Algae Blenny too big for Nano?

[sammy33]

I have accumulated some macro algae (caluerpa and gracilaria) in my 15g Nano. I was thinking of adding a Lawnmower Blenny to graze on the algae. I only have one other fish in the tank being a Yellow Watchman goby.

I also want to get a Six-line Wrasse. I have some flatworms for him to feed on. I will probably trade in the Watchman Goby and get the two new fish (six-line and blenny).

Is the Lawnmower Blenny gonna get too big for 15g tank? Do you think he will get along with the Six-line?

[Awestralian]

Make sure you get a small one.
We have had a bicolour blenny in our 30litre (i think a bit under 7gallons??) for well over a year and hes doing great. We brought him very small, and he has not grown at all since then.
Dont know about the six line wrasse sorry...

[minireefer3]

eventually the blenny will be to big, I have 6" one in my 170, hes fat, I couldnt imagine him in anything less than a 30G as an adult

[iamdickie]

Originally Posted by minireefer3

eventually the blenny will be to big, I have 6" one in my 170, hes fat, I couldnt imagine him in anything less than a 30G as an adult

agreed, algae blennys are just too big for a nano under 30

[labooe43]

I have a lawnmower blenny and sixline wrasse in my 12 Ga and they are both happy and doing quite well. If you get a small blenny to begin with then he will not grow to 6"... three is the usual size... and as long as you supplement them with dried seaweed and they have plenty of grazing food... they'll do well.

the blenny and the wrasse do well together, ignoring each other most of the time.

[sammy33]

Originally Posted by labooe43

I have a lawnmower blenny and sixline wrasse in my 12 Ga and they are both happy and doing quite well. If you get a small blenny to begin with then he will not grow to 6"... three is the usual size... and as long as you supplement them with dried seaweed and they have plenty of grazing food... they'll do well.

the blenny and the wrasse do well together, ignoring each other most of the time.

This is indeed encouraging. Two problems I have now are some flatworms and excessive macro in the display. The recent addition of a refugium has reduced the macro growth but it is still readily available. I think a lawnmower blenny would be quite happy with the current menu of gracilaria (sp?), caluerpa and other algaes.

The sixline would hopefully snack on the flatworms?

I need some working fish!

[labooe43]

I'd say go for it! The sixline wrasse, besides being a beautiful agrangement for the aquarium... will snack on worms... and the lawnmower blenny will eat more algae than you would imagine...

[Alice]

Do you have a larger tank you can transfer the blenny to at a later date? I've seen them get to the 6" mark, too.

I had a six-line, a small perc clown, a jawfish, cleaner shrimp and snails in a 17 gallon nano. It turned out to be too much bioload for the tank. I gave the 6-line to a friend who had flatworms in her tank - he did a good job snacking on them. Six-lines are very active fish always hunting, and they can get bigger than you might think so a larger tank may be in order down the road for it as well. Also, not all six-lines will eat flatworms - it seems to depend on the individual fish, so I hope you get lucky - but they will eat 'pods in your tank, if you're worried about that.

[ofblong]

Originally Posted by labooe43

I have a lawnmower blenny and sixline wrasse in my 12 Ga and they are both happy and doing quite well. If you get a small blenny to begin with then he will not grow to 6"... three is the usual size... and as long as you supplement them with dried seaweed and they have plenty of grazing food... they'll do well.

the blenny and the wrasse do well together, ignoring each other most of the time.

do not take this advice. 3" is not a usual ending size. Mine was 7" when it died (I know cause i measured him after he was dead). that isnt normal but what is normal is 6" and i have heard of many people with 6" long blennies. I wouldnt put a wrasse in anything less than a 30 as well.

[512148048]

i dont know about that i have never seen them much larger than 4 inches in general and the ones i have saw larger have been in that set up for over a year i have had 2 and god only know how much algae i have growing on everything. all you have to make sure of is if he dose get too big/unhappy you help him out by giveing him the chance for a new home.

[ofblong]

Originally Posted by 512148048

i dont know about that i have never seen them much larger than 4 inches in general and the ones i have saw larger have been in that set up for over a year i have had 2 and god only know how much algae i have growing on everything. all you have to make sure of is if he dose get too big/unhappy you help him out by giveing him the chance for a new home.

true my blenny had been in my tank for 2 and half years when he died. he liked flake food and mysis shrimp though so he wasnt much of an algae eater.