Scooter Blenny questions

[cuteclown]

I just got a scooter Blenny from my lfs about 3 days ago. They told me that Scooter Blennies were a good starter fish. Because I am new to SW. He seems to be doing fine. But, when I read about them, it says they are a high maint. fish. Do you guys see this with them?

I really like him, and he is really cute! I just want to see if he needs any special care. Thanks for any help. :joy:

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by CuteClown
I just got a scooter Blenny from my lfs about 3 days ago. They told me that Scooter Blennies were a good starter fish. Because I am new to SW. He seems to be doing fine. But, when I read about them, it says they are a high maint. fish. Do you guys see this with them?

I really like him, and he is really cute! I just want to see if he needs any special care. Thanks for any help. :joy:
Scooters are notorius for only eating copepods. My stupidity killed two. They need an established tank (> 1 yr) with atleast 50-75 lbs of rock to sustain copepods. I assume you have not seen him eat? I had one that would eat frozen once in a while but still starved. It is a horrible starter fish.
I think they are the bomb and I have four reef tanks up to 100G and still have not gotten another. A good practice to always see a fish eat at the LFS before you buy him. I doubt the SB would of eaten at the LFS.
What size tank, how much rock and how old? Maybe you are covered?
MC

 

[goober_hunter]

i also got a SB, i have had mine for 3 days now, and all he does is eat off my LR. he seems to be doing fine. he is very active. i really hope he doesnt die on me, i like him more than my clowns...

 

[cuteclown]

Thanks grumpy gils! I was afraid I would hear this. My tank is new.(maybe 6weeks) It is a 75 gallon hexagon with about 65 pounds of base and live rock together. I knew I needed to read up on this fish before I bought it. But, I went on impulse and listened to what they told me. So, do most lfs sell copepods? Or what else can I do to get some for him? I really want him to be ok.

 

[cuteclown]

I agree goober hunter. He is scooting around my live sand and rock I do see him eat the sand, and blow it back out from the back of his head.

 

[cuteclown]

Originally Posted by CuteClown
Thanks grumpy gils! I was afraid I would hear this. My tank is new.(maybe 6weeks) It is a 75 gallon hexagon with about 65 pounds of base and live rock together. I knew I needed to read up on this fish before I bought it. But, I went on impulse and listened to what they told me. So, do most lfs sell copepods? Or what else can I do to get some for him? I really want him to be ok.
bump this one to the bottom

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by CuteClown
Thanks grumpy gils! I was afraid I would hear this. My tank is new.(maybe 6weeks) It is a 75 gallon hexagon with about 65 pounds of base and live rock together. I knew I needed to read up on this fish before I bought it. But, I went on impulse and listened to what they told me. So, do most lfs sell copepods? Or what else can I do to get some for him? I really want him to be ok.

Oh Cute and Goober........been there .......loved that.......lost that! Wife calls me a murderer! This site does sell copepods but they are best suited for breeding in a refugium. Pretty tough to populate them, it just has to happen naturally but you can try to speed it up. I have heard of SBs eating frozen if you are way lucky. Sucking sand will not give him what he needs. I would try to get him to eat thawed mysis shrimp. Monitor his gerth, I did notice mine getting thin prior to death.
Good Luck!
Mc
Mc

 

[cuteclown]

I will do that. The LFS said they just are bottom feeders. I even asked them if they needed any special foods

It seems irritating. This store is supposedly saltwater oriented first. Well, I think maybe they should all go through some sort of course, and have to take a test. Of course it would help if they owned a sw tank also. I do have alot of brown colored algea looking stuff. I was told that could be diatoms?

Does that help?

 

[30-xtra high]

i had a finger dragonet that did that.. he later starved

, he is so hungry he's sifting sand, (thats not good)

 

[cuteclown]

what to do at this point then? Should I return him or try? I don't want to torture him

 

[jerthunter]

I have a few recommendations.
1. Try feeding frozen mysis shrimp (If you have other fish try to to feed enough so he has a chance to get some.)
2. Make some sort of refugium with macro algae and a small pile of tiny rocks. There are so many options, but one easy way is to just get a specimen container, drill small holes in the side and hang it inside the tank where it will get light, put the algae and tiny rock pile in there. This will hopefully give you a good place to grow pods.

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by CuteClown
I will do that. The LFS said they just are bottom feeders. I even asked them if they needed any special foods

It seems irritating. This store is supposedly saltwater oriented first. Well, I think maybe they should all go through some sort of course, and have to take a test. Of course it would help if they owned a sw tank also. I do have alot of brown colored algea looking stuff. I was told that could be diatoms?

Does that help?

Probably diatoms and should diminish. Keep good flow on the sand...just enough not to move it. Should be gone in 2 weeks. LFSs would never make money if they really were looking out for people new to the hobby or some area of it. Death is benificial to them. I am lucky to have some good ones locally though. Go back and enlighten them in a nice way.
Mc

 

[cuteclown]

Since going there and asking questions, I have found some that seem knowledgeable, and some that don't I am going to look out for these few people. This lfs is about 5 minutes from my house. I have a much better one about 30 minutes away, and the owner knows so much about sw, he specializes in it, and he actually discouraged me to get a fish earlier in my cycle ( I am glad now that he did)
I have 2 damsels also and hermits and snails (slowly getting eaten by the hermits.

 

[cuteclown]

Originally Posted by Jerthunter
I have a few recommendations.
1. Try feeding frozen mysis shrimp (If you have other fish try to to feed enough so he has a chance to get some.)
2. Make some sort of refugium with macro algae and a small pile of tiny rocks. There are so many options, but one easy way is to just get a specimen container, drill small holes in the side and hang it inside the tank where it will get light, put the algae and tiny rock pile in there. This will hopefully give you a good place to grow pods.
I will get some mysis shrimp tommorrow. how big of a container, and what material ( can you give me an example?) Thanks for the great info!

 

[cuteclown]

Originally Posted by grumpygils
Probably diatoms and should diminish. Keep good flow on the sand...just enough not to move it. Should be gone in 2 weeks. LFSs would never make money if they really were looking out for people new to the hobby or some area of it. Death is benificial to them. I am lucky to have some good ones locally though. Go back and enlighten them in a nice way.
Mc
should i lower my hours of lighting for this to diminish quicker, It is starting to cover everything?

 

[jerthunter]

Well, what worked for me was using my hang on the back millenium 3000 wet dry filter, I took the filter media out of one side (the compartment was probaly 6 in x 3 in x 4 in roughly) and I mounted a light over it. I would say you need enough room for a handful of macro algae and some light for it to grow, if you put it in the display then it will get light from your regular lights so you don't need extra. I did away with the hang on filter when I set up my sump and now I do the same thing but with more room in my sump.

 

[cuteclown]

ok thanks! I will try this if he won't eat the mysis

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by CuteClown
should i lower my hours of lighting for this to diminish quicker, It is starting to cover everything?

If you have no corals, limiting the hours will help, but if it is diatoms, it will use up its silcate source and go away. Mysis come in flat frozen packs of like 4,7.5 and 15 oz. Buy the tiniest first, it last a long time if rationed. Other fish love it and it is nutritious.
Some people do try live brine, but they have little nutritional value other than the satisfaction of seeing the little guy eat.
Mc

 

[jerthunter]

goodluck, they are amazing fish!

 

[cuteclown]

I don't have any corals yet, too afraid to for now. I am going to leave the lights off tommorrow, if you think that's ok? I do have frozen brine, but haven't used it yet. I will get a small pack of mysis. thanks!