I noticed that Gus has a yellow tail, is that normal? We had another Lawnmower blenny that we lost to an ammonia spike and his tail matched the coloring on the rest of his body. Gus has behavior that is a bit different as he sits in a corner much of the time that I see him and has no interest in algae sheets. The previous blenny would rarely go after the algae sheets ferociously, and if he sat, he had several places, not just one. Gus looks well fed and he is very quick to move if I approach the glass.
Lawnmower Blenny
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- Start date
bjohanson1234
.........
Fish just like people have different color variations and personalities. My main concern would be that he isn't eating the algae sheets. If you don't have adequate algae in you tank, he is going to starve if he isn't eating the sheets.
little_fish
Moderator
+1 bj
Thank you both. I think I read somewhere to leave the back glass untouched when cleaning the glass and allow the algae to grow there and it is visible on the majority of the rear glass. I was thinking that if he is really hungry, he would go after the sheets. Like I said, he looks healthy, ie chubby and quick, I was more concerned about the coloring and behavior in comparison to how the other one was vs this one. Also, I get the Mr Saltwater Tank threads sent to my e-mail and he suggested that different fish prefer different types of algae sheets, green/red/brown, have you found that to be true within the same species of fish?
little_fish
Moderator
Yep, different individual like different things. Also the back glass wont grow enough algae to support a lawnmower blenny, they need to be eating some sort of additional food.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Try different brands and colors of algae sheets. I've found that some fish are pickier than others and won't eat it all.
bjohanson1234
.........
Try rubber banding it to a rock and placing it near where he sits. He might be scared of the plastic algae clip.
RockStacker
Reefing newb
What shape is your algae clip? It does not happen to look like a lionfish would it?
I purchased the red algae sheets, and now have tried red, green and brown sheets on rocks and in clip. The clip is a standard ocean nutritious clip, much like a chip clip. While Gus took a little more interest in the red, he is not vigorouly eating the algae, he seems to prefer scavanging on the rocks and glass vs eating the supplemental algae. He seems very active and healthy, just doesn't seem I have the stuff he craves yet. I saw purple algae sold under the name Sprug? Is that worth the extra $5 a pack to spring on that?
little_fish
Moderator
I would try rubber banding the algea to the rock, he could be afraid of the clip
Yeah, I did try the rubber banding to a rock, even attaching red, brown and green algae pieces together under the same rubber band to form a bit of a salad bar for him. Maybe he is just really shy and won't eat it when I am watching. The algae disappears within 12 hours, but as I mentioned before, the cuc are usually very quick to go munching on it when first placed in the tank.
