Axelrod's Blenny

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Western Central Pacific: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. Found on shallow, algae-rich reefs from 1 to 15 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Blenniidae. Slender, scaleless body with cirri above the eyes. Reaches up to 6.0 cm in length.

Social Behavior: Peaceful with other families, but highly territorial toward conspecifics and similar blennies. Spends its day perched on rock vantage points.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Reddish-orange posterior with prominent black horizontal stripes, changing to dark brown or black on the head. No sexual dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Suitable for setups of at least 60 liters. Provide plenty of rock crevices and caves for cover. A tight lid is necessary to prevent jumping.

Diet and Feeding: Herbivorous. Feeds on microalgae and biofilm. Supplement with high-quality spirulina flakes, sheets of nori, and occasional frozen foods.

Water Quality: Keep reef parameters stable: temperature 23-27 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.020-1.025. Standard filtration.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Peaceful with open-water species. Do not keep with other Ecsenius species unless the tank is very large. Reef safe.

Aquarium Breeding: Lay eggs in cavities. Males guard the clutch until hatching. Raising pelagic larvae is difficult.

Risks and Diseases: Starvation in newly set up tanks. Highly prone to jumping when startled.