The Midas Blenny is a beautiful and unique saltwater fish and tropical fish, hailing from the Indo-Pacific reefs, they will bring plenty of life and character to your aquarium.
The Blenny is a beautiful and long-bodied fish that boasts a neon-yellow colored body and bright blue/black eyes, they are a part of the Blenniidae family and would be the perfect addition to any saltwater aquarium or reef tank.
Ecsenius Midas is the official and scientific name for this Blenny, however, there are some other names that have been adopted for this fish over time, Midas blenny, Persian blenny, lyretail blenny, or golden blenny, is a species of marine fish.
They will often claim holes within rockwork as their home and hiding spot, and you will likely see them pocking their heads rather amusingly out of the whole they call home. In addition to this, they will also burrow in substrate or sand for protection, if not a lot of rockwork is available to them.
These fish are surprisingly shy and quiet by nature initially, however, once they build up confidence, they become active swimmers within your aquarium and spend a lot of time in the open waters, without forgetting their home.
It is important to know with the Blenny species as a whole that on occasion they have been known to behave aggressively with one another, so consideration and care need to be taken into account when introducing them to an established tank.
Requirements and Additional Information
- The minimum tank size is 30 Gallons (115 Liters).
- The Midas Blenny is an extremely hardy little fish and is not prone to disease.
- They are perfect for beginners and even experts alike!
- Make sure that the lid of your tank is on carefully as these fish have been known to jump in the past, you do not want any horror shows when checking up on them!
- They grow to around 5 inches in length (13 cm).
- Midas are very much reef compatible.
- Their average lifespan is between 2 - 4 years, however, some have been known to reach 5 years and even surpass it!
- A question posed by many hobbyists is "are they compatible with predators?", unfortunately, the Midas isn't, they will become a snack for many saltwater reef aquarium predators.
- They are easy to care for and manage, perfect for beginners.
- The pH level in the tank must be between 8.1 and 8.4.
- Tank temperature should be 24°C to 28°C (75.2°F to 82.4°F)
- There isn't too much of a level preference with them, they would ideally be near the live rock in your tank.
As mentioned previously, they can be aggressive with other Blennies, so it is strongly advised to keep them singularly, without others unless you have a large aquarium set up where they are unlikely to cross paths often.
Feeding the Midas Blenny
Feeding any fish is always a process, from research to identifying and then purchasing the correct foods for your fish's specific needs and requirements, there is usually a lot that goes into it, especially when dealing with saltwater fish as they sometimes are fussier than others.
Fortunately, the Blenny has no special requirements for feeding, which is great. They are omnivores and will require a varied and balanced diet to remain healthy and stable.
They are quick eaters too, so you have to make sure the rest of your community are getting a fair share of the food. They will literally accept most foods within reason, live foods, frozen foods, and flaked foods are all perfect for them in order to sustain a balanced diet.
Acclimatization
When it comes to acclimatization, you must place your fish in a bucket and then drop acclimate for around 1 hour (60 minutes) at a steady rate of 3 drips per second. This will bring the Blennies water parameters in line with that of your tank.
Once your fish has been drip acclimated, you must then catch it with a net and place the Blenny into your tank gently. It is important not to put any water the fish originally arrived in, into your tank.
Final Summary
In conclusion, this fish is not only beautiful on the outside, but they have an incredible personality and character on the inside too and will provide countless hours of entertainment for any hobbyist.
They have a cheeky nature, but also a shy one initially, once they come out of their shell, or in Midas Benny's case, their hole, they will be a lively addition to any community.
As mentioned previously, it is important to separate them from fellow Blennies as they can get aggressive, and you do not want a chaotic environment within your community as it can unsettle the whole tank, and cause serious injuries.
They will, however, they will do well with other fish of a different species, and suit large tanks with massive, thriving communities.
They are compatible with most other saltwater fish species, and in particular, non-blenny species that are of a similar size. You can, although not recommended, introduce another Blenny to your tank if it is big enough, with enough other fish in there.
Best tank mates for the Midas Blenny
- Centropyge loriculus (Flame Angelfish)
- Ctenochaetus tominiensis (Tomini surgeonfish)
- Dascyllus trimaculatus (Threespot dascyllus)
- Xanthichthys sp (Red Tail Triggerfish)
- Pseudanthias squamipinnis (Sea Goldie)
- Amphiprion ocellaris (Clownfish)
- Valenciennea puellaris (Diamond watchman goby)
- Paracheilinus mccoskeri (McCosker's flasher wrasse)