lawnmower blemmy
- Thread starter payday78
- Start date
jjjoey
Active Member
what size tank do you have?
i think they need a pretty large size aquarium to thrive. If you dont have a controlled amount of algae in your tank for them to eat i would feed them frozen or dried vegetable foods like Formula 2.
and next time you get one observe the fish eating at the fish store before purchasing it.
i think they need a pretty large size aquarium to thrive. If you dont have a controlled amount of algae in your tank for them to eat i would feed them frozen or dried vegetable foods like Formula 2.
and next time you get one observe the fish eating at the fish store before purchasing it.
T
tizzo
Guest
Lot's of algae eating blennies will not eat prepared foods and ultimately starve. Very common. One way to prevent this is to make sure you see him eat (like a pig) at the store before you purchase him. If they will eat, they will swim to the food just like any other fish. I once had a LMB that would only eat what fell right in front of his face...he too got skinny and died.
So, try to find one from a hobbiest who is moving or getting out of the hobby or from a store where you can see him eat before you buy.
So, try to find one from a hobbiest who is moving or getting out of the hobby or from a store where you can see him eat before you buy.
big
Active Member
I lost ours after years of friendship just recently when he tested the hardness of our hardwood floors.
I for the longest time, had issues with mine. After dropping tabs and hooking sheets to one of those little Algae sheet hangers for what seemed like ever fearing he was about to starve.
Here is what seemed to eventually work for me, was hanging a wetted sheet of algae over the from center support of my tank. As the sheet softened I took parts of the sheet and mashed them between my fingers so it would flow with the currents in the tank. It also seemed to help with the snails for distribution of food for them. In short time he started chasing and eating these bits.
Now days Benny the Blenny has a fat belly and comes up and eats pieces right out of my hand!! ( sorry no longer true as is this is a copy and paste from earlier happier day for Benny)
Good luck with yours, they become wonderful fish with some time and patience....... I get sad every time I look at a picture of the little guy these days..........
Warren
I for the longest time, had issues with mine. After dropping tabs and hooking sheets to one of those little Algae sheet hangers for what seemed like ever fearing he was about to starve.
Here is what seemed to eventually work for me, was hanging a wetted sheet of algae over the from center support of my tank. As the sheet softened I took parts of the sheet and mashed them between my fingers so it would flow with the currents in the tank. It also seemed to help with the snails for distribution of food for them. In short time he started chasing and eating these bits.
Now days Benny the Blenny has a fat belly and comes up and eats pieces right out of my hand!! ( sorry no longer true as is this is a copy and paste from earlier happier day for Benny)
Good luck with yours, they become wonderful fish with some time and patience....... I get sad every time I look at a picture of the little guy these days..........
mr_x
Active Member
Originally Posted by big
http:///forum/post/2705144
hooking sheets to one of those little Algae sheet hangers for what seemed like ever
i was also under the impression most people do this regularly, as part of their feeding regimen for herbivores/omnivores.
i attach a piece of nori about every day/every other day for the tangs and whoever else wants some.
http:///forum/post/2705144
hooking sheets to one of those little Algae sheet hangers for what seemed like ever
i was also under the impression most people do this regularly, as part of their feeding regimen for herbivores/omnivores.
i attach a piece of nori about every day/every other day for the tangs and whoever else wants some.
T
tfolke1
Guest
Mine even bit me the other day.
I was removing some hair algea and apparently he took offense.
I was removing some hair algea and apparently he took offense.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
I think more then the food question what needs to be learned is what other tank mates do you have
thefishy
Member
I had one that ended up starving, don't matter what I would give him he would not eat think he was just sick when I bought him.. Got a second one to try one last time and he is fat as a pig and eats everything.. Does not eat nori, but loves any kind of red algae. Also cleans the rocks extremly good, knocks any snail off a rock thats eating his algae lol.
spiderwoman
Active Member
I have the cousin of a Lawnmower which is the Starry blenny and he is in a 75g. 2 of the same kind would NOT work in that tank. That could be your first problem.. trying to keep 2 Lawnmowers in the same tank.
My blenny is the biggest pig in the tank, he eats frozen home made food like there is no tomorrow, still eats flakes and pellets and continously is eating algae and pods off the rocks and sand. He is FAT.
If the only prepared food you are offering him is flakes, he will not survive very long.
