Striped poison-fang blenny

Care at a glance

Overview

A hardy, generally peaceful blenny that swims and hovers in open water more than most bottom-dwellers. It is coral safe and will not touch corals, but it may eat small ornamental shrimp and feather dusters, which is why it rates caution in a reef. It can turn territorial toward other blennies, gobies and dartfish in smaller tanks, so keep one per tank unless it is a bonded pair. Feeds well on chopped mysis, brine and other meaty foods a few times a day.

In the wild

Native to the western Pacific around Indonesia, the Philippines and northern Australia, living over coral-rich reef and rubble. It shelters in rock caves, overhangs and empty tube worm holes, hovering just above cover. A mature tank with plenty of live rock arranged into caves and crevices gives it nesting and hiding spots.

Good to know

A member of the family Blenniidae, genus Meiacanthus, the fang blennies. It has grooved venom fangs in the lower jaw used purely for defense, delivering a venom that makes predators spit it out. It is routinely captive-bred (for example by ORA), and captive-bred specimens are hardy and well adapted to aquarium food.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Blackline fang blenny

  Meiacanthus nigrolineatus

  3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)

  3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Canary fang blenny

  Meiacanthus oualanensis

  3.9 in (10 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)

  3.9 in (10 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Forktail fang blenny

  Meiacanthus atrodorsalis

  4.3 in (11 cm) · 30 gal (114 L)

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

• 

  Mozambique fangblenny

  Meiacanthus mossambicus

  3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)

  3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Disco blenny

  Meiacanthus smithi

  3.1 in (8 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)

  3.1 in (8 cm)26 gal (100 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Molly Miller blenny

  Scartella cristata

  4.7 in (12 cm) · 30 gal (114 L)

  4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (114 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)