Forktail Blennie...OOPS! - Aquarium Advice

CluelessInNY · 06-20-2008, 05:02 PM

OK, so I was captivated by this blennie and I had read that the blennie family of fish are generally wonderful and docile. This guy, however is considered a venomous fish(!!!) I bought, brought him on the advice of my least favorite LFS guy ( I always get this knucklehead ) and now I read that this fish might bite and attack me if I stick my hand in the tank with it's venom. Ummmm, is this a "take it back" fish?
Also, will he attack my clown and goby? I can't see keeping this fish if it's going to inject me with venom when I reach into my tank to right a snail.

Innovator · 06-20-2008, 06:37 PM

Although this fish is capable of inflicting a painful bite, its nature is rather passive and is the case with most animal traits, for self defense.

**roka64** · 06-20-2008, 07:49 PM

I agree, it is a defense mechanism. If swallowed by another fish, they will bite the inside of the fish's mouth, causing pain and releasing the forktail. I had one and he was awesome, I never had any issues with him trying to bite me.

CluelessInNY · 06-20-2008, 07:58 PM

Thanks for hte wisdom guys. I already took him back and exchanged him for a firefish. Even though he likley would never have attacked me, I feel like I would've worried about my other fish, not to mention my fingers the whole time. Maybe someday my I'll reconsider and get one. They are beautiful fish.

austinsdad · 06-20-2008, 09:53 PM

Don't worry about it at all. Get the forktail. VERY amusing personality. They swim out front a lot. I've had 3 of them over the years. Will not get close to your hand for any reason. Besides, after a few weeks, it'll understand clearly that hands/fingers mean food.

I've also NEVER seen a fish attacked by my blennies. Not even a move that resembled self defense towards another fish. If you ever got a fish tht ate smaller fish, I'm sure there'll be issues then, but you will not have the least bit of a problem with any of the fang blennies.

A wonderful fish.

What is it btw? Canary? Fang (blue and yellow)? Ya know, there is a forktail called a called a mimic or something. Looks just like the ones that bite but don't. I'll have to look it up.

austinsdad · 06-20-2008, 10:01 PM

Here's the mimic. RED SEA MIMIC BLENNY - Encyclopedia of Life

Also a shot of my forktail - the venoemous kind. He's great!

**roka64** · 06-20-2008, 10:06 PM

Yeah, I had that one too, I love the way their eyes move.

CluelessInNY · 06-20-2008, 11:01 PM

That's the forktail I had for about an hour LOL! What I read online scared me a bit. For some reason I felt like my clown might get attacked because of the damsel family's propensity for territoriality. I thought my clown my go to shove the blennie and get poisoned or something.
Thanks again guys. I loved it when I saw it in the store and maybe someday I'll even buy one. Right now at 3 fish, my 20 gallon is loaded up

lance · 06-21-2008, 05:40 AM

If you have children that can and will place there hand in there then your taking a chance. Plus you will never feel comfertable placing your hand in the tank. This is a with caution fish. You may never need to worry about it but its everyone else that may come in contact with thats your concern. Peolpe go to jail for there dogs actions , i can see it happing to a reefer.

Unless you can controll what happens 100% of the time then its a liability not worth the chance IMO..

austinsdad · 06-22-2008, 08:53 AM

The fish will NOT attack you or anyone else. Now catch him if you can (Yeah, right)and try to hold him. Then maybe you'll get bit. Otherwise, the fish will not attack. Its a defense mechanism for when someone tries to eat him.

I'll stick my neck out and say no one will EVER get bit.

Oh yeah. The jail thing was a joke, right?

06-20-2008, 05:02 PM	#1
CluelessInNY Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: 20 minutes northwest of NYC Posts: 153	Forktail Blennie...OOPS! OK, so I was captivated by this blennie and I had read that the blennie family of fish are generally wonderful and docile. This guy, however is considered a venomous fish(!!!) I bought, brought him on the advice of my least favorite LFS guy ( I always get this knucklehead ) and now I read that this fish might bite and attack me if I stick my hand in the tank with it's venom. Ummmm, is this a "take it back" fish? Also, will he attack my clown and goby? I can't see keeping this fish if it's going to inject me with venom when I reach into my tank to right a snail. __________________ ...No seriously, I don't know what I'm doing. Last edited by CluelessInNY; 06-20-2008 at 05:09 PM.

