Lawnmower Blenny badly beat up Shrimp Goby. Sad, need help.

[fishmamma]

I introduced my LMB to the tank as the first fish. Two days later I added a Shrimp/Goby pair. I would turn off all filters and power heads to lure the Goby out to eat- did this twice and the second time the LMB came out of no where and chased the Goby back under the rock work. The next day the Goby did not come out for food so I was somewhat concerned. The following morning the Goby was swimming in the corner of the tank badly beaten from the LMB, who was continuing to hammer it. The fish was bleeding in three places from being bitten so many times so I removed it and out it in a holding tank. This was yesterday, and it is still alive but not eating.
I am so upset by this and don't know what to do next. Should I be treating the Goby with any medications? What are it's chances of survival?
Is my LMB going to bully any fish I add to the tank to death?

:needhelp:

 

[fishmamma]

The Goby has died.

 

[schadiest1]

that is really weird.... i've never heard of a bad tempered LMB. if you added him first, then the only thing i can think of is, he has marked his territory and doesn't want any other fish near it.

 

[monalisa]

I'm really sorry fishmamma. Geez.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[fishieness]

well you said it was the first fish. Could it be that you do not have enough algae to support a LMB? Were you feeding the goby algae flakes or seaweed? He might have gotten food agressive.....although this sounds odd to be.... i doubt its the case... but none the less, im still wondering if you have enough algae to feed him in a new tank.

 

[fishmamma]

No, the algae is going to run out pretty quick in my new tank. I have Sea Veggies and Nori but wouldn't you know he does not seem interested in those yet? I read many posts on this site about Lawnmowers, they seem to be a very popular fish and all I read were comments on how "fat" they were and how they would eat anything and everything in the tank. So now on top of everything else I found out this guy may never eat anything besides tank algae. This hobby just keeps getting better. I am sorry to rant but I am really frustrated by all of this. I read no where in any of my books that Lawnmowers often starve in a new or small tank. I had only read that about Mandarins. And of course they are labeled "peaceful" fish. After doing web searches yesterday I learn that they are often very territiorial and often starve in tanks under 100 gallons. GREAT!
And to answer your question I was feeding the Goby Mysis shrimp and Formula One pellets which it was eating off the sand. No interest htere from my LMB.
With my luck I will end up giving the LMB to a LFS (ordered him from this site) so he won't starve, which wouldn't bother me so much if he hadn't just killed my Goby.

 

[mr_bill]

Sorry to hear that Fishmamma, I was under the same beliefs as you. I thought they were very peaceful fish. :notsure:

 

[fishmamma]

Thanks Mr. Bill. Some are just more aggressive than others I guess. Here I was all worried about my "bold" temperment bicolor and that little guy hasn't bothered anybody.

 

[cross]

lmb are not peaceful at ALL!!! one killed my starfish, and harassed other fish, etc.. good for algae but not worth loseing fish, etc for.. sorry bout your loss but your really better off.

 

[fishmamma]

Better off what??? I still have the Lawnmower. Do you mean getting rid of him?
Don't you find it interesting that on this board no one really mentions stories about their LMB being aggressive? The must have all gotten lucky and ended up with LMB with good manners!

 

[mr_bill]

Hey Fishmamma I've read that sometimes if you take the fish out then rearrange the rock work sometimes that changes their attitude some. My evil 3stripe damsel was way over the line so I took his favorite hiding place away which I think was what he was defending then added him back last. New kid in school syndrome for him now.

 

[ohiorn67]

Hi Fishmamma, remember me? You posted with me for a while when I had a scare with my tank...I can't believe that lmb did that!! I have a bicolor blenny that is a big baby. I have a feeling if you put new things in, you may want to take him out for a day or two in a qt change a rock like that last person said and then introduce him again or be safe and just see if the lfs will exchange him for something else for you. What a bummer, sorry to hear about the loss, that would have about done me in...I just love my fish. Have not seen any pics of your tank, how about putting some in here!!

 

[fishmamma]

HI Ohoirn! Yes, I remember! You had the bicolor blenny right? I do have pics I just don't know how to post them. I tried re-sizing them but I am afraid I am not up to par with this technology. Any "Posting For Dummies" tips for me?

 

[fishmamma]

I am still kind of in shock that the LMB did that to the poor Goby too. It really upsets me that I put the Goby in that situation, but I thought I was building a peaceful tank.

 

[ohiorn67]

Hi again!! yep that is me with my bicolor blenny!! Well, for your pictures, I am not sure what you use for editing pictures but I have photoshop elements...then I go to the top and open up each picture, then go to EDIT on top...go to RESIZE and then just put in 500 as one of the sizes (the program edits it to fit with one number being the 500x whatever)...then save it that size..it should go right in under picture attachments. Hope that helps, it took me a long time to figure it out also!! :jumping:

 

[1journeyman]

My LMB squared off with my bicolor blenny for a week or so. They seem ok now. I suspect that they are kind of bullies until you get something more dominant in your tank.
On a plus side, my lawnmower was the first fish my cleaner shrimp "cleaned"
The LMB does eat a HUGE amount of algae, so I could see them getting hungry in a small tank.

 

[ohiorn67]

Hi again!! yep that is me with my bicolor blenny!! Well, for your pictures, I am not sure what you use for editing pictures but I have photoshop elements...then I go to the top and open up each picture, then go to EDIT on top...go to RESIZE and then just put in 500 as one of the sizes (the program edits it to fit with one number being the 500x whatever)...then save it that size..it should go right in under picture attachments. Hope that helps, it took me a long time to figure it out also!! :jumping:

 

[fishmamma]

Thanks Ohio. They are resized, maybe I am just trying too hard. I will take a step back and try to post again tonight.
And on a positive note I put some freshwater bottom feeder diks in the tank for kicks and the LMB is eating them. Go figure.

 

[wax32]

Any blenny can sometimes get territorial, especially with other bottom-dwelling type fishes. I'm sorry you had to learn that firsthand.
I have a bi-color that gets cranky when hermits come near his hole! He hammers them till they fall off the rock. I've even seen him pick them up in his mouth and swim them to the other side of the tank to drop them unceremoniously on their noggins!
At any rate I'm dubious about ever adding any more bottom-dwellers to the community.

 

[fishmamma]

Ok, first off that worj above was "discs", not diks. :sleepy:
Wax, yup, I definatly learned the hard way. What I saw that was funny was that when my Goby was still alive and well it would come out of a hole, grab a hermit and retrieve them into his cave. He would take in two or three to my horror, but minutes later they would all come crawling out. And who says fish don't have personalities??
So I am feeling quite well, knocked down my share of a bottle of wine with dinner so I am off to try and get some pics on this board!