charnelhouse Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 I'm starting this thread for the purpose of compiling information on "barnacle blennies", primarily focusing on the "real" barnacle blennies in the Acanthemblemaria & Ekemblemaria genera. There may be others that are "real" by my definition below, if anyone has experience, please add it! By "real" I mean species that are known to spend most of their time living in a hole, crevice or mollusk tube and "dart" out of the tube to feed. They should also be able to live communally without excess aggression. I recently added two Ekemblemaria myersi (eyebrow barnacle blenny or reefsand blenny) and a single Acanthemblemaria hancocki (Panamic barnacle blenny) to my 40 gallon (see build thread in sig for pics). The two myersi are very different in color form, one being nearly black for the most part and the other a very light grey (my daughter has named them Witchmoth and Lunamoth respectively ). I have no idea if the color difference is significant in regards to sexual dichroism or not, but they are definitely the same species. As of today they have been in the tank for 4 days. All are eating well on frozen and eat mysis, roe (reef caviar) and arctic pods. I haven't tried anything else to this point. I have a large barnacle cluster in my tank and the hancocki and one of the myersi (Lunamoth) seem to have taken up permanent residence so far. The other myersi (Witchmoth) was in one of the barnacles for the first 24 hours then moved to the sand bed. It is still eating and occasionally goes back to a hole in the rock, but has stayed in the open for the most part. I hope this isn't a bad sign. My two A. ocellaris have started paying it some unwanted attention in the last 24 hours, maybe needing to get away from them will be incentive for it to move back to the barnacle cluster. If anyone else has knowledge or experience with these fish please add it. There is not a lot of info out there to be found. I will add to this as I gain more experience with them. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Unfortunately I cannot give you any long-term analyses. I have tried many times to keep A. hancocki but have failed. All looked healthy, ate well, some for several weeks, but all just disappeared. I can tell you that they don't give a single damn about barnacles. They like any kind of hole in rock that they can chill out inside, and as long as your tank has that, they'll find whichever they like best. Sometimes they will move between several, but in no way will they preferentially choose barnacles. Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 Unfortunately I cannot give you any long-term analyses. I have tried many times to keep A. hancocki but have failed. All looked healthy, ate well, some for several weeks, but all just disappeared. I can tell you that they don't give a single damn about barnacles. They like any kind of hole in rock that they can chill out inside, and as long as your tank has that, they'll find whichever they like best. Sometimes they will move between several, but in no way will they preferentially choose barnacles. Interesting observation, thanks for contributing Benny. Did you have a barnacle cluster in your tank? Granted it's been under a week, but my A. hancocki moved into one of the barnacles in my cluster in less than 24 hours and has basically stayed put once he found one he liked. He was in a very large one for a few hours and never seemed comfortable there, but once he found a hole that was a closer fit he hasn't left it other than to grab food. The two E. myersi on the other hand both seem to move around the tank from spot to spot and take to holes in the rock just as readily as the barnacle cluster. But they move back to the cluster also. In regards to your A. hancocki attempts, when you say disappear, you just never see them again? Any tank mates that are possibly eating them? Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Interesting observation, thanks for contributing Benny. Did you have a barnacle cluster in your tank? Granted it's been under a week, but my A. hancocki moved into one of the barnacles in my cluster in less than 24 hours and has basically stayed put once he found one he liked. He was in a very large one for a few hours and never seemed comfortable there, but once he found a hole that was a closer fit he hasn't left it other than to grab food. The two E. myersi on the other hand both seem to move around the tank from spot to spot and take to holes in the rock just as readily as the barnacle cluster. But they move back to the cluster also. In regards to your A. hancocki attempts, when you say disappear, you just never see them again? Any tank mates that are possibly eating them? I did have several barnacle clusters in the tank, yes, none of them stayed in them for more than a few minutes at a time! Then again, they were probably thinking that they had won the lotto and now had TONS of houses to live in No fish that could eat them. Chromis, clownfish, and anthias are all i had in there at the time. I think I had a coral beauty angel in there at one point for some of them, but still not nearly large enough to eat them. One of them lived in the overflow for a few weeks before disappearing altogether, but the rest went without a trace. Link to comment
Nano sapiens Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 I had an A. hancocki for a few months. Did great, but one day impaled his head on my pointed tweezers when trying to get at food. Ended up swimming in circles for a week or two before retiring to that 'Great Barnacle in the Sky'... Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 man, thinking of how much I've spent trying to get one of these things that survives has me like Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 I had an A. hancocki for a few months. Did great, but one day impaled his head on my pointed tweezers when trying to get at food. Ended up swimming in circles for a week or two before retiring to that 'Great Barnacle in the Sky'... Oh God, what a terrible mental image. After watching these things feed it is easy to imagine. Sorry to hear that. I'll stick to my Gourmet Defroster and remember to not tweezer feed my tank! man, thinking of how much I've spent trying to get one of these things that survives has me like I can imagine. I got extremely fortunate that I found these on a half price sale at a LFS. I held off for 5 months because the LA price+shipping was prohibitive. Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 Ran home for lunch today and got a few decent pics: A. hancocki in his "condo" A. hancocki & E. myersi in the condo complex The other E. myersi in the rocks with a mugging Venus (A. ocellaris) Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 Noticed the darker E. myersi is getting a little beat up by the clowns. Mostly tail nipping. He's staying out in the open too much. Will have to monitor closely. The other two are fine as they hang out in their holes most of the time. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Clownfish can definitely be dickheads! And people say that other damsels are the aggressive ones!! Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 I just made the executive decision to get him out of the 40. I still have my 6 gallon setup, which sits right next to the 40 and I use for emergency evacuation. Not really a QT, but serves the purpose. His tail is completely shredded. Hopefully he can gain strength and heal up in the 6. Link to comment
metrokat Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Sounds like you need to call in and share your fishy experience on the podcast tonight. Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Sounds like you need to call in and share your fishy experience on the podcast tonight. I would have, but I was at the SDMAS meeting last night during the podcast Link to comment
smeagol108 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Don't want to hijack the thread but anyone have experience with this Blenny: emblemaria pandionis http://www.thatpetplace.com/Emblemaria-pandionis-sailfin-blenny-236093 Got one two weeks ago and so far he is an awesome little fish!!! Not sure it's considered a barnacle blenny or not. Super cool, always in holes, moving from hole to hole with the big sailfin open. Darts out and takes food right out of my Picasso mouth. Lol. Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Added "They should also be able to live communally without excess aggression." to my "definition". Don't want to hijack the thread but anyone have experience with this Blenny: emblemaria pandionishttp://www.thatpetplace.com/Emblemaria-pandionis-sailfin-blenny-236093Got one two weeks ago and so far he is an awesome little fish!!! Not sure it's considered a barnacle blenny or not. Super cool, always in holes, moving from hole to hole with the big sailfin open. Darts out and takes food right out of my Picasso mouth. Lol. I almost added Emblemaria when I started this thread, but have found conflicting information about whether they can live in a group. I'll see what else I can find on them. It may be that they should be included. From Fishbase on E. pandionis: Inhabits areas with clear water, from rocky shores to coral reefs. Often lives in empty worm holes, coral rubble, or edges of channels where holes are available. Shy, leaves hole only for brief periods. That certainly seems to fit the bill. Link to comment
smeagol108 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Added "They should also be able to live communally without excess aggression." to my "definition". I almost added Emblemaria when I started this thread, but have found conflicting information about whether they can live in a group. I'll see what else I can find on them. It may be that they should be included. From Fishbase on E. pandionis: Inhabits areas with clear water, from rocky shores to coral reefs. Often lives in empty worm holes, coral rubble, or edges of channels where holes are available. Shy, leaves hole only for brief periods. That certainly seems to fit the bill. It's a super cool fish and I love fin on it. Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 It's a super cool fish and I love fin on it. Pics and details? Link to comment
smeagol108 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I'll get some pics when my tank clears. Just drained it and refilled to get a cherub out. Very slimy looking at the moment due to all corals being out of water for about twenty minutes. Added "They should also be able to live communally without excess aggression." to my "definition". I almost added Emblemaria when I started this thread, but have found conflicting information about whether they can live in a group. I'll see what else I can find on them. It may be that they should be included. From Fishbase on E. pandionis: Inhabits areas with clear water, from rocky shores to coral reefs. Often lives in empty worm holes, coral rubble, or edges of channels where holes are available. Shy, leaves hole only for brief periods. That certainly seems to fit the bill. Regarding being communal, the lfs I got him from had five in the tank. Now would that work long term I can't say. Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 I'll get some pics when my tank clears. Just drained it and refilled to get a cherub out. Very slimy looking at the moment due to all corals being out of water for about twenty minutes. Regarding being communal, the lfs I got him from had five in the tank. Now would that work long term I can't say. Go buy 3 more! :D Link to comment
smeagol108 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just found a great read on them that clearly says they are communal/colonial http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/3366 And another explaining he differences between a mail and female. May go see if they have a female there I can take home. Link to comment
smeagol108 Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Just left the store. They still had the same group that came in a few weeks ago when I got mine which is a male. Grabbed one I'm pretty positive is a female. Wish me luck!!! This is going in. 16 gallon tank that about 12 gallons of water volume. Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 Cool, hope it goes well! Link to comment
spectra Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I have had the same experience as Jedi with them. They do great and then just disappear to be never seen again. Not sure what happens to them but they are a neat little fish. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 They have such personalities, too, which makes it such a shame! Link to comment
charnelhouse Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 I have had the same experience as Jedi with them. They do great and then just disappear to be never seen again. Not sure what happens to them but they are a neat little fish. They have such personalities, too, which makes it such a shame! Hoping I have a different experience I really enjoy the little goobers. Observations 8 days in. The A. hancocki tends to stay put a lot more than the E. myersi. The relocated E. myersi seems to be doing ok in the 6 for now. Still eating. I haven't been able to get a good look at his tail today to see how/if it's healing. The other E. myersi was getting picked on by the clowns yesterday a little because it was out in the open. It has stayed in a hole since. Probably a good thing. The clowns pay zero attention to the A. hancocki as he stays in his hole basically 24/7 unless he's nabbing food. My other fish (yellowfin flasher wrasse & citron clown goby) pay both species zero attention other than a few initial looks. Neither has shown any aggression. Link to comment
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