All fish / Blenniidae

Triplespot Blenny

Crossosalarias macrospilus

Also known as triple spot blenny, three spot blenny, triplespot rockskipper, spotted blenny, ミツボシギンポ, 大斑跳岩鳚

This is a small, slender combtooth blenny with a pale body covered in small orange-red spots and a dark spot behind the eye. It has a blunt head and a long dorsal fin, and it spends its time perching on rocks. Keepers like its lively character and the fact that it grazes on algae in reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Keep singly; one per tank unless the tank is very large

Diet

Omnivore: grazes algae and film off rock, plus frozen mysis, brine shrimp and small meaty foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, northern Australia, Great Barrier Reef to Samoa and Tonga

Breeding

Males guard eggs laid in rock crevices or holes. The larvae are pelagic and tiny, so captive rearing is rare and difficult.

Good to know

It can be territorial towards other blennies and similar bottom-dwellers, so keep only one. Use a tight lid because blennies can jump, and give it plenty of live rock to graze.