Midas blenny and starry blenny

[LandLockedJones]

So I bought 2 fish from dr reefs quarantined fish. Both came in yesterday healthy, and are beautiful blennies.

I have a 40 gallon tall which was to be the home of the Midas blenny, and a 20 gallon tank that was meant to be the new home of the starry eyed grump face.

So, the ato has been messing up on the 20 gallon and it does not have a screen, I placed both into my 40 gallon. They seemed to be getting along in the bucket I used to acclimate them, though looking back I may have seen a single moment of “aggression” when the much larger starry blenny chased the Midas away.

Realizing that later, maybe I should not have put them in the same tank. Because the starry blenny is happy as a clam, but the Midas blenny has not left the top right corner by the overflow. He is looking straight up, with his face out of the water. And pretty much clinging to over flow box and return nozzle. He’s moved around a bit, but literally from one side of the box to the other.

I honestly think he would be easy to catch because he is trying so hard to stay in that spot I thought it was stuck in current, for the xaqua in/out overflow is a small box with the return nozzle right next to the overflow drain. I tried to move it physically, he just fought to stay. I tried shutting down the return pump to decrease the water level below the box and he still fought with his face out of water for the same spot.

I don’t want the little guy scared for his life, but I’ve never had a blenny before. Is this extraordinarily weird behavior showing obvious signs of stress and of being afraid the larger blenny? Or is this fish just weird and isn’t used to his new home yet?

 

[LandLockedJones]

A photo to help explain

 

[mtfish]

What are the deminsions of a 40 gallon tall? Midas blenny needs a place it can hide. A hole in a rock is best. If there are not enough places to feel safe, I would remove one or the other.

 

[LandLockedJones]

It’s 24x18x24tall with a.good amount of rock going up about 2/3’s of the tank. Looking I’d have thought it was plenty of rocks for both but I’m sure I underestimated the territory they would want.

 

[mtfish]

They normally stay in different parts of the water column. Except when hiding, the midas should be up in the water. The Starry should be more on the bottom. Does the Midas have a place that it sleeps every night?

 

[jmichaelh7]

Small tank for two blenny. I agree they need adequate place to hide from each other. 24” long isn’t big. The good thing is that you don’t have a lawnmower blenny otherwise things would get ugly fast.

That starry blenny is a beauty

 

[codenfx]

The blenny may still be getting use to the tank, give it a few days and observe if they're attacking each other.

I have a midas and starry that doesn't bother each other. Starry hides inside this rock either in the bottom or middle and the midas usually stays out in the open but sleeps on one of the frag racks on top. At my LFS the employee advised to watch for aggression if I were to put them in the same tank, I took the risk and they're peaceful together.

 

[LandLockedJones]

They normally stay in different parts of the water column. Except when hiding, the midas should be up in the water. The Starry should be more on the bottom. Does the Midas have a place that it sleeps every night?

Only day 2 with the additions so hard to say as I didn’t check in last night. Hoping not showing my ugly mug to them wouldn’t add more stress. But, I found the Midas on the opposite side of the weir box this morning. That makes sense if he slept there, sense there is less flow on that side. But not ideal if you ask me.

Small tank for two blenny. I agree they need adequate place to hide from each other. 24” long isn’t big. The good thing is that you don’t have a lawnmower blenny otherwise things would get ugly fast.

That starry blenny is a beauty

I agree, it is bigger than I realized they could get so I was a little shocked when I saw it haha.

I have not noticed the starry even looking at the Midas, but it seems to me that the starry is pretty much made the whole of my rock work his home. He may have just not chosen a spot, but his favorite spot seems to be under the top rock dead center. I wonder if that’s what’s keeping the Midas away.

The blenny may still be getting use to the tank, give it a few days and observe if they're attacking each other.

I have a midas and starry that doesn't bother each other. Starry hides inside this rock either in the bottom or middle and the midas usually stays out in the open but sleeps on one of the frag racks on top. At my LFS the employee advised to watch for aggression if I were to put them in the same tank, I took the risk and they're peaceful together.

I definitely would like to hope they will be okay. But I am going out of town tomorrow for the weekend. I think I am going to move the Midas blenny into the 20 gallon for now where it will be the only fish. A bit small for it, but easier to observe. I’m planning on setting up a 120 later and he will have plenty of space until then.

The biggest worry is he can’t even be target fed here and any food coming by is immediately swept up by the return or the weir box.

I may wait until tomorrow morning to move it though, with my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the feedback, I will try to remember to update on the Midas.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Only day 2 with the additions so hard to say as I didn’t check in last night. Hoping not showing my ugly mug to them wouldn’t add more stress. But, I found the Midas on the opposite side of the weir box this morning. That makes sense if he slept there, sense there is less flow on that side. But not ideal if you ask me.

I agree, it is bigger than I realized they could get so I was a little shocked when I saw it haha.

I have not noticed the starry even looking at the Midas, but it seems to me that the starry is pretty much made the whole of my rock work his home. He may have just not chosen a spot, but his favorite spot seems to be under the top rock dead center. I wonder if that’s what’s keeping the Midas away.


I definitely would like to hope they will be okay. But I am going out of town tomorrow for the weekend. I think I am going to move the Midas blenny into the 20 gallon for now where it will be the only fish. A bit small for it, but easier to observe. I’m planning on setting up a 120 later and he will have plenty of space until then.

The biggest worry is he can’t even be target fed here and any food coming by is immediately swept up by the return or the weir box.

I may wait until tomorrow morning to move it though, with my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the feedback, I will try to remember to update on the Midas.

The starry will conquer

My lawnmower is all over the tank, any new habitats added she / he will check on them no hesitation .

 

[glover69]

I saw you have a mesh lid on the 40, if you do move Midas blenny to the smaller tank need to make sure it has a tight lid. They get spooked easily and they can jump!!

 

[LandLockedJones]

The starry will conquer

My lawnmower is all over the tank, any new habitats added she / he will check on them no hesitation .

Yeah, I ended up moving the Midas to the smaller tank and it started swimming up like it was going up to jump, or do the same thing where it stayed with its head above water. then turned around and has been hiding in the rocks since. Hopefully the separation will do the job and it’s alright when I get back to town.

I saw you have a mesh lid on the 40, if you do move Midas blenny to the smaller tank need to make sure it has a tight lid. They get spooked easily and they can jump!!

I have fitted a poorly made lid and closed off a few gaps with some acrylic. Hopefully it holds until I can get home and make a proper one.

Otherwise my cats may make a mystery of it. Hmm…where’d my fish go…maybe he is hiding?..No second chances in this house.

 

[LandLockedJones]

I feel so much better now. Little Midas blenny finally stopped hiding in the rocks and poked his head out. He seems to be much more relaxed now. Which helps me relax! I do not like seeing a fish looking stressed out.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

 

[jmichaelh7]

I feel so much better now. Little Midas blenny finally stopped hiding in the rocks and poked his head out. He seems to be much more relaxed now. Which helps me relax! I do not like seeing a fish looking stressed out.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

That’s what reef2reef is about brother