LAWNMOWER BLENNY CARE GUIDE
Facts about the Lawnmower Blenny
Scientific name: Salarias Fasciatus; of the Blennies order.
Common name: Algae Blenny, Rock Blenny, Jewelled Rockskipper Blenny.
Origin: Indo-pacific, a native of the Samoa, Indian Ocean in the East African region, Red sea, Micronesia Islands and the Great Barrier Reef
Care level: Easy to moderate
Size: 4’’ to 6”, with the possibility of being larger.
Lifespan: Between 2 to 5 years, but can live longer.
Color form: Assorted but mostly brown, with a pale to white base color. The fish changes its color intensity as per the substrate, rock coloring, and stress. They blend with the environment to camouflage.
Sickness: Disease resistant, but can be affected by the Saltwater Fish Disease if the tank’s water quality is low.
Temperament: Peaceful and friendly with other fish, but can be very aggressive towards other Blennies, but for the one, they are a mated pair with.
Foods/Diet: Herbivore. Feeding them on meaty foods shortens their lifespan.
Reef safe: No, they tend to nip at the corals and clams.
Aquarium size: A minimum of 55 gallons
Aquarium Temperature: Between 21 to 28 degrees centigrade.
Tank Region: Mostly near the bottom of the tank, where the sand and rocks are
Tank environment: PH of 8.2 to 8.4
Breeding: Lawnmower Blennies are demersal. They lay eggs on the substrate, then the males fertilize and guard them till they hatch. To date, they are not any of this fish known to have bred in captivity.
Gender characteristics: Males and females tend to look alike.
Cost: $10 to $20
What is a Lawnmower Blenny?
A Lawnmower Blenny is a fascinating, comical, and a playful saltwater fish. The fish, also known as Rockhopper Blenny, Sailfin Blenny, Jewelled Blenny, or Algae Blenny. This Blenny can be seen to be dull in appearance compared to other colorful, saltwater species. However, it is still a preferred home pet for many households due to their personality and entertaining nature. They leave kiss marks on the glass of the aquarium as they munch on the algae.
Their names come from the benefit that they offer to all the marine animals in the tank. Lawnmower Blennies eat up algae build up in the aquarium, cleaning it up. Naturally, they are seen to be solitary fish, found in shallow lagoons, seaward reefs, reef flats and slopes with plenty of aquatic plants and algae.
The Lawnmower enjoys perching on rocks, as they eat away on the detritus and microalgae in the aquarium. When not eating, they will be on the sand bed or hiding in the holes that in the rocks.
The body appearance of a Lawnmower Blenny
- A lawnmower Blenny is an elongated fish that measures between 4” to 6”.
- It has a curious appearance that will remind one of Lizards and iguanas.
- They have a single, long, dorsal fin, on the full length of their bodies.
- Their bodies are mainly color brown with white spots. Their base color is whitish or pale with seven wide, vertical bars that have a lighter mottling running from the base of the head. Their mood makes the bars change between gray and brown with blue spots; Or lighten the upper or front halves of their bodies.
- A lawnmowers’ head is blunt, with scattered blue dots around their bulging eyes like a beautiful piece of art.
- It is hard to differentiate between a male and a female Lawnmower. But a close comparison shows the males to be bigger than the females. Also, the anal fins of the male have more prominent, fleshy spines compared to the females.
How do you care for a Lawnmower Blenny?
- The fish is ideal for beginner aquarists, as their maintenance is easy. The fish is a herbivore, and you just need to feed it plenty of algae.
- You can use separate tanks to grow their algae, in case the levels in the holding tank drop. You could also purchase algae pallets.
- In the absence of algae, you can chop up spinach and lettuce into small pieces and add them into the tank. Processed foods and supplements of marine algae can be used. Introduce the processed foods as soon as you get the fish, feeding it once daily with just enough.
- Introduce a cleaner fish into the tank that will eat away any food leftover as wasted food can cause the fish to develop ich.
