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If you’re searching for an affordable and resilient fish that’s fun to have, the Tailspot Blenny is a solid pick. The Tailspot Blenny’s scientific name is Ecsenius stigmatura and it comes from the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines and Indonesia. It makes for a entertaining fish in an aquarium, with plenty of personality.
To learn more about how to care for this fish and find out whether it’s right for you, read on in our care guide.
Some Tailspot Blennies are reef-safe, but not all of them are. It’s uncertain whether they nip at coral to eat it or simply to remove the algae from it, but this species may nip at your small polyp stony corals. On the other hand, some people have no problem keeping these fish in a reef tank, so it varies from fish to fish.
Keep an eye on your fish if you add it to a reef tank. You may want to increase feedings if you notice that the fish nips at your coral. Otherwise, you may want to place the fish in a separate tank away from reefs.
Tailspot Blennies are herbivores that eat mostly algae and other aquatic flora. This is why this fish is a great one to keep your tank clean. However, they can’t survive exclusively on algae, which is why you should feed this species disks or flakes in addition to algae.
Their tendency to move around a lot leads to a high metabolism. As such, you should feed these fish several times a day to keep them happy and healthy.
Tailspot Blennies are hardy fish that can enjoy a longer lifespan if they’re happy and well-fed.
You may notice that your Tailspot Blenny changes colors, which is common among blennies. The fish may change colors depending on the surrounding environment, mood, and lighting.
While typically peaceful among other fish, the Tailspot Blenny may become aggressive toward other blennies, including other Tailspot Blennies and other species. They’re highly territorial, making it important to avoid keeping these blennies with others in most cases. If you plan on keeping more than one Tailspot Blenny, make sure there’s plenty of space for each.
The price of a Tailspot Blenny isn’t very high, much like other blennies. You can find this fish on the market for around $22 to $50, depending on factors such as the size and type of Tailspot Blenny. You can find the right deal if you shop around at various merchants.
The following are some interesting facts about the Tailspot Blenny:
The Tailspot Blenny gets along well with other fish, but it will attack other blennies if there’s not enough space. Avoid keeping more than one Tailspot Blenny unless there’s plenty of space or if you only have one male.
Some other potential tank mates that get along well with this blenny include:
Many fish stores sell Tailspot Blennies, including the following locations:
If you want a fish that’s relatively easy to maintain and very affordable, you can’t go wrong with the Tailspot Blenny in most cases.