Blenny with Damsels - OK?

[dfox]

I'm wondering if a blenny, like a scooter blenny, will be able to coexist with 2 yellowtail damsels in a 55 gal tank.
The tank has been up for 2 months. ~40 lbs live rock so far. I'll probably add another 10 lbs LR before getting another fish. Steady algae growth for the blenny to feed on. Coraline algae is growing everywhere. No nitrates at all that I can detect. The only other inhabitants are a cleaner shrimp, brittle star, half dozen snails and 8 or so crab.
The damsels are, not surprisingly, territorial. One damsel is worse than the other. He will occasionally headbut the shrimp if it gets into his space, but he doesn't seem to seek out fights. The shrimp is large enough that it doesn't bother him much. So any new fish will either need to be smart enough to stay out of his way or bold/strong enough to not be intimidated.
Thanks!

 

[Chasmodes]

Scooter blennies are actually not blennies at all, but are in the dragonet family along with mandarin fish. These fish don't feed on algae but primarily on micro foods like copepods and other tiny crustaceans. If you have an established tank and lots of LR then you should have no trouble keeping them. They are not really a bold fish in the sense that they will defend themselves, nor do they appear "smart" enough to avoid a damsel. Rather, they pretty much go about doing what they do regardless of what is around them. That said, they can be startled by aquarists and aggressive fish and will flee, at least that's been my experience with them.
If you are looking for a blenny that eats algae and that is your purpose and want one that will hold it's own with all but the most aggressive damsels, then the lawnmower blenny is for you. Other veggie eating blennies include the bicolor, horseface, black, and red lip blennies.
There are other blennies that are even more bold, like the combtoothed blennies like the Molly Miller. These guys are omnivores and will readily take meaty foods but will occasionally dine on algae and small invertebrates. They tend to be more aggressive and territorial and can definitely hold their own against even larger intruders. Still, they get along with most species except perhaps other bottom dwellers that occupy their niche and eat similar foods, exhibit similar behaviors, have similar shapes, etc. They generally get along OK for the most part with veggie eating blennies like the bicolor (I can't say about the lawnmower because I've never kept the two together). But they don't get along well at all with hawkfish of any kind.
The last type of blennies are the fanged blennies. All other blennies lack a swim bladder and spend most of their time perched on the thick lower rays of the pectoral fins on pieces or coral or other spots where they can shoot out and eat or perhaps hide in holes. But these blennies have a swim bladder and some of them are venomous (no harm to humans but if worms could fear them they most certainly would). They like to hide in holes or abandon tubes but also tend to "hover" near them waiting for food. As with most blennies they tend to show much personality.
I'll post another kewl thing about these soon, but I've typed enough for now. Good luck on your choice! Blennies Rock!

 

[Chasmodes]

OK, a little more info...
Again with the fanged blennies, the ones with the swim bladders...
There is one named Aspidontus taeniatus that is a mimic blenny aka the false cleaner fish. He mimics the cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus. If you aren't familiar with the cleaner wrasse, in the wild they set up sort of cleaning stations where large fish like groupers, angels, triggers, goatfish, morays, tangs, just about any species, want to get "cleaned" by this diminutive little wrasse. Labroides swims in and out of the mouth of it's host often out through the gills and into deep into the throat of the host fish seeking out tiny meals of parasites. This is a symbiotic relationship, a classic one at that, where the wrasse benefits from it's easy meals in exchange for safety and the host benefits from getting cleaned of annoying parasitic pests. The hosts sometimes line up waiting to get cleaned and pose in almost comical ways when the wrasse is ready for it.
Now, about the mimic...he also sets up a cleaning station. He swims just like the cleaner wrasse and even looks like him. He swims in and out the mouth of the unwitting host fish and eventually around the back of the fish near the tail where, with his sharp teeth and fangs takes a bite out of the caudal flesh or fins of the duped fish, who usually takes off like a shot and learns a valuable lesson. :scared: Most fish that get fooled are thought to be younger fish or inexperienced ones. Yet another twist to the symbiotic relationship...a mimic parasite! Sometimes aquarists get fooled and buy these guys...DOH!
More blenny discussion to come...getting typers cramp, LOL

 

[dfox]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful! I think my LFS has lawnmower blenny and maybe the bicolor. I'll get one of those.

 

[Chasmodes]

There are many species of blenny that are omnivorous other than the molly miller, but that is the one that you see in the LFS most often.
I guess I forgot to mention in my other posts that the fanged blennies are all carnivores. There are a couple more types of blennies that are carnivores. Triple fin blennies and barnacle blennies are very timid but do take a wide variety of foods. Pike blennies are carnivores as well. These guys have huge mouths, are eel like, have ornate sail like dorsal fins and burrow.
Giant Kelpfish are a large blennies found also in the kelp beds of California. They are carnivores that grow to a length of 2' and feed on mollusks, fish, and crustaceans.
And, then there is the carnivorous blenny that many anglers catch off the coasts of the colder regions of the world, the wolf fish. This blenny grows to a length of 4' or more! Here's couple of pics that I found doing a google search:

Sorry if I'm hijacking this thread a bit, but perhaps you'll learn more about what fish to select for your tanks and their habits as well as something about their cousins!

 

[mrdc]

Originally Posted by blennius
And, then there is the carnivorous blenny that many anglers catch off the coasts of the colder regions of the world, the wolf fish. This blenny grows to a length of 4' or more! Here's couple of pics that I found doing a google search:
I don't think damsels will mess with that one unless it likes being dinner

I have a bicolor blenny and three damsels (2 dominos and one orange damsel). The orange damsel has been getting it's butt kicked by the dominos and now it stays hidden most of the time. The blenny has actually attacked the damsels and the damsels seem to leave him alone now. However, my domnios are becoming more aggressive so who knows what will happen. I am trying to remove them w/o having to break down the tank but it hasn't been easy.

 

[billyandblenny]

Same here, blenny attacked the damsel. The certain algae blennies pick a territory and guard their crop. If anything gets too close they get pecked at. My blenny never did TOO much damage though.