Disco blenny
Meiacanthus smithi
Also known as Smith's Fang Blenny, Smith's Blenny, Disco Fang Blenny
SaltwaterFish
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
- Middle
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Blenniidae
- Origin
- Ranges across the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, from the Andaman Sea to Indonesia and the Philippines, on coral reefs.
Overview
The disco blenny is a small fang blenny for a saltwater reef tank, and an easy one to keep.
Did you know
The disco blenny has imitators. Other fish, and even a few unrelated blennies, copy its look to borrow the protection of its venomous bite.
Caring for the disco blenny
Keep the disco blenny in 26 gal (100 L) or more, and fit a lid, since it can jump. Give it live rock with plenty of small crevices to shelter in.
Hold the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Feed small meaty foods and algae-based fare, such as mysis, brine shrimp and spirulina flakes. It has a fast metabolism, so feed it two to three times a day.
The disco blenny is peaceful and reef safe, and it does not bother corals or clams. Its venomous bite lets it hold its own with larger tank mates. Breeding it is moderately hard.
Good to know
Meiacanthus smithi is a fang blenny in the family Blenniidae, also known as Smith's fang blenny. It has a pale body, a dark stripe through the eye and a tall dorsal fin. Like other fang blennies, it carries 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 fang blennies alone.
In the wild
The disco blenny ranges across the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, from the Andaman Sea to Indonesia and the Philippines. It lives on coral reefs, where it hovers in the open more than most blennies. When threatened, it drops back to a rock hole. It picks small animals and algae from the water and rock.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The disco blenny is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Pajama cardinalfish
Sphaeramia nematoptera
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Royal gramma
Gramma loreto
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–81°F (22–27°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)
Flametail blenny
Enchelyurus flavipes
Saltwater3 in (7.5 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a disco blenny need?
A disco blenny needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a disco blenny need?
A disco blenny is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a disco blenny eat?
A disco blenny eats small meaty foods and algae-based fare, such as mysis, brine shrimp and spirulina flakes. Its fast metabolism means it needs feeding two to three times a day.
How big does a disco blenny get?
An adult disco blenny reaches about 3.1 in (8 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)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)75–81°F (24–27°C)Blackline fang blenny
Meiacanthus nigrolineatus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 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)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Red Sea mimic blenny
Ecsenius gravieri
3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)