Is my lawnmower blenny pregnant, or just fat?

Raymond Gathright · May 25, 2017

I've had this blenny for about 4 months now I guess. I noticed that not long after I picked it up it started forming quite the belly. The thing has also grown about an inch on tbat time, from 2 1/2" to 3 1/2". It seems to be very healthy. I feed it Omega One Algea Wafers, normally two a day. One for it and one for tbe crabbies, snails and cops... Probably ought to cut down to just one though...
Anyway, is this little guy/girl just fat or is she pregnant?
Thanks for any information, Raymond

najer · May 25, 2017

I would say fat, I have a jewel blenny that flirts outrageously to be fed, ... natural algae grazers in the tank, I would go down to flake as a treat, they are 1 fish pooping machines!

luke33 · May 25, 2017

Fat, this is pretty normal with these guys.

JaimeAdams · May 25, 2017

Fat, that is fit and trim compared to the one I see over at my neighbors house!

Raymond Gathright · May 25, 2017

Cool! Thanks guys. It's kind of what I figured. This guy eats like it'll never get to eat again ;-) Of course, if it's not eating, it's perched up on a rock somewhere like a great big fat gargollish-budda. It used to hide in all the holes and caves in the live rock. Then it got to big. The last time I saw it go into a cave it like to have not got itself back out... I swear I didn't know whether to laugh or panic!!! Still, as far a color, I think it's one of the prettier fish in my aquarium. It kind of creeps my wife out though. She swears it looks like Jabba the Hut. I'm thinking more along the lines of Admiral Akbar... Thanks again, Raymond

AdamNC · May 26, 2017

If he doesn't look like that 80% of the time then either he's starved or sick. Only once in a while does mine have a normal sized belly.

Raymond Gathright · May 26, 2017

AdamNC said:
If he doesn't look like that 80% of the time then either he's starved or sick. Only once in a while does mine have a normal sized belly.

Cool. It's nice to know it's a happy healthy fishy.
My watchman goby disappeared on me for about two weeks. I had a minor rock fall and I think it got buried. I had given it up for dead, and only thought I felt bad about that. When it finally showed up about two weeks later, it was awfully skinny.
I've been spot feeding it since, and I've noticed in the last few days the little guy is starting to put on a little belly itself. It's finally starting to look happy... well, as happy as a watchman goby can, and healthy. Does my heart good...
Of course, it's probably feeding on pods to, though it doesnt like copepods! I saw a couple of big ones running from my green cromis. They ran towards my watchman's corner and it was hilarious. I swear, the thing looked at me as if to say "Daddy! Bugs! Big bugs!" Mind you, "Sam" os only about 1 1/4" long, so a 3/8" cop os pretty big to it I guess. Anyway, it was funny to me....