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[bfessler]

I picked up a scooter blenny at the Aquarium today. I really like him but when I asked the sales guy if he needed any special diet or care I was told that he would eat any food and pick scraps from the gravel. A web search indicates that these fish are difficult to keep and require lots of live rock and copapods to thrive. Does anyone have any advice for keeping these fish?

I have him in a 20G tank with a Fairy Wrass, lots of live Utah Rock, and Carib Sea Special Grade sand. There are tons of pods (they completely cover the glass), a cleaning crew, a few zoos and acanes but no sump or refugium. Both the fish were added today so I'm not sure how long it will take them to clear out most of the pods. I would like to heare about any experience you have with Scooter Blennies.

Thanks,
Burt

[jhemdal]

Burt,

My experience with scooter "blennies" has been relatively poor over the years, but the larger red ones seem to do o.k. I wonder if it is a combination of being a typical dragonet, that they need copius live foods (copepods, etc.) and being so common, they are handled in bulk, and may not have recevied the best of care through the supply chain getting to you.
I think you will find that this scooter will strip the living food out of your small tank in short order - possibly less than a month. I think the best food to try and get it to eat before you reach that point would be diced up mysid shrimp (should be available at a full-line pet store, but you might need to call around).

Jay