06-20-2008, 07:49 PM	#3
roka64 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,009 Images: 12	I agree, it is a defense mechanism. If swallowed by another fish, they will bite the inside of the fish's mouth, causing pain and releasing the forktail. I had one and he was awesome, I never had any issues with him trying to bite me. __________________ Age is relative, you are only as old as you act....of course, this works in reverse.... Questions loved, heeded advice greatly appreciated! Vote for AA Good reading about: Nitrogen Cycle Fishless Cycling Need more help? Articles Acronym List --Scott

06-20-2008, 07:58 PM	#4
CluelessInNY Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: 20 minutes northwest of NYC Posts: 153	Thanks for hte wisdom guys. I already took him back and exchanged him for a firefish. Even though he likley would never have attacked me, I feel like I would've worried about my other fish, not to mention my fingers the whole time. Maybe someday my I'll reconsider and get one. They are beautiful fish. __________________ ...No seriously, I don't know what I'm doing.

06-20-2008, 09:53 PM	#5
austinsdad Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland Posts: 4,000 Images: 12	Don't worry about it at all. Get the forktail. VERY amusing personality. They swim out front a lot. I've had 3 of them over the years. Will not get close to your hand for any reason. Besides, after a few weeks, it'll understand clearly that hands/fingers mean food. I've also NEVER seen a fish attacked by my blennies. Not even a move that resembled self defense towards another fish. If you ever got a fish tht ate smaller fish, I'm sure there'll be issues then, but you will not have the least bit of a problem with any of the fang blennies. A wonderful fish. What is it btw? Canary? Fang (blue and yellow)? Ya know, there is a forktail called a called a mimic or something. Looks just like the ones that bite but don't. I'll have to look it up. __________________ -Ray- "Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!"

06-20-2008, 10:06 PM	#7
roka64 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,009 Images: 12	Yeah, I had that one too, I love the way their eyes move. __________________ Age is relative, you are only as old as you act....of course, this works in reverse.... Questions loved, heeded advice greatly appreciated! Vote for AA Good reading about: Nitrogen Cycle Fishless Cycling Need more help? Articles Acronym List --Scott

06-20-2008, 06:37 PM	#2
Innovator Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,389	Although this fish is capable of inflicting a painful bite, its nature is rather passive and is the case with most animal traits, for self defense.

06-20-2008, 11:01 PM	#8
CluelessInNY Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: 20 minutes northwest of NYC Posts: 153	That's the forktail I had for about an hour LOL! What I read online scared me a bit. For some reason I felt like my clown might get attacked because of the damsel family's propensity for territoriality. I thought my clown my go to shove the blennie and get poisoned or something. Thanks again guys. I loved it when I saw it in the store and maybe someday I'll even buy one. Right now at 3 fish, my 20 gallon is loaded up __________________ ...No seriously, I don't know what I'm doing.

06-21-2008, 05:40 AM	#9
lance Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 205	If you have children that can and will place there hand in there then your taking a chance. Plus you will never feel comfertable placing your hand in the tank. This is a with caution fish. You may never need to worry about it but its everyone else that may come in contact with thats your concern. Peolpe go to jail for there dogs actions , i can see it happing to a reefer. Unless you can controll what happens 100% of the time then its a liability not worth the chance IMO..

06-22-2008, 08:53 AM	#10
austinsdad Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland Posts: 4,000 Images: 12	The fish will NOT attack you or anyone else. Now catch him if you can (Yeah, right)and try to hold him. Then maybe you'll get bit. Otherwise, the fish will not attack. Its a defense mechanism for when someone tries to eat him. I'll stick my neck out and say no one will EVER get bit. Oh yeah. The jail thing was a joke, right? __________________ -Ray- "Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!"

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