Help with feeding Lawnmower Blenny

We've had our lawnmower blenny about 3 - 4 weeks & he is getting skinny. I see him pick at what algae we have (we don't have a ton), but won't touch the dry seaweed or mysis shrimp, or anything else that I've seen. The LFS gave me some algae (can't remember the name, but it looks like fern) & he won't eat that either.

I don't want him to starve, but I don't know what to do. I was thinking about giving him back to the LFS to see if they could save him.

Any ideas or suggestions on what to do?

TIA
julie

 

um, i wouldnt take any algae that looks like a fern from a LFS. Could be bryopsis, which would be why the LM blenny wont touch it. I would take it out of your tank asap, just to be safe.

 

Mine refuses all prepared foods, he will only eat the algae off the rocks and glass.

I let the algae grow on the back of the tank and the sides and it seems to provide sufficient food, he has a fat belly.

How old is your tank?

 

+1 on getting the algae that looks like fern out. Bryopsis looks like a fern and can destroy tanks. It may not be Bryopsis, but don't take the chance. The LB could just be ignoring it because they don't generally eat macroalgae. Sometimes LBs will come around and eat prepared food. Mine loves all prepared food, but this is a rare case as far as I know. If I were you I would either grow more algae or find him a more algae rich home, as without sufficient algae they will starve.

Good luck.

 

You might try Emerald Entry [frozen] it has alot of different greens, my fish go crazy for it. I don't have a lawnmower though.

 

Thanks for your responses -

I know what the LFS was not bryopsis, but regardless, I only left it in the tank for 2 days.

My tank is 4 1/2 months old. There is algae growing on the back glass, & I have seen him eat it at times.

I'll look into Emerald Entry & see if it works for him.

Thanks again,
julie

 

Julie, be careful with the Emerald entrie so you don't pollute the tank. I use it once a week all the fish love, but as I said I don't have a lawnmover.

 

That is a new tank for a LM to be in but as long as he is biting at the rocks then he should be getting something to eat. It really never looks like he is even eating in my tank. Don't loose focus and overfeed your tank to get one fish to eat. The problems you will cause may be worse then loosing one fish.

 

mine stays fat all the time, but will not eat anything prepared, I rarely see him eating, usually hes just chillin on the rocks somewhere, he also really loves being cleaned by my skunk cleaner(that shrimp was the best 15 bucks I ever spent, I wish theyd get more in at the LFS)but I'd keep an eye on him...like others said, don't overfeed just to try and save one fish...just try a little of whatever it is and see if he taks it...he's one of my favorite fish, tons of charactor

 

I have an algae blenny, I also have a tank full of algae, "Samurai Onjinsan" seems to prefer the Ulva and the hair algae. I leave the back wall uncleaned and I can see his "kisses" all over that.

but I have a regular buffet for him, see link
http://www.3reef.com/forums/algae/algae-please-look-parameters-etc-58065.html#post549841