All fish / Blenniidae

Twinspot combtooth blenny

Ecsenius bimaculatus

Also known as two-spot blenny, twinspot blenny, twin spot blenny, bimaculatus blenny, two spot combtooth blenny, 双斑异齿鳚

A small, slender combtooth blenny, pale to brownish with darker markings and two dark spots near the tail, and a blunt head that sits up on rockwork. It is kept for its lively, inquisitive behaviour, its habit of perching and peering out of holes, and its usefulness in grazing film algae in reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

75 litres

Keep as

Keep singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: grazes algae and biofilm, plus frozen mysis, brine shrimp and quality flakes or pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Philippines, Sabah (Malaysia) and nearby islands

Breeding

Pairs lay sticky eggs inside a cave or hole, and the male guards them until they hatch. Raising the tiny pelagic larvae is difficult and rarely done at home.

Good to know

May squabble with other blennies or similar-looking bottom dwellers, so keep one per tank unless it is a pair. Reef safe, but it may sometimes nip at clam mantles or coral polyps when underfed.