Striped Poison-Fang Blenny

Meiacanthus grammistes

Also known as Striped Blenny, Striped Fang Blenny, Grammistes Blenny, Line-spot Harptail Blenny

SaltwaterFish

Striped Poison-Fang Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes) — Haplochromis · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–79°F (23–26°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 4.3 in (11 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe with caution
Origin: Western Pacific
Family: Blenniidae

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.

Did you know

Its venomous bite makes it nearly untouchable, so several harmless mimic species have evolved to copy its black-and-yellow striped pattern to borrow the protection without having the fangs to back it up.