Algae Blenny not eating

I have a Starry Algae Blenny. He used to actively eat algae. There is less Algae in the tank now but still seems to be a substantial amount. Also, he used to eat frozen and live brine shrimp. However, now he spits the brine shrimp back out. The only recent changes to my tank have been the addition of a flame angelfish and a psychadelic manderin dragonent. The algae blenny does not appear to be scared of either of them. Also, I added ChemiPure about a month ago. I have studdied the blenny and have not seen any visual signs of Ich (no white specks-other than his natural spots). I have seem him ich on occassion. Otherwise he looks fine with the exception of him spitting out his food. I have contemplated taking him out (if I can catch him) and putting him in my quaritine tank. However, I am not sure about treating him with copper if he doesn't appear to have Ich. Any suggestions from anyone with Algae Blenny expereince would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jim



75 gallon Reef tank 49.5 lbs of live rock,54.5 pounds of base rock, 40 lbs live sand, 2 Green Chromis, 1 Starry Algae Blenny, 1 Psychadelic Manderin Dragonet, 1 "Reef Safe" dwarf Flame Angelfish, 1 Peppermint Shrimp, 2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, 2 Emerald crabs, 1 red/orange crab, 5 drawf hermit crabs, and 4 Nasser snails, 5 Bumble Bee snails, 4 Turbo snails, 1 Kenya Tree, 1 Yellow Polyp, 1 Mushroom rock, 1 White Spot Star Polyp, 2 button polyp rocks, 1 Pineapple Coral, 1 Bubble Coral, 1 Xenia Coral, 1 open brain coral, and 1 finger leather

 

How long has he not been eating?

Sometimes fish won't eat when they're uncomfortable with SOMETHING and that could be anything. I definitely wouldn't recommend any intervention until you notice pale/blotchy skin beginning to develop, significant signs of harassment (tankmates bullying), "dullness" in eyes (his should be that cool/shiny green-blue, or his stomach starting to cave in.

That being said you may have success feeding live brine (most fish go crazy). But looking at your stock, I don't see why he isn't eating...sometimes fish do crazy things just to wrack our brains.

Good luck

 

I would just worry a bit about him starving to death. An easy way to tell is if you look just behind his head at his belly, if it looks pinched he is not getting enough food. Most times the blennys belly will look SUPER fat.. They love to eat!!!

 

If you figure out how to get your blenny to eat, do share. I've tried normal flakes, brine shrimp, algae waffers, seaweed sheets and spirulina flakes with no luck. My blenny is getting skinnier by the day.

 

Tron,

Most saltwater fish (including blennies) are largely attracted to foods soaked in garlic (you can buy some at your LFS) as well as live or frozen brine. Apparently brine shrimp are equivalent to french fries for humans- we love them, but they just aren't that nutritious!

 

Sorry I forgot to mention that I've tried soaking all of these foods in Seachems Garlic Guard.

 

I have only noticed hime not eating for about a week. I am going to try to feed him live brine shrimp tonight with garlic. I am just not sure why he has been spitting the shrimp out even the live ones.
Thanks,
Jim

 

Hmmmm... well Tron, have you tried the frozen or live brine? They WILL NOT substitute a healthy diet, but they WILL start the little guy eating. How long has it been since you've seen him eat or his stomach's looked full?

 

Most algae blennies (like the starry and lawnmower) rarely accept prepared food, which is the main cause of their horrid survival rate in captivity. That is why it is recommended you either have massive amounts of algae or a very large tank (120+ gallons) to keep one.
With that being said, my starry occasionally grabs a little mysis shrimp during feeding time. So you might try that. Also, if you have a fuge, you can try raising ulva, gracilia, or the other algaes that tangs love to supplement it's diet.

 

Like PackLeader, I too have seen my Starry Blenny (Lenny) readily accept mysis shrimp during feeding. Lenny also eats sinking shrimp pellets (when my lobster doesn't eat them all) and flake foods that float by his perch.