Stowaway Blenny in our live rock, we are cycling the tank!

[slitherinsister]

I don't know what to do about this problem. He's a lawnmower blenny and he was out of the water for at least 40 minutes. We are cycling the tank so we aren't even close to ready for a fish. The salinity is 1.023, temp is 77-78, we have about 15 pounds of live rock, and 2 powerheads, that's about all we have. It's been about 2 hours since we brought him home and he's alive for now. We would have taken him back already, but we live about 25 miles from the fish store and we don't have a fish net yet. What should we do? We are trying to get a friend of ours here in town to take him, but so far we haven't got him talked into it

 

[snakeblitz33]

Fish can live through a cycle. There is a 50/50 chance he may not make it. Ammonia may not spike for a couple days. Be ready for a water change when Ammonia gets high. If hes still alive by Monday take him back to the fish store for credit or observation.

 

[flower]

Hi,
You can do what is called a soft cycle. You watch the ammonia and as soon as it even starts to rise you do a 20% water change. The tank will still cycle, just slower and easier for the fish to be able to survive. It's a good hitchhiker

but you need algae sheets to feed him, a new tank does not have enough food. in spite of how awesome the fish is, I agree with snake that it would be best to return it at this stage of the tank.

 

[mr. limpid]

That's funny that is actual how got my lawnmower, from LFS I bought 100lbs of LR. A few hours after putting the rock in my tank (lived 15min from store) I saw something swimming around. Unfortunately this wasn't the only thing that came with the LR a few days later all my fish came down with ick.