Lawnmower Blenny acting strange

[Balkos]

My Lawnmower Blenny acting is strange. He is flicking and scratching againts the rocks and glass. He is doing it with the same enthusiasm he uses when i attacks the rocks. I know this is usually a sign of ich, or some kind of parasite. The thing is i have inpected him quite well and see no sings of anything out of the ordinary. I also see my cleaner shrimp clean him regularly. I think 2 days ago was the last time

any thoughts?

thanks

[owensue]

Mine does the same thing, when there is not alot of algae for him to eat, he throws a bit of a fit, then poops, then fits then goes and hides.

[Balkos]

wow. maybe thats what mine is. I was looking at him today and his stomach looks a little pinched in. He is the only herbivore other than about 15-20 astrea snails. I have plenty of HA for him to eat not sure what kind they prefer but he hasn't touched that. What else can i feed him? I have this FormulaTwo "with extra algae" and all it does is make my skimmer go crazy and start overflowing the blenny wont touch it

[MountainM]

Balkos, don't clean your glass... he'll eat the algae off there, mine seems to perfer that stuff over anything else.

[MCDAVIES]

Hmmmm...a lawnmower acting strange...guess the question is how can you tell? Mine is ALWAYS acting strange! :laugh:

As far as feeding, I agree with MM. Leave a portion of the glass around where he hangs out uncleaned. You'll quickly be able to see if he is eating. There will be "lip marks" all over the glass.

The "twitching" motion and rubbing is pretty normal IMO. I'd just make sure he's eating...

Mark

[KellyH]

When I put the green seaweed in on a clip and mines hungry he goes nuts for it. I don't think that it's normal for them but you might try it in a few different places, maybe he'll get used to it and then that way you know he's always eating.

[lotus02]

If you think your lawnmower is hungery tie a piece of seaweed to a small rock with elastics put it where he hangs out. Eating off rocks is more natural to him.

[Balkos]

k what is the best kind? I hear of nori but i haven't been able to find it. Also is REd or green better?

Thanks

[Rusty]

I bought my Nori from the grocery store for 1/4 of the price BA charges.

My LMB flicks the gravel as well and he has a pot belly, I see his lip marks all over the glass were he feeds most of the time.

[Balkos]

OK i just found some nori in my house. I cheked the ingredients and it say roasted seaweed. roasted is ok? i am assuming that means dried? Anyway i put a fairly large peice in about 1/4 sheet. Will this foul my water? or can i leave it in there for say 4-5 hours? cause he isn't eating it and i have been watching for about 30 min. It is ancored to the rock. Everyone else in my tank seems to enjoy it though

[saxamaphone_31]

I've heard that if you leave the back glass and dont clean it, most peoples lawnmowers live off of that. I would just try to keep moving the nori around to different spots until you find one that he likes. If he gets hungry enough he will probably eat it.

[Balkos]

hmm. my sides and back are bare. I never clean them so i am assuming that he ate it all. I will call the store i guess and ask what they were feeding it.

[Terry B]

It sounds like the blenny is getting skinny. I would feed it some frozen spirulina at least once a day.

Terry B

[Balkos]

i tried spirulina flakes but my clown and cleaner shrimp ate most of it. the blenny is pretty timid and hides whenever my hand goes near the tank to feed. I have decided to try and trap him. I am going to put him in my refugium. there is plenty of algea for him to eat.

[Balkos]

OK i have tried everything i can think of. I made a paste with spirulina flake\pellets\and soaked in garlic. Everyone in the tank went crazy for it but he just sat on the rock with it falling on his head. Then i tried soaking the nori in garlic, and i tried a regular peice of nori too. they are both still in the tank but he shows now interest. Somone mentioned try using frozen spirulina but i cant find any. I also tried brine and bloodworms with no success. When i called and asked the store what they feed their blennies i got "they are not usually here that long"

[Terry B]

Do any of your LFS carry Ocean Nutrition foods? They make a frozen spirulina.

Cheers,
Terry B

[Balkos]

no only frozen stuff is SanfrinsicoBay and Hikiri