Lawnmower Blenny not eatting.

agent707

agent707

Member
Tank has been up for about 3 months.
75 gal
3" live sand
75lbs live rock
I just added the bulk of the LR Saturday, have been curing it in garage for a few weeks.
Have 2 clowns that have been doing GREAT for about 5 weeks.
Had 2 blue damsels I got rid of Saturday
Added Lawn mower blenny Saturday
Added a yellow tang Sunday
The 2 clowns and yellow tang are doing GREAT! :cheer: Tang ate all my green algae first day.
I can't get the blenny to eat anything. I have frozen green preporations, flake food, frozen blood worms(I know they don't eat that)...
My LR is not all that established... it has a "little" bit of stuff coming out, some more than others.
I don't want to poor little fella to starve????

A friend here at work suggested brine shrimp. I know that will raise my phosphates... and probably cause some algae, but I do have the Tang... (and 5 emerald crabs).
Will using a live brine shrimp breeder/feeder be good food for him? Any other suggestions?
:help:
Oh, any suggestions on what to replace the "mean little devil damsels" with? only got 4 fish now.
Way later on, I'd like to add a raccoon bf and coral beauty.
 
hagfish

hagfish

Active Member
Actually, raising phosphates may provide the food you need. They normally love hair algae.
That's mostly what mine eats. But if I put some leafy lettuce in the tank he'll eat that too. You should get some nori and try that as well.
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
The lawn mower will not eat the brine shrimp. It will take too long to "grow" hair algae, so that would be a bad idea (besides for the fact that it is a nuisance).
I would recommend picking up some nori or sea veggies. Take a small piece of rubble rock, and rubber band a piece of the freeze dried greens to the piece of rubble rock and place it in spot where the LMB hangs out. He should probably take to that.
 
agent707

agent707

Member
OK. Thanks.
And BTW, I already have/had green hair algae in the tank. I had LOADS of it prior to putting the tang in. I cleaned most of it out the day before I added him... but there was a LOT left.
The next day after I added the Tang, it was ALL GONE. He loved it. I imagine there will be more pop up due it it being all in the sand/cc...
Will get the nori veggies this evening. and thanks again.
 
killafins

killafins

Active Member
he'll be fine. Try the flakes but don't expect him to eat them. As previously posted they eat algae and such and most of the time will eat when no one's looking or at night.
 
agent707

agent707

Member
I picked up some algae sheets on the way home from work... and also some of this:
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20060412194308/www.**************.com/images/Categoryimages/larger/lg_12075_FS18733D.jpg
I strapped some algae sheet to a rock and dropped in the tank. He hasn't touched it, but you may be right, he may just eat when no ones looking.
I'd just like to "once" see him eat something, so I know he is.
here's a pic of him.

The new live rock... (with a little fake stuff.... gives it color)
You can see the blenny in the bottom left back corner of the tank.

 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
The algae sheet should work. I have found that lawn mower blennies prefer nori, but hopefully he will take to the algae.
Did you make it a small piece or is it very large? I would make it smaller so that he does not have to leave the substrate to nibble at it. He likes to tear, so he will probably eat more if it is either folded on the rock or not a lot on there at once.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
he's still new. give it more time. Once comfortable he will start picking at micro algae on the rocks and glass. Hell mine thinks its an omnivore, eats crushed formula one and tetra marine pellets as well.
 
maryd

maryd

Member
Beautiful tank set up. I have that same background. Are those corals real? I love the colors int there and your blenny is just adorable.
 
fishmamma

fishmamma

Active Member
Not to be a downer but many LMB starve in tanks with inadequate algae on the rock work. Some will never take to prepared foods though hopefully this will not be the case with your little fella. I had one that was returned due to a nasty streak and a refusal to eat anything, even Nori and Sea Veggies. On a side not I did get him to eat some alage tabs left over from my FW catfish days the day I returned him.
 
toyshika

toyshika

Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
I have never seen my Lawnmower eat anything other than Diatoms.
Well it's been three weeks, and I've only seen my like three times....
I have plenty of Hair Alg. for him and I know he is eating.but so shy
 
agent707

agent707

Member
hehe, No. Benny (what wife named him.. how appropriate) stays out in the open. He just sits in his corner. Just doesn't eat.
He DID nip at the formula 2 (shown about) yesterday... so I don't give up on him. He is just soooo skinny.
 
fishmamma

fishmamma

Active Member
Originally Posted by Agent707
hehe, No. Benny (what wife named him.. how appropriate) stays out in the open. He just sits in his corner. Just doesn't eat.
He DID nip at the formula 2 (shown about) yesterday... so I don't give up on him. He is just soooo skinny.

It sounds like you got him in a malnourished condition from the start, I hope he takes to the frozen2 and fattens up for you real soon.
 
turningtim

turningtim

Active Member
Agent, I had the same worries with mine, bit I kept at it with algae sheets just on a clip and placed low in the tank. I just noticed 2 days ago he was eating the sheets. I was very releived to see this. Its kinda funny he just parks himself on the clip and goes to town.....
Hope it works out
Tim
 
agent707

agent707

Member
Thanks Tim. That's encouraging. I have been keeping a clip on the bottom rear corner where he hangs out. Though I haven't seen him on it yet. My emerald crabs are having a TIME with it though.
 
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