Ocular Blenny

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Western Pacific: southern Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Palau. Found on shallow, sunlit reef crests from 1 to 15 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Blenniidae. Slender body with large eyes and branched orbital cirri. Reaches a maximum length of 6.0 cm.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and alert. Spends most of its time perched on rock vantage points, backing into its favorite crevice when threatened.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Light tan to pale grey body marked with 4-5 prominent black eye-like spots (ocelli) bordered by white along the dorsal side. No sexual dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Demands a tank of at least 60 liters with complex rockwork. Provide micro-caves and ledges. A tight-fitting lid is essential.

Diet and Feeding: Herbivorous. Grazer of algae and micro-biofilm. Supplement with spirulina, nori, vegetable flakes, 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 reef filtration.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Peaceful with open-water fish. Can show territorial behavior toward other blennies. Completely reef safe.

Aquarium Breeding: Lays eggs in small crevices. The male guards and aerates the nest. Raising pelagic larvae is difficult.

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