Blackline fang blenny
Meiacanthus nigrolineatus
Also known as Blackline Blenny, Black-Lined Fang Blenny, Blackline Sabretooth Blenny
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 3.5 in
- 9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Blenniidae
- Origin
- Native to the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean, on coral reefs and rubble slopes.
Overview
The blackline fang blenny is a small, peaceful fang blenny for a saltwater reef tank. It is a good first fish.
Did you know
The blackline fang blenny is now commonly captive bred, which takes pressure off wild reefs. Captive-bred fish are hardy, too.
Caring for the blackline fang blenny
Keep the blackline fang blenny in a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or larger, and fit a lid, since it can jump. It returns to a rock hole for shelter, so give it rockwork with holes.
Hold the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Offer small meaty foods along with some algae-based fare. It has a fast metabolism, so feed it two to three times a day.
The blackline fang blenny is peaceful and solitary. It is reef safe and does not harm corals or clams. Its venomous bite lets it live safely alongside much larger fish. Breeding it takes some experience.
Good to know
Meiacanthus nigrolineatus is a fang blenny in the family Blenniidae, also sold as the blackline blenny or blackline sabretooth blenny. It has a blue head, a yellow body and a dark stripe along the top of the back. Its lower jaw carries grooved fangs that bear venom, and a predator that swallows it is bitten and spits it back out. This defense is why several other fish evolved to look like it, among them the harmless Red Sea mimic blenny.
In the wild
The blackline fang blenny is native to the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean, where it lives on coral reefs and rubble slopes. It hovers in the open above the reef, grazing and picking small food from the rock and water.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The blackline fang blenny is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Ocellaris clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Percula clownfish
Amphiprion percula
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Yellow watchman goby
Cryptocentrus cinctus
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Camel / dancing shrimp
Rhynchocinetes durbanensis
Saltwater2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Tiger / strawberry conch
Conomurex luhuanus
Saltwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Firefish
Nemateleotris magnifica
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a blackline fang blenny need?
A blackline fang blenny needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a blackline fang blenny need?
A blackline fang blenny is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a blackline fang blenny eat?
A blackline fang blenny eats small meaty foods along with some algae-based fare. It has a fast metabolism, so it does best fed two to three times a day.
How big does a blackline fang blenny get?
An adult blackline fang blenny reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).
Related species
3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Mozambique fangblenny
Meiacanthus mossambicus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
4.3 in (11 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–79°F (23–26°C)Striped poison-fang blenny
Meiacanthus grammistes
4.3 in (11 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)26 gal (100 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Disco blenny
Meiacanthus smithi
3.1 in (8 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)
4.3 in (11 cm)30 gal (114 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Forktail fang blenny
Meiacanthus atrodorsalis
4.3 in (11 cm) · 30 gal (114 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Canary fang blenny
Meiacanthus oualanensis
3.9 in (10 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Lined blenny
Ecsenius lineatus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)