LawnMower question

fender

fender

Active Member
I have a quick question about lawnmower blennies.
From time to time mine will turn very dark and seems to attack the front of the tank - reminds me of a dog barking at a gate, jumping up and down.
Is this normal behaviour? Has he become the tank guard dog warning to me to get away? Or maybe he thinks it's feeding time and is excited? He doen's eat any of the flakes or frozen food.....
I have heard of fish getting darker when they are mad - my yellow tailed damsel used to turn almost black when he and my domino would go at it.
Just wondering what's up with him.....
ok I realized it wasn't such a quick question after all.....
Anyone know a good anger management therapist for fish? :D
 
T

thomas712

Guest
They can be. They are recommended to keep a single speciman unless you have a mated pair. Are you sure he isn't just looking for food or rasping at the glass? Trying to get at a little algea just under the substrate maybe?
Thomas
 
fender

fender

Active Member
This isn't his normal kiss the glass thing when he is eating. He sort of does a dance and jumps around and it's always on the front glass - which is pretty clean right now, so maybe it is the reflection.
He is getting plenty to eat judging by the huge amounts of defacating he does :D
 
doris

doris

Member

Originally posted by fender
He is getting plenty to eat judging by the huge amounts of defacating he does :D
Ours does the same thing and I believe he does this to put himself into an upright position and let the laws of gravity do it's job. Shall we say the dance of defecation.
 
goobernif

goobernif

Member
if there is any algae on the front glass then he is probably eating, you know... fulfilling his name by keeping it down.
 
rachnett

rachnett

New Member
My LMB will do the same thing, he is so entertaining. I had him in my 10 gal and then moved him into my 46gal bowfront. I missed his clean up so much in the 10 that i went out last night a got a little blenny, who moves faster than any of my other little fish. I wouldn't have a tank with out a LMB.
 
P

puffygrrl

Guest
Blennies have the ability (as many fish do) of changing color to reflect their mood. I have seen mine go from a dark grey (almost black) to nearly pure white within minutes.
As for "attacking the glass" to a certain extent that is what he is doing. Blennies arn't necessarily territorial, but they do not like other blennies. Mine sometimes catches his reflection and does a little display dance and flare his dorsal fin. I read a thread once of a guys who would sit in front of his reflection for hours trying to pick a fight :)
Its totally normal for them to change color, eat off the glass and act aggressivly toward their own reflection. Ahh the wonders of the lawnmower blenny :joy:
 
maxsmart

maxsmart

Member
I got my girlfriend her lawnmower blenny and he does the same thing - except he's attacking the back wall. He sits on the liverock playing peek-a-boo with his reflection, occasionally trying to chase it down, bobbing left and right like a boxer - but to his surprise the reflection blenny is just as quick and bold as he is. Sometimes he waves his side fins like he's making faces at the reflection. It *is* very cute! Every day when the light turns on, he slowly emerges from his hiding place in the liverock - then goes beserk when he sees the reflection!
He is dark all the time - does this mean he's always scared/aggressive?
He does take a snap at the damsel when it comes near - it's scared to death of him. And we were worried we'd have to get rid of the damsel because of its aggressive nature we read about! :hilarious
 
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