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Barnacle Blenny
Blenny

Barnacle Blenny

Acanthemblemaria macrospilus

A tiny, endearing Eastern Pacific blenny that lives head-out of an empty barnacle shell or rock hole, darting out to snatch passing plankton and retreating in a flash. Completely reef- and invert-safe — at 6 cm it threatens nothing — and full of personality, but it needs plenty of small crevices to claim and does best in a mature tank where micro-plankton drifts by. Keep one per hole unless the rockwork offers many separate perches.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
2.4"
Min tank
10 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Rockwork, Caves
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Barnacle Blenny gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Maroon ClownfishMaroon Clownfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Coral HawkfishCoral Hawkfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Antennata LionfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Domino DamselDomino Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Redlip BlennyA small 6 cm perching blenny is easily bullied by the fanged, territorial Redlip over rock perches.Arc-Eye HawkfishA 6 cm perching blenny competes for the same rock perches and is small enough to be bullied or eaten by the Arc-eye.Marine BettaA 6 cm hole-dwelling blenny fits the Betta’s gape; it is exposed at night when the ambush predator hunts.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Zebra Dwarf LionfishZebra Dwarf Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Fuzzy Dwarf LionfishFuzzy Dwarf Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Barnacle Blenny.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Yellow TangYellow Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Sailfin TangSailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Powder Blue TangPowder Blue Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Convict TangConvict Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Regal AngelfishRegal Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Achilles TangAchilles Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Naso TangNaso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Scopas TangScopas Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Keyhole AngelfishKeyhole Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Blueface AngelfishBlueface Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Chevron TangChevron Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Mimic TangMimic Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Powder Brown TangPowder Brown Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Square AnthiasSquare Anthias (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Blue-Throat TriggerfishBlue-Throat Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Crosshatch TriggerfishCrosshatch Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Barnacle Blenny and may harass it.