All fish / Blenniidae

Red Sea mimic blenny

Ecsenius gravieri

Also known as mimic blenny, red sea mimic blenny, gravier's blenny, blackline blenny, mimic combtooth blenny, yellow tail blenny, グラヴィエリ・ブレニー, 拟态鳚, 红海拟态鳚

This small combtooth blenny has a pale blue head and front half, a bright yellow rear and a black stripe running along the top of the body. It copies the look of the venomous blackline fang blenny, Meiacanthus nigrolineatus, which helps keep predators away. Keepers like it for its bold, curious character and its habit of perching on rock and peering out of holes.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Keep singly, or as a mated pair in a larger tank

Diet

Omnivore: grazes algae and film, plus mysis, brine shrimp, marine flakes and pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Breeding

Pairs lay sticky eggs in a hole or crevice, and the male guards them until they hatch. Spawning sometimes happens in reef tanks, but rearing the tiny pelagic larvae is difficult and rarely achieved at home.

Good to know

It can be territorial towards other blennies and similar shaped fish, so keep only one per tank unless it is large. It may nip at clam mantles or coral polyps now and then, and is easily confused with the venomous Meiacanthus nigrolineatus it mimics.