Sick Blennie?

bammbamm74

Member
I have a red spot Blennie and he is getting really thin. He eats very well, every day. Eats a lot. I feed mysis, plankton, brine shrimps all soaked in Zoe or Garlic or Zoecon. Mostly Zoe. But, he's skinny, looks healthy other than that though. Any parasites do this? If so, what would it be and how do I get rid of it.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
That is a really nice tank, but I didn't see a pic of your blennie. Do you have a pic?
 

clarkiiboi

Active Member
the blenny was on page two, but how thin? Is it still eating "very well"? Is anything else different--ie breathing, activity?
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
What an adorable face! Yes, he is quite thin. Also, in the pic his fins appear completely wasted. Not frayed or chewed, but wasted. The spikes are there, but the thin filmy part of the fins looks gone. Is that the case?
My guess would be malnutrition. How long have you had this fish? Have you noticed him being harassed or scooting away when other fish approach? How are you feeding the fish? These fish can not chew, thus they must be able to gulp bite-sized morsels all at once, and swallow whole. They are omnivores, so I would add some vegetable material to that diet. I have seen bottom fish who appear to have ravenous appetites starve to death. Competition for food with more aggressive fish who have first opportunity to eat usually leave little for the little guys on the bottom.
Try to add more food variety to the diet. I know you said you were feeding mysis, plankton, brine shrimps, which is a good diet but what exactly is the product you are using? Frozen, freeze-dried, flake? Soak the food in Zoe or Zoecon for 1 hr in the fridge, then, offer the food directly to this particular fish in a syringe [most pet shops have these as they use them to feed baby birds, etc]. Give your other fish their food, then gently get the syringe with food down in the vicinity of the blenny [wo frightening him] and lightly squirt out bits at a time for him to eat. Do this 3 times a day. He may be frightened at first, but he will soon realize that what you are doing is a food source for him, so he’ll get used to it. Be sure that you hands/arm are very clean…including free of soap!!
See if this helps.
 

bammbamm74

Member
I do soak my food in Zoe and Zoecon. Today he didn't eat. He just sat in the cave with my shrimp. I went back later and he wasn't out. He has never had a problem with eating. He usually eats very well. Even yesterday. I put the food in, he gobbles it up with the rest of them. He eats until he's not hungry anymore. I'll try spreading my feed out over 3 feedings a day. I just frozen brine, mysis and Plankton. I even throw in some Emerald blend. The brine is vitamin C enriched. I sure hope he doesn't die. I'll have my wife try to feed him tonight again. But all this has happened over the last couple of weeks(him getting skinny). I've had him for a few months.
 

bammbamm74

Member
Bad news. Wife tried to feed him again tonight and he didn't eat. I even had her put a piece of shrimp (bite size) on a feeding stick I have that he's eaten off of many times trying to get food to my cleaner shrimp, and he didn't want that. She even put it on the ground and he didn't even flinch. He looks bad, I don't think he's going to make it. :( I don't get it. It happened so fast. I am wary of buying another one if he dies. I sure hope he pulls through.
 

bammbamm74

Member
He died. Poor guy. I felt so bad. I don't know what happened. I tried everything to get him to eat. All my other fish are fine. I'll get another one soon because they are such characters. :(
 
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