Scientific Name:
Salarias fasciatus
Family:
Acanthuridae
Common Names: Lawnmower Blenny, Algae Blenny, Jeweled Rockskipper, Jeweled
BlennyDescription:
Lawnmower Blennies are fairly drab looking with a long
whitish body and gray to tan colored vertical bars on the sides. A
long dorsal fin extends the length of the body. Small light-blue dots adorn
the face. Delicate feathery projections called 'cirri' around the face
lend character.
Natural Environment:
Indo-Pacific
Care:
Reef Suitability:
Lawnmower Blennies are usually very good reef tank inhabitants in larger tanks.
While somewhat plain, they are personable fish. They spend most of their
day perched on rocks surveying their surroundings followed by short bursts of
algae munching, then back to their perch. There have been some reports of
them picking on clam mantles or stony corals, but I have never seen that
behavior, so it is probably a minimal risk.
Disposition: May chase or bully
other fish in close quarters, but usually not an issue in larger tanks.
Should be kept as single specimens or as a male/female pair in tanks less
than about 55 gallons.
Feeding: Lawnmower Blennies are primarily vegetarian.
They have teeth that are adapt at scraping algae from the surface of
rocks and the walls of the tank. They are frequently introduced to help
control hair algae, but they seem to prefer to eat film type algae.
They will usually take frozen or dried vegetable foods like Formula 2
and sometimes will take meaty foods like bloodworms. They do best
in tanks that have algae on which they can forage throughout the day.
Hardiness: Very hardy.
Temperature: Does well within normal reef tank
temperature ranges of at least 75-84°F.
Size: Grows to maximum of about 5" in length.
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