Yellow Striped Blenny the police fish

[SOGavity]

Lets start with my stock...

2 juvinile clownfish
1 blue chromis
1 juvinile tomini tang
1 juvinile convict tang
and 1 yellow striped blenny.... the boss? I think...

Heres the thing. A while ago I added the tomini tang and blenny. The blenny has and still does refuse to eat. I thought flukes and maybe it was but he seems fine other than eating. Today I added a convict tang hoping and praying the two tangs would get along. The convict tang (at the store) was in the same tank with an orange shoulder tang and tomini tang for at least 3 weeks. I know this because I've been contemplating buying the convict tang from this very store for the passed three weeks. The store is only open 3 days a week, so I go in every week to see if they have anything new. This time, I took my chances and purchased the convict.

My tomini tang is only about 2 inches long. The convict tang is about 2 1/2.

Anyway, as soon as I added the convict tang, he made himself at home very quickly. The chromis, which is about the same size as the convict, was the first victim. The chromis was faster and after a little chasing, the convict gave up. But then he found my very shy tomini tang. The tomini tang doesn't come out when someone is watching the tank. You have to look from a distance if you want to see mr. tomini. But the convict found him and crashed my dreams extremely quickly. The fish store said since both these types of tangs were already living with each other, they should be more welcoming to each other. I'm guessing they were wrong. But it doesn't end there. After about 30 minutes of some bullying, my blenny (who is sitting in a corner, starving himself, seeming down on life) comes out and starts defending everyone against the convict tang. The blenny is only slightly longer than the convict, but took him on in like some kind of dance. This worried me a little considering the blenny is venomous and was nipping at the convict. And the convict took the blenny extremely seriously. Then the tomini came out backing up the blenny and the poor convict suddenly became the victim in this story. However, my depressed blenny didn't stop there, he was now defending the convict against the tomini while also bullying the convict all at once. Believe it or not... the blenny eventually went back into his corner to continue to starve himself and now the tomini tang and convict tang are avoiding each other. It has to be the most interesting thing I've ever seen as a fish keeper.

Now, I know all of you are going to be worried about the starving Blenny, so if anyone has an idea... I'm up to heairng it. I feed Mysis Shrimp, Plankton, Brine Shrimp, Spuralina, pellet food for herbavors, and flake food for saltwater fish. It's all at random. I mix some for one feed, and mix others for the next feed, and so on. He's been in my care for roughly 3 weeks and though quite skinny, he's still alive. He does become more active at night, so I do like a third feeding just before the lights automatically turn off. This issue is as soon as I approach the tank, he rushes back up to his corner. Enter autofeeder... no humans involved... which I have no idea if this is working. I still have yet to see him eat anything.

So, that's this story. I wonder if having a "police fish" in the tank is normal? I've never seen it. Although the blenny is no longer "attacking", he is coming out of his corner every once in a while, restablishing his dominance over the convict. I wish I could video it, but the blenny just goes to his coner when I approach.

 

[littlefoxx]

What size tank is this?

 

[InvoluntaryReefer]

Blennies will absolutely defend their environment and can be very territorial. Striped Blennies are possibly my favorite fish. Over the years I’ve owned 5-6 and they were all filled with vibrant personalities. They all love to lay on strange things, like dogs half way out of their beds. Our Blennies tend to see us coming from across the room and swim to the glass to stare at us when we walk in. They love to interact with us and communicate in their own ways.

Striped Blennies may use their venomous fangs when it believes it’s life is in danger. They will show their fangs in advance to the other fish they view as a threat as the other travels around them. It is their way of communicating their line in the sand and their commitment to handle business should they need to. Fortunately for us and others in the tank striped Blennies also show great restraint and are mindful to first exercise others steps in their latter of force.

If your striped Blenny is being drawn out from across the tank, in defense of others, it is a direct result of the environment conditions. The convict Tang is being seen by your fish as a threat and they are reacting. Chaos in the tank will continue until the threat is removed or all the fish who view it as a threat - perish.

I’ve been known to challenge species compatibility, placing fish otherwise that are best not kept in separate tanks together, in close proximity to one another and monitor. In almost all cases, the initial reactions of the other fish in the tank are very telling. If after adding a new fish to the tank other fish begin acting aggressively, darting away, jumping at the surface or otherwise swimming like their life depends on it, you need to remove the new addition.

If you want to challenge species compatibility, it’s my recommendation that you try with an adult and a young fish. In the perfect world, one may raise the other as their own.

We’ve had large Gourami raise Cory catfish.
Cory catfish raise large Gourami.
Longhorn Cow fish raise baby Cubicus.
Cubicus raise baby Longhorn Cowfish.
Cleaner Wrasse raise baby neon golbys.
Eels raise baby puffers.
Puffers who raised Eels.
Six Line raise Eels.
Eels raising six line.

If it doesn’t work out, they go back to LFS, others adopt based on our recommendations of preferred environment or we give the new fish a safe place to thrive for the rest of its life in a separate tank.

The life of a fish is a marvelous thing. I very much hope your striped Blenny is doing better.

Best Wishes.

 

[JohnnyReef13]

Lets start with my stock...

2 juvinile clownfish
1 blue chromis
1 juvinile tomini tang
1 juvinile convict tang
and 1 yellow striped blenny.... the boss? I think...

