Lawnmower Blenny

Salarias fasciatus

The lawnmower blenny, Salarias fasciatus (Bloch, 1786) is one of the most sought after fish in the aquarium trade.  What it lacks in color it makes up for with its comical personality and voracious algae eating habits.  In the wild, these fish primary graze on reefs for filamentous algae.  In captivity, they will evoke the same behavior making them a favorite among hobbyists.  They are entertaining to watch as they perch on rocks, occasionally lunging for a mouthful of algae, or darting out to capture a stray piece of food.  These fish are primarily herbivores and will scavenge on a variety of algae include green filamentous, red, or brown but do not generally eat slime or bubble algae.  They will, however, eat other foods that make their way to the bottom of a tank, and at the Sustainable Islands project we feed these fish our hatchery diet as well as frozen brine and mysis, which they readily accept.  These blennies will do best in a tank with live sand and rock on which to graze and find shelter.  They are reef safe but may perch on corals.

Physical Description– These fish have a primarily tan body dappled with gray.  Their dorsal fins and back body have iridescent blue spots and the top of their dorsal fin has red highlights.  These fish have large mouths and a distinctive “lip mark” that is left behind as they clear algae off an area.

Temperament– Lawnmower blennies are peaceful fish that can be housed with a variety of tank mates.  As they mature they will become territorial and fight amongst themselves so only one should be kept per tank.  Some particularly pugnacious individuals may even chase other algae eaters away from their area, but for the most part they remain fairly passive.

Size– One of the larger blennies, these fish can reach a maximum length of 5 inches.

Diet- These fish are primarily herbivores and will scavenge on a variety of algae include green filamentous, red, or brown but do not generally eat slime or bubble algae.  They will, however, eat other foods that make their way to the bottom of a tank, and at the Sustainable Islands project we feed these fish our hatchery diet as well as frozen brine and mysis, which they readily accept.  

Distribution– Lawnmower blennies have an extensive range from the eastern coast of Africa throughout the Indo Pacific to Australia.  Our specimens usually come from Fiji and Bali, with red fin varieties coming from Africa.

Thank you for stopping by and checking out our website! Sustainable Aquatics is an ornamental marine and freshwater fish hatchery, located in Jefferson City, Tennessee.  Sustainable Aquatics’ history and mission are to serve all its constituents; customers, partners, vendors, employees, suppliers, the environment, and future generations by advancing processes and practices that benefit all and make things a bit better in quality, service, delivery, and value.

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