the diet of a red scooter blenny

alaska clowns · 10/10/2009, 06:14 PM

Can a red scooter blenny live on frozen foods (if he eats them), or will he starve if he does not have a sufficient amount of pods? Also, how do you know if you have enough pods in your tank? Thank you!

alaska clowns · 10/10/2009, 06:16 PM

I think I got duped by my LFS again, shame on me..... I wanted to buy a small, peaceful fish. He said, what about a red scooter blenny? I said, aren't those really hard to keep? He said, No! They eat frozen brine and mysis.
But that's not the same information that I've been finding when I googled "red scooter blenny." AHHHHHHH!

Playa-1 · 10/10/2009, 06:19 PM

It's best to have a well established tank and fuge. Many people recommend the tank be 6months to a year old before considering a dragonette. Sometimes you can get lucky and they will take frozen foods. I have a Mandarin that wolfs down frozen red worms but they don't all do that.

alaska clowns · 10/10/2009, 07:09 PM

My tank is 8 months old, I don't have a fuge yet, but I have an in-tank breeder box stuffed with chaeto and a couple small pieces of other misc. macro algae. I noticed some pods in that little box crawling on the macro. He has eaten a few pieces of brine shrimp, but the pieces have to almost hit him in the nose for him to take them. I've only had him for a few days, so maybe I'll be able to coax a little more into him. I just get concerned that I can't see any pods on my Live Rock or sand.

SAZAMA · 10/10/2009, 07:15 PM

sorry bro but you got duped. how big and how old is your tank? I put one in a established 6 gallon pico and he ate all the pods in a week. then target fed him daily with awful results( nitrate jump) if you have 25 gallon plus with lots of pods and LR. I'd say your good.... take it back, and tell your LFS to research what they sell. GOOD LUCK

rbnice1 · 10/10/2009, 07:37 PM

If the scooter eats froozen then they do fine with no pods.

It is really rare to get one to actually eat frozen. My old one used to eat rods but nothing else.

You can also buy pods and pour them in the tank once a week or so.

DT's sells them now.

arinova8 · 10/10/2009, 10:01 PM

i would take it back before it dies, could be hard to get them to eat

ronzxcvb · 10/10/2009, 11:32 PM

try Gut loaded brine
Brines not a normal food source for them but he should learn to accept it
Then I would try adding in a little frozen cyclopeeze with the brine and watch to see if he will take that

billdogg · 10/11/2009, 06:45 AM

IMO, because your Scooter "Blenny" is actually a member of the dragonette family (mandarins), it will require the same conditions. A large, well established tank (IMO 75g min) with a good sized refugium that produces large quantities of copepods will give you the best chance of success. Can they make the switch to frozen? Sure, but they will still graze all day picking at your pods. I would suggest that you return it if possible. In a smaller tank like yours, it's chances are slim. I have had a spotted mandarin for several years now. He had lived in my 60g cube, and would happily gobble up frozen PE mysis, but seemed to be getting skinny. I have since moved him to the 120g refugium set up for my 150g DT , and he seems to be very happy there, He will still go after NLS pellets and mysis, but clearly prefers the live pods. I would have put him into the 150DT, but my 4' undulated moray would have made short work of him. :-)

drywallninja · 10/11/2009, 11:47 AM

+1.You should take him back

alaska clowns · 10/12/2009, 02:52 AM

Thank you everyone for your replies. He ate a few bloodworms last night. I pretty much target feed all my aquarium inhabitants, and last night he even pecked at the eyedropper like my clowns do. Tonight he ate one worm, that I could see- not much of a meal. He does peck around the live rock and sand all day- I wonder if that means he is able to find something to eat there? I wish I knew of someone who had the right size tank with enough pods, because I'm afraid he'll fare worse if I take him back to the LFS. I am planning to upgrade to a 55 gallon in two weeks.......

Playa-1 · 10/12/2009, 06:58 AM

If it's eating then I think you're in good shape. Get a fuge up and going and continue supplementing his diet with what ever he will eat. You can add live pods in a bottle to your tank to help seed it and or feed it too. How big is this tank?

alaska clowns · 10/12/2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Playa-1

If it's eating then I think you're in good shape. Get a fuge up and going and continue supplementing his diet with what ever he will eat. You can add live pods in a bottle to your tank to help seed it and or feed it too. How big is this tank?

