Midas Blenny -

[Eva Rose]

After getting opinions on blennies from R2R, I am now interested in adding a midas blenny (Ecsenius midas)! I have 2 questions:
1- Does anyone have info or preference for the "African Midas Blenny" vs the "Midas Blenny"??
From what I've been able to find online the African is a deeper more golden yellow (and gets a little larger). While the one referred to a "Midas Blenny" (from Maldives or Indonesia) is more a bright yellow. If you have pics that would help.

Any info would be appreciated (ex: color diff. you noticed / which region has better collection practices / temperament differences). I realize it is the same blenny just different regions but I'm trying to find out more information.

2 - Do you suggest a letting them live in a live rock cave in the tank after qt OR an empty barnacle shell ? Someone suggested a barnacle shell but I don't know how to find one the proper size.
Thanks in advance

 

[Naiad]

Can not answer number one but I would let them live where they want. Reefcleaners sells beautiful barnacle shells in all sizes. I got a couple for my blennies and even my starry Blenny picked one!

 

[Eva Rose]

Can not answer number one but I would let them live where they want. Reefcleaners sells beautiful barnacle shells in all sizes. I got a couple for my blennies and even my starry Blenny picked one!

Thanks!

 

[vedros74]

Mine likes to hide out in a certain spot in a hole in the rocks

 

[rock_lobster]

I had one for a while it would just hang out on a rock wherever.. preferred to be in the water column as much as possible but without a swim bladder the poor guy had to rest frequently. He was a voracious eater with all the energy he expended staying afloat. They are more like feeding wrasse needing like 2-3 feedings every day and unfortunatley unlike most blenny he is a meat eater so will not mess with algae. Need a robust skimming or water changes to keep the system clean.

 

[sromero287]

So far the best and nicest personality fish i ever had "lulu", she acts like a little dog doing tricks for a treat!!! Take care cause they are jumpers too! In reference to the questions here are some info:

1) try if possible get the african Midas, mainly cause the colors, the yellow-golden tone is wayyyy brilliant and deep, the blue line on top of the body is ticker and more brilliant and with the leds looks even fluorescent, lastly and my favorite one their eyes, they look like make up pros!!! Intense blueish and green around the eyes and a little extension to the back!!! All of this are present in the regular Midas Blenny but wayy pale.
The regular time to start seen them around (african ones) is between the end of October until April-May. The regular ones anytime.

2)mine picked a hole anywhere in the rock and the funniest thing is seen her to park always in reverse.

Good luck with yours there are plenty of fun and keep feeding them because they eat a lot!!
Happy reefing.

 

[Eva Rose]

So far the best and nicest personality fish i ever had "lulu", she acts like a little dog doing tricks for a treat!!! Take care cause they are jumpers too! In reference to the questions here are some info:

1) try if possible get the african Midas, mainly cause the colors, the yellow-golden tone is wayyyy brilliant and deep, the blue line on top of the body is ticker and more brilliant and with the leds looks even fluorescent, lastly and my favorite one their eyes, they look like make up pros!!! Intense blueish and green around the eyes and a little extension to the back!!! All of this are present in the regular Midas Blenny but wayy pale.
The regular time to start seen them around (african ones) is between the end of October until April-May. The regular ones anytime.

2)mine picked a hole anywhere in the rock and the funniest thing is seen her to park always in reverse.

Good luck with yours there are plenty of fun and keep feeding them because they eat a lot!!
Happy reefing.

 

[Eva Rose]

That helps a lot! Don't worry about feeding - I have a small harem of Bartletts so I'm used to fish with big appetites. What a great pic - gorgeous midas! In fact the whole tank - stunning coral too!!

 

[michellejy]

Mine has a happy little space in the rock. He would eat endlessly if I let him, but I only feed once a day. Maybe I need to rethink that...

 

[Eva Rose]

Mine has a happy little space in the rock. He would eat endlessly if I let him, but I only feed once a day. Maybe I need to rethink that...

You were a big influence in making me want this blenny! Love your descriptions of how fun they are.

 

[ngvu1]

I have had a few in the past. The last one I got surely looked like an African blonde midas at the store. However, after a few months in my tank it turned darker and looked just like any other pacific midas.....well it looked like sromero287's in my tank.

 

[jlanger]

I'm a big fan of the Ecsenius spp. blennies and I keep an African Midas Blenny in my 120gal.
I prefer the deeper color; especially the rosy orange color through the main body.



Excuse the blurry pic, but these fish are very active swimmers for a blenny.
One of the side benefits of having the Midas Blenny is that they form a "relationship" with any anthias you may have in the tank. In the wild, the blennies swim with the harems of anthias to blend in from predators. I have a male with four female Lyretail Anthias that my blenny swims with all the time. My male anthias will even try to exert dominance over the blenny, but the blenny will have none of it! The blenny will stand its ground and go face to face with the anthias.



And I wouldn't worry about making them a home, if there's a hole in the rock they will find it!



Overall, these are great reef fish.
As noted, they're not algae pickers. You will need to feed them a varied diet. I feed my tank LRS Frenzy Blends and the fish love it.

Good luck!

 

[Eva Rose]

I'm a big fan of the Ecsenius spp. blennies and I keep an African Midas Blenny in my 120gal.
I prefer the deeper color; especially the rosy orange color through the main body.



Excuse the blurry pic, but these fish are very active swimmers for a blenny.
One of the side benefits of having the Midas Blenny is that they form a "relationship" with any anthias you may have in the tank. In the wild, the blennies swim with the harems of anthias to blend in from predators. I have a male with four female Lyretail Anthias that my blenny swims with all the time. My male anthias will even try to exert dominance over the blenny, but the blenny will have none of it! The blenny will stand its ground and go face to face with the anthias.



And I wouldn't worry about making them a home, if there's a hole in the rock they will find it!



Overall, these are great reef fish.
As noted, they're not algae pickers. You will need to feed them a varied diet. I feed my tank LRS Frenzy Blends and the fish love it.

Good luck!

 

[Eva Rose]

Your photos make me excited about getting one! Also I think it will be good for my 4 Bartletts to have a fish with a little spunk/sass to hold its own in my peaceful tank. I really like the LRS Reef Frenzy. I need to look into their other LRS blends.

 

[michellejy]

I'm a big fan of the Ecsenius spp. blennies and I keep an African Midas Blenny in my 120gal.
I prefer the deeper color; especially the rosy orange color through the main body.



Excuse the blurry pic, but these fish are very active swimmers for a blenny.
One of the side benefits of having the Midas Blenny is that they form a "relationship" with any anthias you may have in the tank. In the wild, the blennies swim with the harems of anthias to blend in from predators. I have a male with four female Lyretail Anthias that my blenny swims with all the time. My male anthias will even try to exert dominance over the blenny, but the blenny will have none of it! The blenny will stand its ground and go face to face with the anthias.



And I wouldn't worry about making them a home, if there's a hole in the rock they will find it!



Overall, these are great reef fish.
As noted, they're not algae pickers. You will need to feed them a varied diet. I feed my tank LRS Frenzy Blends and the fish love it.

Good luck!

My Midas Blenny was always in the lyretail anthias photos, and it never clicked until I read this!

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have found diet and surroundings have far more to do with coloration potential of midas blennies than regions collected. I have seen vividly colored Indo collected midas blennies and have seen paler African ones. I have seen some start out vividly and lose their colors. I have seen some start out duller and color up.

The best results come from feeding a varied diet, giving them a nice hole they can back their bodies into, and keeping them with open water planktivores, preferably anthias, as they mimic and socialize with anthias in the wild.