Barnacle Blennies: Any long term success?

[spifftempo]

One of my favorite fish ever.

I have qty 4 of them in my RedSea 170 for almost 2 years now. So much personality! Most of my rock is branch and one of the keys to be successful with this species is plenty of places for them to call home. To do that I placed empty snail shells all along my substrate. They all fight for the same one of course, but it keeps them moving. I feed about 4-5 times a week once a day a frozen refrigerated blend of Artic-Pods and LRS.

I previously had about qty 6 in my 90 gallon tank from 2009-2013. I sold that tank with all qty 6 alive and hear the owner still has a couple kicking around. I do typically keep my tanks a little bit cooler than most due to keeping these guys. My baseline temperature is 76.0 degrees and never gets warmer than 77 or cooler than 75.5. Here are two of mine staring at each-other endlessly.

 

[RobertN]

My baseline temperature is 76.0 degrees and never gets warmer than 77 or cooler than 75.5.

Do you think that it is better to have the tank a little cooler for these type of blennies? Do they come from cooler waters?

 

[spifftempo]

It depends on where they are collected in the Eastern Pacific. They range from Baha all the way to Panama. Baha, is cooler in the mid 60s to low 70s. Panama can get at warm as 80. IME keeping my tank at 75-76 has always been successful- so I've never kept them much warmer. I go for cooler water as the % oxygen in the water at ~75 versus ~79 is soo much higher- and I don't live in cold temperatures so the tank falling too cold in a power outage isn't as big of a concern as running low on oxygen.

 

[RobertN]

It depends on where they are collected in the Eastern Pacific. They range from Baha all the way to Panama. Baha, is cooler in the mid 60s to low 70s. Panama can get at warm as 80. IME keeping my tank at 75-76 has always been successful- so I've never kept them much warmer. I go for cooler water as the % oxygen in the water at ~75 versus ~79 is soo much higher- and I don't live in cold temperatures so the tank falling too cold in a power outage isn't as big of a concern as running low on oxygen.

Interesting! Thanks!

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Bumping this up. I'm planning to get a few of these for the office tank.

 

[merkmerk73]

I've had two but only for a few weeks

So far they seem very active and healthy

If there are any issues with them dying prematurely my guess is that they're caught old and just don't live that long

 

[merkmerk73]

I've had two but only for a few weeks

So far they seem very active and healthy

If there are any issues with them dying prematurely my guess is that they're caught old and just don't live that long

As an update, I've had 4 and lost 2.

The first one died from an ich outbreak

The second one suddenly spazzed like it had gotten stung by something and twitched like crazy - or similar to that eel that twists itself into knots - and then died.

Never seen anything like it. I don't have aiptasia.

 

[merkmerk73]

I still have 2 but they don’t really like to eat aggressively like when I first got them

I’m surprised they’re alive because instead of snatching food it has to be target fed to them if they’ll eat at all

I’m coming to the conclusion now that these guys just aren’t well suited for long term success in an aquarium that is running at typical reef tank parameters

I won’t be getting anymore

My water params are:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite ~0
Nitrate 5-10
Phosphate 0.01
Salinity 1.026
Temp 79
dKH 9
Mag 1340 and Calc 420

 

[vlangel]

I have 2 pandemic barnacle blennies and they came green with the red dots. I got them from Live Aquaria. They can suck down a fairly big piece of mysis like nothing! And they are adorable to watch. I have mine in a 56 gallon tank with all docile fish (blennies, gobies, dartfish and cardinal fish) and they fine. I feed pretty heavy 3Xs a day though. It's a high nutrient macro algae reef.

My last one just died so I am not sure what long term success is but my oldest one lived about 5-6 years. My tank is typically cooler than most reef tanks.

 

[Matt2939]

Anyone have guidance on max number of barnacle blennies in 25 gallon nano tank? I would like to plan for 2-3 of these little guys.

 

[vlangel]

Anyone have guidance on max number of barnacle blennies in 25 gallon nano tank? I would like to plan for 2-3 of these little guys.

With adequate rockwork with hidey holes, I think 2-3 would be fine in a 25 gallon tank. They spend most of their time in holes peeking out so I don't think they need much swimming room.

 

[Matt2939]

With adequate rockwork with hidey holes, I think 2-3 would be fine in a 25 gallon tank. They spend most of their time in holes peeking out so I don't think they need much swimming room.

Thanks. I just ordered some barnacle clusters online. Will be planning for this in future.

 

[merkmerk73]

The last of my barnacle blennies died off and disappeared

I won't be getting anymore, as they're really expensive for their size where I'm at ($50-60 each)

They always start off fiesty and hungry, but seem to dwindle for some reason.

The last one I had just aimlessly swam around the tank and half heartedly ate until it just stopped eating.