Disco Blenny

Meiacanthus smithi

Also known as Smith's Fang Blenny, Smith's Blenny, Disco Fang Blenny

SaltwaterFish

Disco Blenny (Meiacanthus smithi) — Ahmed Abdul Rahman · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank: 26 gal (100 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Ranges across the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, from the Andaman Sea to Indonesia and the Philippines, on coral reefs.
Family: Blenniidae

Overview

Keep it in a 100 litre or larger tank at 23 to 27 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4 with a lid, as it can jump. It is reef safe and does not bother corals or clams. Feed small meaty foods and algae based fare such as mysis, brine shrimp, and spirulina flakes two to three times a day because of its fast metabolism. It is peaceful, and its venomous bite lets it hold its own with larger tankmates.

In the wild

The disco blenny hovers in the open above the reef more than most blennies, dropping back to a rock hole when threatened. It has a pale body, a dark stripe through the eye, and a tall dorsal fin. It picks small animals and algae from the water and rock. It needs live rock with plenty of small crevices to shelter in.

Good to know

Meiacanthus smithi is a fang blenny in the family Blenniidae. Fang blennies carry venomous grooved teeth in the lower jaw, and a fish that bites one is quickly spat back out. This defense means larger predators generally leave them alone.