Lawn Mower Blenny / Kole Tang

[shesacharmer]

I've had a Lawn Mower Blenny for about four months and it's pretty good sized as it eats like a pig. I recently added a 3" Kole Tang and the Blenny is beating the crap out of it! First sign was a circular mark on the left rear flank. This morning the Tang has several marks on each side. Will this behavior subside? I don't think catching the Blenny will be an option unless I can get him with a bottle trap. :reading:

[MondoBongo]

no, they are not compatible fish.

Ctenochaetus spp. does not mesh with Salarias spp.

[shesacharmer]

I just looked at 5 different Marine Compatibility charts and they all said it was likely fine...not incompatible.

[MondoBongo]

Maybe try showing them the charts?

When I had my kole he was in a never ending war against my blenny. Googling around shows similar results

[Betta132]

Blenny is going "GET THE **** OUT OF MY EATIN' PLACE!" because he sees another algae eater.

[RJT]

lawnmower blenny will kill the tang. They can be very mean when a tang is added.

[alwaysthirsty]

Mine did the same 2years ago. Benny is still in the doghouse(aka sump)

[woodnaquanut]

My Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus) gets chased by the Kole. I have not noticed any damage to either.

For some reason, every once in a while my One Spot Foxface (Siganus unimaculatus) gets a Blenny mouth sized 'hickey'. It's odd because they don't chase one another.

[mastersonr]

I was thinking of doing the same thing. I have a lawn mower blenny and was thinking of adding a Kole tang soon. Any chance they would get along better in a 150g?

[Just Jim]

My achilles beat down my lawnmower blenny all the time, but being in a larger tank it lived about 6-7 years. I was about to get a new lawnmower and just saw this. Never heard this before, but it sounds kinda right now

[A sea K]

I was thinking of doing the same thing. I have a lawn mower blenny and was thinking of adding a Kole tang soon. Any chance they would get along better in a 150g?

Not likely. I tried it in a 210 with no luck. My Kole kept after the blenny until he ultimately perished.

[SecretiveFish]

Maybe try showing them the charts?

When I had my kole he was in a never ending war against my blenny. Googling around shows similar results

Exact same experience I had in a 150. The Kole tang would attack the blenny anytime he saw it.

[snorvich]

Whoever was there first feels that they own that ecological niche. But if you show them the charts, they may decide to file a truce.

:love1:

But probably not.

[kendrid]

I have a Starry and Kole and I am sitting here watching them eat off of the same algae sheet right now. I guess they saw the compatibility charts telling them to be friends because they never fight.

[peasofme]

the charts i've seen are terrible

[Betta132]

That's because they're trying to stuff fish in tiny little white boxes and that doesn't work too terribly well.

[Moort82]

They are both detrivores so are in competition with one another. You will have more luck with blennies who have different diets such as bicolours, midas etc.

[rjallen]

I have a Kole that is a bit of a bully to a Diamond Goby and my Lawnmower Blenny. He bothers no other fish. The goby just goes the other way when Mr. Kole approaches. The blenny is little more aggressive fights back. He will take up a perch in the coral where he is somewhat protected and lunge with open mouth. Kole backs off. The Kole sometimes try to bite the Blenny's back. The bristle tooth mouth is ineffective, leaving no marks as the blenny just sits there.
I really think my Kole is just a bully with fish that eat algae. There is no evidence of lethal intent by either fish.

[Triggerfish]

had a kole for few months then added a lawnmower it was a relentless assault on the blenny.
got rid of the kole tang.
was just thinking today if adding a kole now would result in similar actions. seems to be it would.

[Triggerfish]

Not likely. I tried it in a 210 with no luck. My Kole kept after the blenny until he ultimately perished.

you added the kole after the blenny?

[raybyrne67]

My Kole Tang killed a starry blenny within 2 weeks. Tangs are territorial with algae feeders.

[MondoBongo]

you added the kole after the blenny?

i added my kole tang long after my lawnmower blenny had been established.

results were the same.

however my yellow tang doesn't give a flying fart about the blenny's presence.

[A sea K]

you added the kole after the blenny?

Almost can't recall but I feel like the Kole was in there first.

[saf1]

I am still giggling over the maybe you should show them the chart comments :). Although I did learn something new because this is the first time I have heard this. So noted. I like kole tangs but have a bi color Blenny so it will wait even though it may be safe.

[nigeldcat]

I agree they are competitors for the same food . Blenny was established and Kole was competitor. You might try some rock rearranging, but at 75G there is not much room for Tang to run.

I am sure some have succeeded with same pair, you just got two that may not want to ever play nice.