Here is info on his diet:
The diet can be supplemented with vegetable matter, spirulina, and herbivore preparations.
My blenny is the biggest pig in the tank, he eats frozen home made food like there is no tomorrow, still eats flakes and pellets and continously is eating algae and pods off the rocks and sand. He is FAT.
If the only prepared food you are offering him is flakes, he will not survive very long.
Here is info on his diet:
The diet can be supplemented with vegetable matter, spirulina, and herbivore preparations.
knockout
Member
Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2705096
Lot's of algae eating blennies will not eat prepared foods and ultimately starve. Very common. One way to prevent this is to make sure you see him eat (like a pig) at the store before you purchase him. If they will eat, they will swim to the food just like any other fish. I once had a LMB that would only eat what fell right in front of his face...he too got skinny and died.
So, try to find one from a hobbiest who is moving or getting out of the hobby or from a store where you can see him eat before you buy.
ditto here.
I am not sure if some of these are aquaculture and that may have something to do with them not eating prepared foods, mine died of starvation unfortunately I did not recognize this until it was too late... it is a beautiful fish with A LOT OF personality but I would not recommend them as most of them need hair algae to survive something that we tend to eradicate in our systems. do a search on LMB here and you will find many of the same stories, don't buy another!
http:///forum/post/2705096
Lot's of algae eating blennies will not eat prepared foods and ultimately starve. Very common. One way to prevent this is to make sure you see him eat (like a pig) at the store before you purchase him. If they will eat, they will swim to the food just like any other fish. I once had a LMB that would only eat what fell right in front of his face...he too got skinny and died.
So, try to find one from a hobbiest who is moving or getting out of the hobby or from a store where you can see him eat before you buy.
ditto here.
I am not sure if some of these are aquaculture and that may have something to do with them not eating prepared foods, mine died of starvation unfortunately I did not recognize this until it was too late... it is a beautiful fish with A LOT OF personality but I would not recommend them as most of them need hair algae to survive something that we tend to eradicate in our systems. do a search on LMB here and you will find many of the same stories, don't buy another!
florida joe
Well-Known Member
hello what else do you have in the tank
invertcrazy
Member
I have 2 - one is in a 30 gal -eats algae only and one in a 55 gal, he eats everything from brine and mysis shrimp, flakes, homemade foods and any frozen foods. Once a week I drop in a algae wafer(Hikari brand)
metweezer
Active Member
Originally Posted by big
http:///forum/post/2705144
I lost ours after years of friendship just recently when he tested the hardness of our hardwood floors.
I for the longest time, had issues with mine. After dropping tabs and hooking sheets to one of those little Algae sheet hangers for what seemed like ever fearing he was about to starve.
Here is what seemed to eventually work for me, was hanging a wetted sheet of algae over the from center support of my tank. As the sheet softened I took parts of the sheet and mashed them between my fingers so it would flow with the currents in the tank. It also seemed to help with the snails for distribution of food for them. In short time he started chasing and eating these bits.
Now days Benny the Blenny has a fat belly and comes up and eats pieces right out of my hand!! ( sorry no longer true as is this is a copy and paste from earlier happier day for Benny)
Good luck with yours, they become wonderful fish with some time and patience....... I get sad every time I look at a picture of the little guy these days..........
Warren
Big,
I've said it before and since you reposted, I'll say it again. Your pics of your LMB are the best pics of a LMB I have ever seen. Sorry for your loss.
http:///forum/post/2705144
I lost ours after years of friendship just recently when he tested the hardness of our hardwood floors.
I for the longest time, had issues with mine. After dropping tabs and hooking sheets to one of those little Algae sheet hangers for what seemed like ever fearing he was about to starve.
Here is what seemed to eventually work for me, was hanging a wetted sheet of algae over the from center support of my tank. As the sheet softened I took parts of the sheet and mashed them between my fingers so it would flow with the currents in the tank. It also seemed to help with the snails for distribution of food for them. In short time he started chasing and eating these bits.
Now days Benny the Blenny has a fat belly and comes up and eats pieces right out of my hand!! ( sorry no longer true as is this is a copy and paste from earlier happier day for Benny)
Good luck with yours, they become wonderful fish with some time and patience....... I get sad every time I look at a picture of the little guy these days..........
Big,
I've said it before and since you reposted, I'll say it again. Your pics of your LMB are the best pics of a LMB I have ever seen. Sorry for your loss.