Mixing blennies

[awestruck]

I have a 29 which I want to redo. I would like for it to be simple, colorful and peaceful. I really like blennies and was wondering if you can mix different kinds, and/or if you have 1 species can you put several in together?

Welcoming all advice and comments!

[Chasmodes]

It's possible to mix species as long as they have a different niche. For example, you could have and algae eating blenny in the same tank as an omnivorous blenny. 29g is a bit small to house very many fish, so that may add to aggression with very similar species. Maybe you could have a midas blenny and a lawnmower blenny. Or, a molly miller or seaweed blenny and a bicolor blenny. Some blennies are more aggressive than others. Of the algae eating species, the Atlantic fang blenny (or red lip blenny) is a bit more aggressive than the pacific algae eating species. I've heard also that tail spot blennies are fairly peaceful. There are some members on here that have multiple algae eating species living together peacefully in larger tanks. Perhaps you could have 2 different algae eating ones in the 29g. I think that the size of your tank is your limiting factor as to how many you can keep. You may be able to keep 2 or 3 of the same species depending on the species though (seaweed blennies are a possibility) but, the small tank doesn't give them much room. Make sure you have lot's of live rock and hiding places. Also, with the algae eating varieties, dietary requirements become an issue. It they don't have much to graze on you'll have to provide supplemental veggies for them.

[awestruck]

Thank you for your info./advice. How about this idea:

(1) diadema basslett
(1) red lip blenny
(1) purple firefish
(1) yellow watchman goby

3 or 4 LPS corals (maybe 1 brain, 1 plate coral etc.)

[fras]

My blenny doesn't like my firefish, nowadays they just flash at each other occassionally but in beginning there was a bit of attempted tail nipping.

The 2 things to remember when considering aggression are body shape and colour, if either are similar you may get aggression probs. On the plus side the fact that my blenny and firefish now co-exist makes me think that you'd possibly be ok with 2 different blennies, if things go wrong remember the mirror trick!

[Chasmodes]

Yep, mirrors sure keep 'em busy!

I think that I'd go with a bicolor or flametail blenny before going to a red lip. I've had 2 red lip blennies over the years (not at the same time), one was very peaceful to all tank mates, the other constantly battled with my falco hawkfish until I finally traded him for another fish. It depends on each fish sometimes and you may not find out until you try. Then again, your list might work because of a pecking order that may already be present. The dottyback may put Mr. red lip in his place :D. Do you already have the other three fish? If so, then that might help.

Same holds true with the corals, some people have no trouble at all while others get coral nippers. In a large tank it may not be a problem, but a small system could be trouble. :D

[grinch77]

The midas and lawnmower combo was a no go in my tank.

[awestruck]

Thank you for your input. Just out of curiosity, do you guys suffer from the "OOH, I want one of those"--and then, "Wow, that's really pretty, I wonder if I could have two of those" -- and "Oh my gosh, did you see that, maybe I should set up another tank..." It's fun but CRAZY!!!!:wildone:

[Chasmodes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8407726#post8407726 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by grinch77
The midas and lawnmower combo was a no go in my tank.

In one of our LFS I saw a midas blenny just terrorizing a porphyreus dottybach the other day. I would have thought it would have been the other way around. Blennies are tough little buggers!!!! I think that when mixing territorial fish like these you stand a better chance if you have a large tank so that they can claim their own territories, otherwise battles are more likely to happen. Sometimes they are destined to happen anyway no matter what you do if you get a fish that has a mean streak. I've never had a lawnmower blenny and I'll I've read pretty much is that they are peaceful. But I had a buddy who had one that was mean as all can be, even killed his royal gramma. And, he had a very tough time catching that fish out of his reef. I think he wound up trading it for store credit at his LFS.

[Chasmodes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8409106#post8409106 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by awestruck
Thank you for your input. Just out of curiosity, do you guys suffer from the "OOH, I want one of those"--and then, "Wow, that's really pretty, I wonder if I could have two of those" -- and "Oh my gosh, did you see that, maybe I should set up another tank..." It's fun but CRAZY!!!!:wildone:

Absolutely! :D Doesn't everyone?:cool: