Help for my starry :’(

[Zorya]

Hi! So I’ve had my starry blenny for about two weeks now and she was scratching at first, but has since stopped. She came from a fairly reputable lfs that treats all fish with copper and she has been at their store healthy and eating for a few weeks before I purchased her. I would like some advice as to what steps to take in attempt to stop the flesh wound from spreading if possible. I can take her out for qt, but I’d rather not cause her any more stress. 

 

I noticed yesterday that the fire shrimp was picking at her face and she was bothered by it so I looked closer and saw she had a little white wound above her eye. I fed her fish eggs soaked in vitachem and selcon to help her boost her immune system as I saw that this would help a white flesh wound heal with time. 

 

But today it looks like this 😭

It’s very obviously larger in size, but not much deeper. She doesn’t seem perturbed by it because she’s not breathing heavily and also not scratching or having problems eating. She’s currently chowing down on a bunch of nori I put on a rock for her today. 

 

The other info:

My biocube tank (30gal) has been set up for over a month in its currently location. It was set up for about three years prior to me moving it and changing the sand. All the rocks stayed the same. The inhabitants are 2 small clowns, 1 small fang blenny, 1 small cherub angelfish, 2 large chromis, 3 hermits, 1 small bta, 1 fire shrimp, and snails. The starry was added in the middle of the other fish and is also the largest by at least double the size of the fang blenny and chromis and at least quadruple the size of the other inhabitants. From observing the tank for multiple hours in the day close up and far away and at night, none of the inhabitants are fighting, probably because I’ve got about 50lbs of rock and hidey holes all over the tank. Parameters are on with 10% weekly water changes and pruning my macro. I keep my salinity at 1.023 during the summer to help with evaporation so it doesn’t go above 1.025. 

[Zorya]

Well my friend thinks that it got bitten by ‘Mr. Fang Man’ so I’ll just have to keep the water clean and hope it doesn’t get infected. It’s a striped fang blenny (black and yellow, lol) so my starry will survive from the bite.

 

I’m still taking any suggestions!

[Clown79]

2 blennies in 1 rank is not going to work.

 

The fang blenny has a venomous bite.

[Oldsalt01]

When it comes to Blenny's, size is of little account, and generally don't do well with each other unless in a harem or a much larger tank. I'm willing to bet Clown is correct and you fang is the culprit. IMHO, one of them will have to leave. My little Tail-spot is about 1/3 the size of my clown, but if she messes with him, the blenny grabs her by the lower lip and shakes her like a Doberman with a rat. Funny to watch and she seldom messes with him anymore.

[Clown79]

That's the thing, blennies are territorial, in a big tank one might get away with 2 but a nano is a different story.

 

I wish we could keep multiple blennies, they are my favourite.

[Snow_Phoenix]

I don't think having two fairly large blennies in a nano will work - you have to make a choice. Either fangs goes, or starry does. Sorry - it's just, I've done this before - with clown blennies, no less, and it didn't work. I tried it twice, and on both occasions, both fish were fighting - or rather one was harassing the other so badly that I had to remove one and return it back to the store/give it away.

 

Blennies are very territorial by nature, and fang blennies pack a punch in their bites. They're also venomous as mentioned above.

 

I think he did take a chunk out of your starry, because the nano is his territory, and you introduced a competitor/something-similarly-shaped. Fangs wasn't having it. You'll have to give one away. 

[Zorya]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

The starry was in the tank first before the fang and they don't seem to mind each other for now.  The fang came from a tank that was a little larger with a starry in it, but way more fish.  I think for now the dust has settled after territory disputes and everyone has calmed down.  Both fish are very active and have each claimed a few holes as their spots.

 

The starry hasn't gotten any better and not any worse.  I attempted to put some Neosporin on her with my finger and she lets me do it sometimes and sometimes not (shrugs).  I am also scaring away the fire shrimp whenever I get the chance so he doesn't inflict any extra damage.