Blennie acting strange

[tabsta]

I've had this blennie almost since set up, got him from the local
beach, at first he was this little brown and white thing, but now...
s/he's grown really big and gotten different shaped fins, more
colours and markings etc, yet the other one (who looks very similar)
has stayed very small.

Do blennies operate the same as clowns ie. girl gets big, male stays
small? I have another blennie (this one is dark brown all over) who
has grown bigger and changed etc too.

My question is about his/her behaviour. My tank isn't in the best
condition, I have just moved house and tank and the two or so weeks
before i didn't really see the little guy much, but when i saw him
again he's changed quite a bit. He's probly about 10cm and the
little one's about 6cm long, inc tail. Is this like a maturing thing
they do? Also he's been hiding out in the hole/spot in the LR and
almost seems to guard it, hangs around there a fair bit, peeks out
then hides back in the hole. He was acting strange the other week
when next to the little brown/white one. Almost showing off,
wiggling around.

I read in one of my books that s/he mite be breeding? Is this a
possibility? If so, what do I have to look out for? Its difficult
to check out his hiding spot as its at the back of the tank against
the wall, but i'll sure try.

Any comments / suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[tabsta]

Blennie acting strange...why?

Duplicate post moved and merged with above... steve-s

 

[steve-s]

It does sound like possible mating behavour. If you are unable to identify the gobies, it would be best if you posted a pic of both fish. Even among conspecies, the mating behavour and male/female differences can vary...

Cheers
Steve

 

[tabsta]

ok, well i don't know exactly what type it is, as i got it from the local beach and i have yet to find a picture that looks anything like it.
when he was smaller he was (divided horizontally in half) brown and white, with little black dots on it. just like the other one is, who hasn't grown much at all.
s/he's now gone a greeny/yellow colour and has this long fin down his spine which has a black edge to it with a black dot on the fin near his tail. he's got these reflective shiny lines n various places, and his tail is now fan like bigger than before. i'm yet to get a picture as he never stays still long enough and is hiding at the back of the tank. i'm not even sure if he has little 'antler' things on his head.
will do my best to try and get a picture.

 

[steve-s]

Have you checked <<here>>?

Cheers
Steve

 

[tabsta]

thanks steve, that site was really interesting, i still haven't found anything quite like my little one, but i'll try to get a pic after work today

 

[steve-s]

I was hoping that would have helped but I do have another site that will be sure to get the right one unless you get the pic. I do warn you though, it is image intensive so if you have dial up, you might not like it...

GOBY FRONTIERS ; Image Archives

Cheers
Steve

 

[tabsta]

looked through there, saw some similar, but nothing the same. he's kinda yellow and green with flecks of that reflective stuff, one fin down his back with black edging and no antlers i don't think.
will get picture tonite, still looking for more pics

 

[tabsta]

about my blennie

ok well recently i've been watching it heaps and its very possesive of its space (which is in this hole in the live rock at the back of the tank) anyone that comes close gets chased away and s/he only leaves to get food then rushes straight back to the hole. s/he sits in this hole and kinda fans himself with his fins, instead of sitting still, s/he moves his/her fins around. its really difficult to get a photo, i've tried all weekend, got some that are a little blurry, and i can't see in the hole if there is eggs or anything as i can't fit my head behind the tank, and i can't get a good pic with the camera. i'll try to upload some tonite, but they aren't that good.

 

[steve-s]

This is the last one I can think of, although they are ussually quite timid.

Pholidichthys leucotaenia

Cheers
Steve

 

[tabsta]

s/he looks similar to this blennie in the link (as in shape and fins etc) but the colouring is different, and mine is approx 10cm long. looks similar as it has the reflective stripes and did have dots, but now its got a black line of the edge of its fin, a black dot on the tip fin near his tail.
http://www.livingreefimages.com/Page32.html

 

[steve-s]

Salarias fasciatus

Cheers
Steve

 

[tabsta]

my blenny

it doesn't look like that last link, although i took the pic of the combtooth one and drew on it colours that apppear on my blenny. its not the best idea of him, but we will get a good photo one day. i do live in australia so i don't know if that makes any difference to types of blenny's. please see my folder of photos for the modified photo.

once again, thanks for all your help steve.