Red Scooter Blenny (Indian Ocean)
Dragonets are enchanting fish; however they are dependent upon live food and are best reserved for experienced aquarists. Their close relatives the scooters are much easier to keep and typically learn to eat frozen food on the substrate. Aggressive tank mates should be avoided. Care should be exercised when transferring this fish in a net as its large cheek spines may become tangled. They spend their days sneaking through the rockwork and over the substrate, and may bury in the sand at night or when frightened. They are prone to accidentally swimming into anemones and being eaten. Males have larger first dorsal fins than females.
Dragonets are hunters of tiny shrimp-like copepods, and they must eat huge numbers of them in order to retain their healthy rotund appearance. Although dragonets are small fish we recommend a well established aquarium of no less than 50 gallons, and preferably larger. Scooters may be kept in as small as 20 gallons if they are feeding well on prepared foods. A refugium is helpful in supplementing the main aquarium with live prey items. Macroalgae may also be kept directly in the aquarium, and feeding of Phytoplankton may encourage copepods to reproduce faster. Tigger pods are a popular first food which this fish finds irresistible.
Fish who directly compete with the dragonet for food should be avoided, primarily sleeper gobies. It should be offered frozen food items such as Calanus, Mysis and enriched brine shrimp on the sand several times a day.
A darling little fish, the Scooter blenny is actually a member of the dragonet family, and is not a blenny at all. Mottled patterns of ruby red and delicate rose cover this fish all over, and it may have a dark mask over its eyes. Males have a large first dorsal fin which they flare up to intimidate rivals. Pairs and harems may be kept together, and in large aquariums even multiple males may be kept together. All fish should be added at the same time. The Red Scooter grows to 2.5 inches.
