My Scooter cant get enough to eat!

Discussion in 'Tropical Fish' started by MishaelAQ, Apr 28, 2009.

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  1. MishaelAQ

    MishaelAQ Astrea Snail

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    Apr 27, 2009
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    Location:
    Louisiana
    Got a very small scooter blenny that seems like its just to darn skinny! I take a look at some at the LFS and they seem quite plump. My blenny is only about 1 inch long, very small. Got about 20 lbs or so of well established live rock....over a year old. I just cant seem to keep him well fed....he just stays skinny. I am worried he's gonna die. I target feed him brine and mysis through a tube about 2 times a day, but he's just skin and bones. What should I do to "healthy" this guy up? :confused:
     
    MishaelAQ, Apr 28, 2009
    MishaelAQ, Apr 28, 2009
    #1
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  2. 71sbeetle

    71sbeetle Fire Shrimp

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    both mine got skinny, and then they started swimming towards the top (to get more oxygen I guess) before they died. my parameters were all good, but I think my pump was too weak maybe ? I was eating pretty good until they started swimming on top. Good luck !
     
    71sbeetle, Apr 28, 2009
    71sbeetle, Apr 28, 2009
    #2
  3. MishaelAQ

    MishaelAQ Astrea Snail

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    Location:
    Louisiana
    Thanks.....Hope mine doesn't go that way.

    I had been told that scooters feed in well established live rock. I guess feeding on all the little critters that have grown in the live rock. With a "little" bit of supplement feeding they should be fine. Seems I have to do a ton of feeding to keep him alive. Was this info just bad info? Is my live rock not "live" enough? Any thoughts on live rock and what it can and cant support. Or am I just way off!
     
    MishaelAQ, Apr 28, 2009
    MishaelAQ, Apr 28, 2009
    #3
  4. stepperbabe

    stepperbabe Astrea Snail

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    New Orleans
    hello,get some more live rock, if you can, fill your tank .,the more you have the fatter he'll get., his natural crustations that he loves is on their, the more rock the more food.
     
    stepperbabe, Apr 28, 2009
    stepperbabe, Apr 28, 2009
    #4
  5. tigermike74

    tigermike74 Panda Puffer

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    Blennies are extremely hard to take care of in general. My tank is over 5 years old with enough LR and a fuge, and I couldn't keep my blenny alive. I can keep anemones but not blennies, go figure. A year is still a fairly new system as far as life goes. You may want to dose your tank with a jar of copepods and amphipods to help him out.
     
    tigermike74, Apr 28, 2009
    tigermike74, Apr 28, 2009
    #5
  6. MishaelAQ

    MishaelAQ Astrea Snail

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    Location:
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    Thanks. Today I did just that. Went to the LFS and got a jar or copepods. Havent dosed just yet. They told me to dose the entire jar with the pumps off for about an half hour and after the lights have been off for about an hour also. What yall think? I wanna get this right!
     
    MishaelAQ, Apr 30, 2009
    MishaelAQ, Apr 30, 2009
    #6

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  7. Robman

    Robman Great White Shark

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    Do you run a refugium???
     
    Robman, Apr 30, 2009
    Robman, Apr 30, 2009
    #7
  8. MishaelAQ

    MishaelAQ Astrea Snail

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    No...This is a Nano Cube 12 Gal. set up.
     
    MishaelAQ, Apr 30, 2009
    MishaelAQ, Apr 30, 2009
    #8
  9. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Location:
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    These fish need to be researched/treated as all other dragonettes are with feeding. The name blenny was given to the fish in hopes to foil potential buyers from being discouraged. As with the other common dragonettes(mandarin "gobies" and psychadelic "gobies"), they have restricted diets, high mortality and require established tanks with lots of l/r and a refugium. Sure, there are exceptions. Normally when a dragonette has begun to starve and shows signs (sunken belly) death is almost iminent. Again, there are exceptions. You may want to drop some dough on a bunch of copepods dose the tank. If you don't have a refugium, look into adding one. These fish can also be trained to accept prepared foods and pods are easy to culture.........
    I think your dragonette has bad odds.....................Unless, you actually have a blenny.
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2009
    missionsix, Apr 30, 2009
    missionsix, Apr 30, 2009
    #9
  10. MishaelAQ

    MishaelAQ Astrea Snail

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Louisiana
    Thanks for the advice and Info... I didnt know that. I'll have to look into doing something like that.
     
    MishaelAQ, Apr 30, 2009
    MishaelAQ, Apr 30, 2009
    #10
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