Canary Fang Blenny

Care at a glance

Overview

Semi-aggressive toward other fang blennies and similarly shaped fish but a good citizen otherwise, leaving corals, clams and most invertebrates alone. Keep it singly or as a mated pair rather than with an unrelated second fish of the same species. Feed a varied diet of mysis and vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped crustacean flesh and frozen herbivore preparations, since it also grazes on algae and picks at pods between meals.

In the wild

Known only from the reefs around Fiji, where it lives on shallow flats and lagoon margins and shelters in holes left by boring worms and other reef debris. Give it at least 150 liters (40 gallons) with open water for cruising, since it swims through the water column rather than perching on rock like most blennies, plus plenty of live rock to retreat into. A tight-fitting lid is essential, as it jumps through any gap.

Good to know

Like other Meiacanthus species, the canary fang blenny carries a pair of venom-delivering fangs on its lower jaw used strictly in defense. A bite is not dangerous to people but delivers a sharp, localized sting from venom containing opioid-like compounds and enzymes similar to those in some snake venoms. It has one of the most restricted native ranges of any Meiacanthus species, known only from the waters around Fiji, despite being widely available in the aquarium trade.

Did you know

Despite its narrow natural range around a single island group, captive-breeding programs now supply a good share of the canary fang blennies sold in the hobby, easing pressure on its limited wild population.

Related species

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  Forktail Fang Blenny

  Meiacanthus atrodorsalis

  4.3 in (11 cm)30 gal (114 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Striped Poison-Fang Blenny

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• 

  Blackline Fang Blenny

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• 

  Disco Blenny

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• 

  Midas blenny

  Ecsenius midas

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• 

  Bicolor blenny

  Ecsenius bicolor

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