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If you’re looking for a popular fish to add to your tank, the Scooter Blenny, or Synchiropus ocellatus, is a great pick. This fish species is known for its active interactions in the aquarium, with its name derived from the “scooting” it does along the bottom of the tank. It’s an entertaining fish with a bit of upkeep needed to ensure this fish is healthy.
Here we’ll explore this fish’s nature and how you can care for it. You can then decide whether this fish is right for you.
The Scooter Blenny is an entirely reef-safe fish, as it won’t go after coral and only eats tiny microorganisms. So, if you want to add the fish to a reef tank, you don’t need to worry about any damage to your coral. They don’t even perch on coral the way other mobile fish do.
Scooter Blennies are very particular about the food they like, which is where you may encounter some difficulty with this species as an aquarist. You can typically feed these fish microorganisms such as copepods, but they may also eat small crustaceans like Mysis shrimp.
Keep in mind that these fish, apart from being picky, are also slow eaters. Their limited mobility can have them chasing their meals, which is why it’s often best to hand-feed these fish. Not only do they have a hard time feeding, but they also need regular meals to sustain themselves. You’ll want to stick to a strict feeding schedule with these guys, making this area the only issue you’ll likely encounter with the Scooter Blenny.
Yes, it’s possible to keep more than one Scooter Blenny in your tank. It depends on the size of your tank. If your tank is around 10 to 50 gallons, you can keep around two to three Scooter Blennies comprising only one male. However, you’ll want a much larger tank if you want to keep multiple males.
To keep your Scooter Blenny happy and healthy, you’ll need plenty of live food and a flourishing environment that supports the blenny. Specifically, you will need live sand bed, live rock, and diverse microfauna. Consider setting up a refugium that allows for the growth of copepods and other live food sources. Once these organisms have grown enough, they’ll spill over into the main tank.
This means you’ll need to prepare the tank for several months before it’s inhabitable for a Scooter Blenny.
Scooter Blennies can get up to five inches long when fully grown.
The price of the Scooter Blenny can vary somewhat, but it’s a generally inexpensive fish to purchase. You can find this fish on the market for around $25, with some places selling them for around $60 to $90. If you shop around, you’ll find one for a decent price.
The following are some interesting facts you might not have known about the Scooter Blenny:
The Scooter Blenny pairs well with other blennies in small numbers, but if you plan on keeping more than one Scooter Blenny in your tank, you should consider sticking with one male with one or more females to eliminate competition. However, you can keep multiple males if there’s enough space for the fish to “scoot.”
The Scooter Blenny can get along with other species, as long as it’s not a potential victim. Some good tank mates include Lawnmower Blennies, Mandarins, Green Blennies, Clownfish (when paired with larger Scooter Blennies that won’t become food), and Watchman Gobies.
Scooter Blennies are widely available. You’ll find them at some of the following merchants, for example:
As long as you’re up for the challenge of keeping these fish well-fed, the Scooter Blenny is a great addition to a saltwater aquarium.