Tail Spot Blenny - Need Feeding Advice

greenskull · 05/05/2012, 02:35 PM

I just received an Ecsenius Stigmatura through mail order and it has a sunken in stomach. Even though it's active and looks to be scraping film/algae off the surface of things in the tank right now, it won't accept any prepared foods. It's only been 3 days, so do you think I'm being overly concerned?
I've read about others here having luck with feeding them.... wondering how long it may be before it eats prepared food. I really need to fatten him up.
Thanks for any advice!

rholguin · 05/05/2012, 06:06 PM

I got one in earlier this week in the same condtion. My tank has been rup and running for some time now so all it would do is pick at the rocks. Just today I saw it eating but looks good and healthy. No more sunken stomach. So if its at least picking it should be ok. Good luck.

Sk8r · 05/05/2012, 06:09 PM

FOrmula 2 sinking pellet, micro size; or smash some up with a hammer. Also grind up some krill or feed cyclopeeze and frozen mysis. This blenny happily eats things other than algae---in fact I've not seen mine even going after algae, and I've had him for years. The starry needs algae: the tailspot, much more a browser among whatever's out there.

NatureNerd · 05/05/2012, 07:22 PM

Most also like ON Formula Two flakes. Mine, see avatar, loves the flakes, barely eats the pellets. Picks at rocks all day long and eats anything but the flakes are his favorite.

dave540 · 05/05/2012, 07:51 PM

you can let your glass get dirty. Tailspots will will go nuts cleaning the film off your glass.

greenskull · 05/05/2012, 08:30 PM

rholguin: Well, that's good to hear. Please post back when you get him to eat prepared food and I'll do the same.

Sk8r: Wow, you're lucky! Mine would not go after the frozen cyclopeze or mysis I offered. Have some ON Prime Reef and Formula One flakes I also tried without luck..... will have to get some Formula Two. Funny that yours doesn't touch algae. Too bad mine won't take advantage of getting the chance to be spoiled too, haha!!

NatureNerd & dave540: As I type this mine is going to town on some algae encrusted chaeto and attacking a floating thermometer with brown film..... looks like he'll probably do fine even if he never eats what I throw in there.

Thanks for the replies, everybody.

OodleyBoodely · 05/06/2012, 12:36 AM

I finally got a lawnmower blenny to start taking prepared foods by using algae wafers placed on the rocks he frequently scraped on. Once he tried them he loved them and would swim around with a wafer in his mouth, flipping it around as he ate it. It was easy then, to get him to accept other foods. You might have some success with this too. Try wedging a few in cracks or press onto flat rocks and see if he takes to them.

Lynnmw1208 · 05/06/2012, 08:52 AM

how long ago did you wait to see if he would eat? sometimes it takes a couple days. I didn't see mine for 3 days before he came out. I didn't do anything special really, I just fed NLS pellets and he saw the other fish going for them so he ate them too. he really loves picking algae off the rocks and diatoms off the sand though. he will occasionally eat floating nori that the tang rips off. you do need smaller pellets tho, I had luck with NLS finicky fish formula as they are a bit smaller than 1mm

greenskull · 05/06/2012, 02:56 PM

Not really too worried now, since he managed to grab a bite of mysis and has cleaned off the algae growth on a mag float and diatoms off a thermometer.... no need for snails with this particular fish!

Now if I can get my Yellow Watchman Goby and his Tiger Shrimp to come out from behind the rocks during feeding time (have been target feeding them, maybe a mistake?) and to get my Yellow Wrasse cured of his jet lag (keeping completely different hours), everything will be great.
Thanks again to folks sharing their experience with this wonderful fish.

05/05/2012, 02:35 PM	#1
greenskull Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zephyrhills, Florida USA Posts: 104	Tail Spot Blenny - Need Feeding Advice I just received an Ecsenius Stigmatura through mail order and it has a sunken in stomach. Even though it's active and looks to be scraping film/algae off the surface of things in the tank right now, it won't accept any prepared foods. It's only been 3 days, so do you think I'm being overly concerned? I've read about others here having luck with feeding them.... wondering how long it may be before it eats prepared food. I really need to fatten him up. Thanks for any advice! Last edited by greenskull; 05/05/2012 at 02:51 PM.

