet and red scooter blenny the same species anyway?

No, different species. Ruby red is Synchiropus sycorax, red scooter is Synchiropus stellatus. Very similar appearance and basically the same husbandry, but not the same.

Ruby red is more of a solid red with small white spots and yellow 'trim' on the fins. Red scooter is more of a tiled white with big red splotches and darker trim along the fins.
 

Figuring out the why: Has your primary reason(s) for keeping a saltwater aquarium changed over time?

  • My reasons for reef keeping have changed dramatically.

    Votes: 7 7.9%
  • My reasons for reef keeping have somewhat evolved.

    Votes: 36 40.4%
  • My reasons for reef keeping have no changed.

    Votes: 45 50.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 1.1%
Back
Top