Mixing Bi-Color & Lawnmower Blenny

[shanshan51]

I was at the LFS today and I picked a bi-colored blenny to add to my 35 gal tank. My previous lawnmower blenny is so fat I thought he could use a hand. The guy at the LFS told me they would do fine together. But....once I put the new guy in the tank he is getting harrassed like crazy. Will this end? Online I read that they are not good to put together but this is after I already purchased him. The lawnmower is pretty huge. Probably 3 to 4 times the size of the new guy. WIll they get to be friends or co exist?

 

[ophiura]

In such a small tank, I would be definitely worried. How much live rock is there? Both of these guys are remarkably snotty little fish when it comes to territory. They look cute and harmless but boy, they aren't.
Does your LFS have any sort of return policy? I would try leaving the lights off, and moving around the rocks...but it is quite possible it won't settle down and serious damage may be done.

 

[shanshan51]

There is a ton of live rock. I pretty much built the back wall of the tank up almost 3/4 the way to top. It also comes out half way into tank in front. THere are tons of nooks and cranies. The good thing is the bi color can fit into places the lawnmower cant. The lawnmower looks for him though. I dont know if I can catch either. The easiert may be the bi color as he hides near the top corners at times. Id rather keep him though.

 

[shanshan51]

Ok so I used the trick I heard of with a plastic bottle and putting food inside. It worked. Took about 2 hours but I finally out smarted him and he was pissed. Thrashing around in there. Anyways the bi-colored is here to stay and the lawnmower will have a new home soon as the LFS sells him.
On a side not while I was at the LFS I noticed that two of their lawnmowers were laying eggs inside a pvc round. Hundreds of them!!! After the spawning the male took off and the female was fanning the eggs. It was really cool to see in broad daylight.