05/05/2012, 06:06 PM	#2
rholguin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 732	I got one in earlier this week in the same condtion. My tank has been rup and running for some time now so all it would do is pick at the rocks. Just today I saw it eating but looks good and healthy. No more sunken stomach. So if its at least picking it should be ok. Good luck. __________________ Robert Current Tank Info: 95g rimless sps dominated, Oct xtreme 200, 6 bulb ATI sunpower

05/05/2012, 06:09 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 23,160 Blog Entries: 54	FOrmula 2 sinking pellet, micro size; or smash some up with a hammer. Also grind up some krill or feed cyclopeeze and frozen mysis. This blenny happily eats things other than algae---in fact I've not seen mine even going after algae, and I've had him for years. The starry needs algae: the tailspot, much more a browser among whatever's out there. __________________ Sk8r "Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale, not meq/l; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp abt 80, nitrate/ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal will not rise if mg is low. Alk reading far more imp't than PH; WATER QUALITY MATTERS!" "If anything CAN go wrong, it will, and at the worst possible moment."---St. Murphy. "For beginners---nothing good happens fast on an ice rink or in a fish tank." Current Tank Info: 105g, kalk, 250mh 10000; AquaCEV120; Iwaki 100, bsemnt sump/fuge; hermits, snails, mandy, scooter, blue chromis, azure damsel, starry & tailspot blennies, firefish, royal gramma, redstripe goby, YWG pair, lps;

05/05/2012, 07:22 PM	#4
NatureNerd Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 793	Most also like ON Formula Two flakes. Mine, see avatar, loves the flakes, barely eats the pellets. Picks at rocks all day long and eats anything but the flakes are his favorite. __________________ Reef tanks since 1987. Current tank: 75g SPS dominated reef tank set up in 1996

05/06/2012, 12:36 AM	#7
OodleyBoodely Kerry Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Azle, Tx Posts: 748	I finally got a lawnmower blenny to start taking prepared foods by using algae wafers placed on the rocks he frequently scraped on. Once he tried them he loved them and would swim around with a wafer in his mouth, flipping it around as he ate it. It was easy then, to get him to accept other foods. You might have some success with this too. Try wedging a few in cracks or press onto flat rocks and see if he takes to them. __________________ 37gal w/LED lighting with cement/oystershell/perlite background, DSB, 20l sump w/refugium with 30lbs lr, Reef Octo skimmer, royal gramma, purple firefish, 3 pajamas ------------------------------------- Ol' Fatty DIY Reefer Woman

05/05/2012, 07:51 PM	#5
dave540 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 64	you can let your glass get dirty. Tailspots will will go nuts cleaning the film off your glass.

05/05/2012, 08:30 PM	#6
greenskull Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zephyrhills, Florida USA Posts: 104	rholguin: Well, that's good to hear. Please post back when you get him to eat prepared food and I'll do the same. Sk8r: Wow, you're lucky! Mine would not go after the frozen cyclopeze or mysis I offered. Have some ON Prime Reef and Formula One flakes I also tried without luck..... will have to get some Formula Two. Funny that yours doesn't touch algae. Too bad mine won't take advantage of getting the chance to be spoiled too, haha!! NatureNerd & dave540: As I type this mine is going to town on some algae encrusted chaeto and attacking a floating thermometer with brown film..... looks like he'll probably do fine even if he never eats what I throw in there. Thanks for the replies, everybody.

05/06/2012, 08:52 AM	#8
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,318	how long ago did you wait to see if he would eat? sometimes it takes a couple days. I didn't see mine for 3 days before he came out. I didn't do anything special really, I just fed NLS pellets and he saw the other fish going for them so he ate them too. he really loves picking algae off the rocks and diatoms off the sand though. he will occasionally eat floating nori that the tang rips off. you do need smaller pellets tho, I had luck with NLS finicky fish formula as they are a bit smaller than 1mm __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

05/06/2012, 02:56 PM	#9
greenskull Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zephyrhills, Florida USA Posts: 104	Not really too worried now, since he managed to grab a bite of mysis and has cleaned off the algae growth on a mag float and diatoms off a thermometer.... no need for snails with this particular fish! Now if I can get my Yellow Watchman Goby and his Tiger Shrimp to come out from behind the rocks during feeding time (have been target feeding them, maybe a mistake?) and to get my Yellow Wrasse cured of his jet lag (keeping completely different hours), everything will be great. Thanks again to folks sharing their experience with this wonderful fish.