- Lawnmowers are jumpers and can jump very high. Ensure the lid is placed correctly and take special care when feeding them.
- Lawnmower Blenny can share the same tank with other fish that are not algae eaters. If you have to house another algae competitor, the tank should be large enough. Damselfish is an aggressive, territorial fish that attacks other algae eaters and will attack the lawnmowers too.
- You should avoid having larger fish like frogfish, lionfish, groupers, and anglerfish in the same tank with the Lawnmower Blenny, as they can eat the Blenny.
- It is a hardy fish, but it is essential to carry out drip acclimation on them for one hour. This is because like all other marine animals, they are prone to water conditions, that should be kept in high standards and salty.
- You should avoid administering the medication on this Blenny unless extremely needed.
How to prepare your Lawnmower Blenny aquarium
- The tank ought to have over 55 gallons, large enough, so the Blenny has enough room for swimming. The water movement can be moderate or high.
- Weeks before introducing the fish into the tank, set the water conditions to a standard that encourages the fast growth of algae. The right light and water conditions will ensure that the fish tank has moderate algae amounts.
- Have areas in the tank that have rocks and sand, and the choice of the rocks should be those that allow microalgae growth. The rocks should have holes that serve as hiding places for the fish, without which the fish will be stressed.
- The aquarium temperatures should range between 21 to 28 degrees, with a PH of water ranging between 8.2 to 8.4, and salinity. The water should be changed frequently, preferably bi-weekly, to ensure it is of high quality.
- Have plant life towards the tank’s edges, to give it a sea look. The fish are happier when their habitat is close to a natural one.
Acclimatization process for a Lawnmower Blenny
- Dim the lights to the room and turn off the aquarium’ lights off
- Have the shipping box float on top of the fish tank to adjust to the temperatures.
- Place the contents of the shipping box into a bucket, slowly drip acclimate for about 30 minutes till the water volume in the bucket is more than double. Give it a few minutes, then double the acclimate volume again. Lave the fish in there for one hour.
- Transfer the fish into the aquarium using a fishnet.
- Watch out for the tank’s lid as these blennies are jumpers, and will also likely react to a new environment. They enjoy spacious swimming spaces without bright light.
- Let the light stay off for about 4 hours, and also ensure that they are dimly lit.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Are Lawnmower Blennies aggressive?
Lawnmowers are little, peaceful fish. They can, however, be aggressive towards their own and other algae eaters in smaller tanks under 100 gallons. A paired male and female can be tried in a fish tank over 100 gallons and with enough algae.
- Can a lawnmower Blenny and a Midas Blenny, share the same tank?
It is not advisable to keep these two blennies in the same tank as they are both very territorial unless it is a huge tank. Blennies are larger compared to other blennies and can easily bully them.
- What algae do Lawnmowers eat?
These blennies eat microalgae and can sometimes eat hair algae, but this is not guaranteed. They also feed on algae pallets. Mainly, they eat the blue-green algae.
- Will a lawnmower Blenny, eat Cyano?
No, because Cyano is bacterial, and a Lawnmower blenny eats algae.
- Do lawnmower Blennies eat copepods?
No, these blennies do not eat copepods. They are herbivorous. Only a Midas Blenny would eat them.
- Which are the best fish to combine with a Lawnmower Blenny in a tank?
Lawnmowers fight other blennies and other species that they are in the same genus with. They also fight other algae-eating species and fish of the same size and color. Will, therefore, get along with most of the different varieties of fish, but the tank should be spacious enough with over 55 gallons.
- Do Lawnmowers eat diatoms?
Yes, this Blenny does eat diatom algae off the rocks and the glass of the aquarium.
Conclusion:
Lawnmower Blennies live up to 6years, but the method of catching them from the wild using cyanide poison damages them permanently, reducing their lifespan. However, one can buy this Blenny from aquaculture companies. You can tell a poisoned blenny by asking the seller to feed it before purchase and observing its eating habit. If it fails to eat or eats only randomly, consider putting the purchase on hold.