Heres the thing. A while ago I added the tomini tang and blenny. The blenny has and still does refuse to eat. I thought flukes and maybe it was but he seems fine other than eating. Today I added a convict tang hoping and praying the two tangs would get along. The convict tang (at the store) was in the same tank with an orange shoulder tang and tomini tang for at least 3 weeks. I know this because I've been contemplating buying the convict tang from this very store for the passed three weeks. The store is only open 3 days a week, so I go in every week to see if they have anything new. This time, I took my chances and purchased the convict.

My tomini tang is only about 2 inches long. The convict tang is about 2 1/2.

Anyway, as soon as I added the convict tang, he made himself at home very quickly. The chromis, which is about the same size as the convict, was the first victim. The chromis was faster and after a little chasing, the convict gave up. But then he found my very shy tomini tang. The tomini tang doesn't come out when someone is watching the tank. You have to look from a distance if you want to see mr. tomini. But the convict found him and crashed my dreams extremely quickly. The fish store said since both these types of tangs were already living with each other, they should be more welcoming to each other. I'm guessing they were wrong. But it doesn't end there. After about 30 minutes of some bullying, my blenny (who is sitting in a corner, starving himself, seeming down on life) comes out and starts defending everyone against the convict tang. The blenny is only slightly longer than the convict, but took him on in like some kind of dance. This worried me a little considering the blenny is venomous and was nipping at the convict. And the convict took the blenny extremely seriously. Then the tomini came out backing up the blenny and the poor convict suddenly became the victim in this story. However, my depressed blenny didn't stop there, he was now defending the convict against the tomini while also bullying the convict all at once. Believe it or not... the blenny eventually went back into his corner to continue to starve himself and now the tomini tang and convict tang are avoiding each other. It has to be the most interesting thing I've ever seen as a fish keeper.

Now, I know all of you are going to be worried about the starving Blenny, so if anyone has an idea... I'm up to heairng it. I feed Mysis Shrimp, Plankton, Brine Shrimp, Spuralina, pellet food for herbavors, and flake food for saltwater fish. It's all at random. I mix some for one feed, and mix others for the next feed, and so on. He's been in my care for roughly 3 weeks and though quite skinny, he's still alive. He does become more active at night, so I do like a third feeding just before the lights automatically turn off. This issue is as soon as I approach the tank, he rushes back up to his corner. Enter autofeeder... no humans involved... which I have no idea if this is working. I still have yet to see him eat anything.

So, that's this story. I wonder if having a "police fish" in the tank is normal? I've never seen it. Although the blenny is no longer "attacking", he is coming out of his corner every once in a while, restablishing his dominance over the convict. I wish I could video it, but the blenny just goes to his coner when I approach.

I guess the convict tang really lives up to it's name! Convict Tang with "Police Fish"? I would try feeding it Emerald Entree.

 

[JohnnyReef13]

Lets start with my stock...

2 juvinile clownfish
1 blue chromis
1 juvinile tomini tang
1 juvinile convict tang
and 1 yellow striped blenny.... the boss? I think...

Heres the thing. A while ago I added the tomini tang and blenny. The blenny has and still does refuse to eat. I thought flukes and maybe it was but he seems fine other than eating. Today I added a convict tang hoping and praying the two tangs would get along. The convict tang (at the store) was in the same tank with an orange shoulder tang and tomini tang for at least 3 weeks. I know this because I've been contemplating buying the convict tang from this very store for the passed three weeks. The store is only open 3 days a week, so I go in every week to see if they have anything new. This time, I took my chances and purchased the convict.

My tomini tang is only about 2 inches long. The convict tang is about 2 1/2.

Anyway, as soon as I added the convict tang, he made himself at home very quickly. The chromis, which is about the same size as the convict, was the first victim. The chromis was faster and after a little chasing, the convict gave up. But then he found my very shy tomini tang. The tomini tang doesn't come out when someone is watching the tank. You have to look from a distance if you want to see mr. tomini. But the convict found him and crashed my dreams extremely quickly. The fish store said since both these types of tangs were already living with each other, they should be more welcoming to each other. I'm guessing they were wrong. But it doesn't end there. After about 30 minutes of some bullying, my blenny (who is sitting in a corner, starving himself, seeming down on life) comes out and starts defending everyone against the convict tang. The blenny is only slightly longer than the convict, but took him on in like some kind of dance. This worried me a little considering the blenny is venomous and was nipping at the convict. And the convict took the blenny extremely seriously. Then the tomini came out backing up the blenny and the poor convict suddenly became the victim in this story. However, my depressed blenny didn't stop there, he was now defending the convict against the tomini while also bullying the convict all at once. Believe it or not... the blenny eventually went back into his corner to continue to starve himself and now the tomini tang and convict tang are avoiding each other. It has to be the most interesting thing I've ever seen as a fish keeper.

Now, I know all of you are going to be worried about the starving Blenny, so if anyone has an idea... I'm up to heairng it. I feed Mysis Shrimp, Plankton, Brine Shrimp, Spuralina, pellet food for herbavors, and flake food for saltwater fish. It's all at random. I mix some for one feed, and mix others for the next feed, and so on. He's been in my care for roughly 3 weeks and though quite skinny, he's still alive. He does become more active at night, so I do like a third feeding just before the lights automatically turn off. This issue is as soon as I approach the tank, he rushes back up to his corner. Enter autofeeder... no humans involved... which I have no idea if this is working. I still have yet to see him eat anything.

So, that's this story. I wonder if having a "police fish" in the tank is normal? I've never seen it. Although the blenny is no longer "attacking", he is coming out of his corner every once in a while, restablishing his dominance over the convict. I wish I could video it, but the blenny just goes to his coner when I approach.

How big is the tank?