General observations

[allan]

Hey folks,

Not an emergency question, not even a real question but rather a conversation of sorts.

I fed my fish last night (I actually do this rather frequently) and my Starry Blenny, as he usually does, spent most of his time swimming at the glass waiting for the next round of food. Last night I decided to pay close attention to him.

I've seen them go solid black to really "starry" often enough. Last night for a moment I thought something was wrong as the SB was really pale. I could still see the stars, but it looked like he was really bleached out (?). Oddest thing. He got darker (normal) after a a few minutes or about the time I stopped feeding.

Additionally I noticed that he was very (and I mean VERY) fat. Looks healthy and muscular, but his belly was very large. I think he may be eating too much.

Any way, I was just curious as to the experiences you all have had with this fish, or for that matter any other particular experiences y'all have had with any other fish in your tanks.

[corruption]

Rapid color shifts aren't unheard of with blennies... but when you say fat, do you mean like, somethings terribly wrong fat (internally swelling) -- or, Thanksgiving was too good fat... Blennies will usually just eat and eat and eat, so I could see one getting round, but if he appears to be swelling, I might be worried..

-Corruption

[Roo&Lis]

I had a starry get super pale and later died. I really don't know what happened because everyone in the tank was happy and then he just went to the back of the tank and croaked. i believe he may have eaten himself to death. that little guy constantly munched.

[Europhyllia]

The fatness may be a blenny thing. I have a tiny blenny (only about 1") and it eats anything - even big mysis, etc.
When he came here he ahd a nice elongated shape and now he looks like a pear. Not sure how you can slow down their eating?

[allan]

C,

I think it's more of a pudgy sort of fat right around the belly area. Color returned to the normal shade rapidly. If I had two blennies I would suggest that perhaps this one was in the family way. I really don't think anything is wrong with him... I hope. I guess I shouldn't have brought it up as now I'll be thinking about it all day.

I've seen this guy snag a big piece of scallop of krill and slowly sink and drift with the current while trying to eat it. This fish definitely eats a lot.

I've been making my own food and may be missing some key nutrients.

[Big_Pun]

i have a lawnmower blenny and its the same, hes got the beer belly look goin, kinda like his owner lol, but it eats everything and is always picking at the glass and rocks, even eats algae off the snails shells

[allan]

lol, know what you mean. I did notice the other day that my glass has a lot of kiss marks on it. Apparently SB tries to eat the algae off the glass, and when he does he leaves a smooch mark.

I have two gobies that I've never seen eat, but they're fat as heck as well. Not like the SB, but they have plump little tummies too. Not as interesting to watch.