Bicolor Blenny

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 4"
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons   • Water Conditions: 72-80° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
• Diet: Herbivore   • Origin: Indo-Pacific
• Family: Blenniidae   • Species: Blennies   • Aquarium Type: Reef Compatible

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Native to the many rocks and crevices within the tropical reefs of the Indo-Pacific, the Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor) is a readily available aquarium favorite and an excellent "nano" or "reef-safe" species for beginners as well as the more experienced hobbyists. Bicolor Blennies are intelligent, have outstanding personalities, comical mannerisms, and love to find a place to perch and watch what's going on around them; they will definitely add fun and personality to any reef aquarium.

The Bicolor Blenny has an elongated body with a dark purple-gray to blue anterior shifting to a bright yellow to orange posterior. They have long cirri protruding from between their blue-rimmed eyes, are equipped with combed teeth for algae grazing and will prosper in an established aquarium with mature algae growth. Males can be identified as being larger than females and will have an extension of their first dorsal fin.

The Bicolor Blenny requires an aquarium of at least 30 gallons and should be provided with plenty of live rock for perching and hiding places; rock-work should be supported as Bicolor Blennies are active diggers and will frequently move rubble, sand, shells, and other small debris, to suit their needs. Blennies are known to be excellent jumpers, so a secure top is recommended for their aquarium.

They are normally peaceful bottom dwellers, but they can be territorial and have been known to quarrel with other Blennies, small Gobies, Dartfish and species that have similar color patterns (e.g. Royal Gramma, Bicolor Pseudochromis). They are considered to be reef-safe, but have been observed -in smaller systems- picking at the mantles of clams and LPS corals when underfed (well fed specimens in larger systems rarely exhibit this behavior).

The Bicolor Blenny is a herbivore and should be fed a variety of seaweed and marine algae-based, prepared foods in addition to algae that is present in the aquarium. Although requiring vegetable matter in their diets, Bicolor Blennies have also been known to eat other foods such as live, frozen, freeze-dried, and vitamin enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped mysis shrimp, and finely chopped krill as well as various pellets and flake foods. Feed twice per day.