Long Overdue: Captive-Bred Lawnmower Blennies!

They're so commonplace that one might have assumed that it had already been done, but we had to wait until 2023 for someone to successfully breed the Lawnmower Blenny, Salarias fasicatus, and actually publish the news! You can get them directly from The Biota Group! — They’re so commonplace that one might have assumed that it had already been done, but we had to wait until 2023 for someone to successfully breed the Lawnmower Blenny, *Salarias fasicatus*, and actually publish the news!

A long overdue captive-bred first, I can find no prior records of actual captive-breeding success with the ubiquitous Lawnmower Blenny, Salarias fasicatus. I remember first reading about the sexual dimorphism and captive-spawning of the species in CORAL Magazine’s April/May 2008 issue (Volume 5, Number 2). Presumably, this article may be the reason that some online references suggest that the species may have been captive-bred. However, there are no records of juveniles actually being produced, and no prior cases of the species being offered as actually captive-bred.

Since those first reports in CORAL Magazine, it has taken another 15 years to finally see this captive-bred first actually becoming a reality. In some respects, this isn’t really surprising, given that the Lawnmower Blenny tends to be an inexpensive, utilitarian addition to most saltwater aquariums. However, for anyone on a quest to stock their reef with aquacultured fish and corals, having captive-bred algae control in the form of the Lawnmower Blenny is an exciting, welcomed addition to the trade’s ever-growing list of captive-bred fishes. Now, the official announcement from Biota:

– Matt Pedersen

via The Biota Group

Juvenile captive-bred Lawnmower Blennies, Salarias fasciatus, being offered into the aquarium hobby by The Biota Group.

Salarias fasciatus – The Lawnmower Blenny is a classic favorite for reef and marine tanks for its algae-eating prowess. In addition to being a utility fish that helps maintain your tank, they also tend to have adorable personalities that endear them to their humans.

These fish are great for medium to large size aquariums needing an algae-eating fish. This species is generally quite peaceful with other fish species but can become aggressive toward fish with similar body shape, appearance, or diets, especially if they feel they don’t have enough territory.

Captive-bred Lawnmower Blennies are not picky when it comes to feeding and will take most aquarium foods. We recommend a varied diet for these herbivores including Nori seaweed, herbivore preparations, Easy Reefs DKI pellets and Masstick, and Spirulina brine shrimp.

These fish are small on arrival, so be sure to use an acclimation box to introduce them to a tank with larger tank mates.

See more at https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/products/lawnmower-blenny

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