It's a 26 gallon..........I'm picking up a 55 in two weeks; I found a place to order 3 pounds or so of live rock seeded with pods, and I guess I'll just keep adding pods and more pods........
Thanks for your reply!

diverdan6996 · 02/13/2014, 03:14 PM

Hey my fellow reefer, I'm not entirely sure but I've never heard of ordering live rock seeded with pods? There may be some in the rock if it comes from a mature tank. Like it hasbeen said Algagen has Tisbe, Orange and other forms of live food U can get at a REPUTABLE LFS. I have a Dragon Face Pipefish in my 13 mos old 55, no fuge, I did have a outbreak of pods around month 5-6 because one night I noticed my cleaner shrimp acting weirder than normal and when I flashed my red/white led flashlight in I noticed the pods congragating toward the light and shrimpy comes zooming over freaking out with legs flailing everywhere! He was going insane on a pod smorgasbord, I'm telling ya...when you least expect it, it's another surprise event that just baffles your brain! I've been adding the Algagen Tisbe Copes, buy a bag add 1\2-3/4 and refill it with aquarium water and wait 2-3 days and do it again...sometimes i can get 2-3 weeks outta a bag.

Fish Biscuit · 02/13/2014, 03:34 PM

Ideally you need a fuge with the 55 or a place in your sump with LR to help the pod population keep going as everything in the tank is going to get eaten. The tank should be 6 to 9 months old before adding one so there are enough pods established before they're wiped out by the dragonette.

You are going to go broke buying pods for this little guy, I think they eat over 5000 pods a day.

reeferstace · 02/13/2014, 03:45 PM

This thread is 5.5 years old. I doubt the OP will respond.

alaska clowns · 02/14/2014, 01:35 PM

I'm still here somewhere

first- those who say dragonettes belong in large, mature tanks with refugiums for pods to repopulate are Absolutely RIGHT! That said, I kept the blenny and he learned to eat frozen foods that I fed him with an eye dropper (easy to do with a small tank). I fed blood worms and mysis, and some spirulina loaded brine. His wight gain was noticeable to me. I also started feeding all my fish new life spectrum pellets and he would eat the ones that fell to the sand. The 55 I bought was 5 years mature and heavily populated with pods- and I operated a HOB fuge with it, so he was very fat and happy with his natural diet of pods. Unfortunately he didn't survive the move to a 60 gallon after the center brace of the 55 broke.

10/10/2009, 06:14 PM	#1
alaska clowns Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Not so far north Posts: 564	the diet of a red scooter blenny Can a red scooter blenny live on frozen foods (if he eats them), or will he starve if he does not have a sufficient amount of pods? Also, how do you know if you have enough pods in your tank? Thank you!

10/10/2009, 07:15 PM	#5
SAZAMA Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Northglenn ,Colorado Posts: 639	sorry bro but you got duped. how big and how old is your tank? I put one in a established 6 gallon pico and he ate all the pods in a week. then target fed him daily with awful results( nitrate jump) if you have 25 gallon plus with lots of pods and LR. I'd say your good.... take it back, and tell your LFS to research what they sell. GOOD LUCK __________________ I enjoy long walks, next to my reef tank...LOVE 303 Current Tank Info: water box

10/11/2009, 06:45 AM	#9
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	IMO, because your Scooter "Blenny" is actually a member of the dragonette family (mandarins), it will require the same conditions. A large, well established tank (IMO 75g min) with a good sized refugium that produces large quantities of copepods will give you the best chance of success. Can they make the switch to frozen? Sure, but they will still graze all day picking at your pods. I would suggest that you return it if possible. In a smaller tank like yours, it's chances are slim. I have had a spotted mandarin for several years now. He had lived in my 60g cube, and would happily gobble up frozen PE mysis, but seemed to be getting skinny. I have since moved him to the 120g refugium set up for my 150g DT , and he seems to be very happy there, He will still go after NLS pellets and mysis, but clearly prefers the live pods. I would have put him into the 150DT, but my 4' undulated moray would have made short work of him. :-) __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

02/13/2014, 03:14 PM	#14
diverdan6996 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Watertown,Ct Posts: 40	Pods Hey my fellow reefer, I'm not entirely sure but I've never heard of ordering live rock seeded with pods? There may be some in the rock if it comes from a mature tank. Like it hasbeen said Algagen has Tisbe, Orange and other forms of live food U can get at a REPUTABLE LFS. I have a Dragon Face Pipefish in my 13 mos old 55, no fuge, I did have a outbreak of pods around month 5-6 because one night I noticed my cleaner shrimp acting weirder than normal and when I flashed my red/white led flashlight in I noticed the pods congragating toward the light and shrimpy comes zooming over freaking out with legs flailing everywhere! He was going insane on a pod smorgasbord, I'm telling ya...when you least expect it, it's another surprise event that just baffles your brain! I've been adding the Algagen Tisbe Copes, buy a bag add 1\2-3/4 and refill it with aquarium water and wait 2-3 days and do it again...sometimes i can get 2-3 weeks outta a bag.

