Lawnmower Blenny LGE

Lawnmower Blenny

The Lawnmower Blenny has a peaceful temperament and is an active tank member.

Its body colour is white with 7 darker bars running down the sides of its body. The exact colour of the bars varies from grey to brown, depending on mood and background. The bars also have pale blue spots on them, hence the common name “jewelled blenny”.

Lawnmower Blennies are extremely hardy aquarium fish that are also resistant to most diseases. This makes them ideal for beginner aquarists.

There is limited information about breeding the Lawnmower Blenny in captivity. In the wild, during reproduction, the female will lay demersal eggs (they sink to the bottom). The eggs rest on the substrate and are fertilized and protected by the male until they hatch.

The natural habitat of the Lawnmower Blenny is around shallow reef flats, with plenty of algae in the surrounding area. A mature adult can grow to a length of 5 inches (12.7 centimetres).

This species is distributed across the Indo-Pacific, including Solomon Islands, Indonesia, and Fiji.

Tank Recommendations for the Lawnmower Blenny

The smallest tank size we recommend for these fish is a tank of 30 gallons (113.5 litres).

Due to its active personality, it requires a large aquarium with plenty of live rock and rockwork. It will move about, perching on rocks, grazing on microalgae, and hopping over the substrate.

The Lawnmower Blenny is best suited to established aquariums that are already growing plenty of algae.

Unless you are using a much larger tank, it is preferable to make sure the Lawnmower Blenny is the only algae eater. They may starve if there are not sufficient algae for them to graze on.

Suitable Tank Buddies

This species is generally peaceful, but if 2 males or 2 females are housed in a tank that is too small, they will fight to the death.

It is possible to house a paired male and female, but the tank should be at least 100 gallons in order for there to be enough algae available.

Usually Compatible

Lawnmower Blennies do not bother other fish unless they have a similar appearance or compete for algae.

Suitable tank buddies include Angelfish, Anthias, Butterflyfish, Clownfish, Gobies, Pufferfish, Tangs, and reef safe Wrasses.

Sometime Compatible

Care should be taken when attempting to house Blennies with conspecifics, Basslets, Batfish, Cardinalfish, Dragonets, Grunts/Sweetlips, Hogfish, Parrotfish, Pseudochromis, Squirrelfish and Triggerfish.

Rarely Compatible

Lawnmower Blennies should not be housed with Anglerfish/Frogfish, Eels, Groupers, Lionfish/Scorpionfish, Seahorse/Pipefish or Sharks/Rays

A Lawnmower Blenny will make a lively addition to your aquarium, they are easy to source and are ideal for controlling algae.

Feeding Your Lawnmower Blenny

Lawnmower Blennies are herbivores. They will graze on naturally occurring algae in aquariums and can also consume vegetable products such as spirulina and herbivore preparations and flake foods. They should be fed several times per day