02/13/2014, 03:34 PM	#15
Fish Biscuit Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,164	Ideally you need a fuge with the 55 or a place in your sump with LR to help the pod population keep going as everything in the tank is going to get eaten. The tank should be 6 to 9 months old before adding one so there are enough pods established before they're wiped out by the dragonette. You are going to go broke buying pods for this little guy, I think they eat over 5000 pods a day. __________________ Michele I enjoy vodka entirely too much to share with the fish. Current Tank Info: 65 rimless with Eshopps R200 sump, current inhabitants randall goby, helfrichi, possum wrasse, barnacle blenny, mandarin, pistol, peppermint, & fire shrimp, snails, hermits, & LPS

10/10/2009, 06:16 PM	#2
alaska clowns Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Not so far north Posts: 564	I think I got duped by my LFS again, shame on me..... I wanted to buy a small, peaceful fish. He said, what about a red scooter blenny? I said, aren't those really hard to keep? He said, No! They eat frozen brine and mysis. But that's not the same information that I've been finding when I googled "red scooter blenny." AHHHHHHH!

10/10/2009, 06:19 PM	#3
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	It's best to have a well established tank and fuge. Many people recommend the tank be 6months to a year old before considering a dragonette. Sometimes you can get lucky and they will take frozen foods. I have a Mandarin that wolfs down frozen red worms but they don't all do that.

10/10/2009, 07:09 PM	#4
alaska clowns Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Not so far north Posts: 564	My tank is 8 months old, I don't have a fuge yet, but I have an in-tank breeder box stuffed with chaeto and a couple small pieces of other misc. macro algae. I noticed some pods in that little box crawling on the macro. He has eaten a few pieces of brine shrimp, but the pieces have to almost hit him in the nose for him to take them. I've only had him for a few days, so maybe I'll be able to coax a little more into him. I just get concerned that I can't see any pods on my Live Rock or sand.

10/10/2009, 07:37 PM	#6
rbnice1 Moved On Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cedar Hill Posts: 3,905	If the scooter eats froozen then they do fine with no pods. It is really rare to get one to actually eat frozen. My old one used to eat rods but nothing else. You can also buy pods and pour them in the tank once a week or so. DT's sells them now.

10/10/2009, 10:01 PM	#7
arinova8 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 140	i would take it back before it dies, could be hard to get them to eat

10/10/2009, 11:32 PM	#8
ronzxcvb Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: milwaukee Posts: 35	try Gut loaded brine Brines not a normal food source for them but he should learn to accept it Then I would try adding in a little frozen cyclopeeze with the brine and watch to see if he will take that

10/11/2009, 11:47 AM	#10
drywallninja Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Rocklin CA Posts: 93	+1.You should take him back

10/12/2009, 02:52 AM	#11
alaska clowns Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Not so far north Posts: 564	Thank you everyone for your replies. He ate a few bloodworms last night. I pretty much target feed all my aquarium inhabitants, and last night he even pecked at the eyedropper like my clowns do. Tonight he ate one worm, that I could see- not much of a meal. He does peck around the live rock and sand all day- I wonder if that means he is able to find something to eat there? I wish I knew of someone who had the right size tank with enough pods, because I'm afraid he'll fare worse if I take him back to the LFS. I am planning to upgrade to a 55 gallon in two weeks.......

10/12/2009, 06:58 AM	#12
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	If it's eating then I think you're in good shape. Get a fuge up and going and continue supplementing his diet with what ever he will eat. You can add live pods in a bottle to your tank to help seed it and or feed it too. How big is this tank?

02/13/2014, 03:45 PM	#16
reeferstace I'm a little people Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Over Yonder Posts: 1,392	This thread is 5.5 years old. I doubt the OP will respond. __________________ Stacy

02/14/2014, 01:35 PM	#17
alaska clowns Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Not so far north Posts: 564	I'm still here somewhere first- those who say dragonettes belong in large, mature tanks with refugiums for pods to repopulate are Absolutely RIGHT! That said, I kept the blenny and he learned to eat frozen foods that I fed him with an eye dropper (easy to do with a small tank). I fed blood worms and mysis, and some spirulina loaded brine. His wight gain was noticeable to me. I also started feeding all my fish new life spectrum pellets and he would eat the ones that fell to the sand. The 55 I bought was 5 years mature and heavily populated with pods- and I operated a HOB fuge with it, so he was very fat and happy with his natural diet of pods. Unfortunately he didn't survive the move to a 60 gallon after the center brace of the 55 broke.