Harptail Blenny

Harptail Blenny - Elegant Algae-Eating Personality

The Harptail Blenny (Meiacanthus atrodorsalis), also known as the Yellowtail Fang Blenny, is a sleek and elegant addition to reef aquariums. With its streamlined body, distinctive yellow tail, and active swimming behavior, this blenny brings both beauty and practical algae control to your tank. Unlike many bottom-dwelling blennies, the Harptail is a mid-water swimmer that adds constant motion and life to your aquarium while helping keep nuisance algae in check.

Key Features:

• Distinctive Appearance: Sleek body with contrasting dark front and bright yellow tail
• Mid-Water Swimmer: Unlike most blennies, actively swims in the water column rather than perching on rocks
• Algae Control: Grazes on hair algae, film algae, and other nuisance algae
• Peaceful Temperament: Generally peaceful with most tank mates
• Reef Safe: Completely safe with all corals and invertebrates
• Hardy & Adaptable: Easy to care for and forgiving of water parameter fluctuations
• Beginner Friendly: Excellent choice for new reef keepers

Care Requirements:

Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons
Diet: Omnivore - grazes on algae and accepts frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and quality pellets
Temperament: Peaceful; may be territorial with other blennies
Reef Compatibility: Excellent - will not harm corals or invertebrates
Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced - suitable for all skill levels
Adult Size: 4-5 inches maximum

Distinctive Appearance:

The Harptail Blenny has a striking two-tone coloration that makes it instantly recognizable:

• Front half of body is dark gray to black
• Rear half and tail are bright yellow to golden
• Sharp color transition creates a dramatic contrast
• Sleek, elongated body shape
• Large, expressive eyes
• Continuous dorsal fin running the length of the body

Unique Swimming Behavior:

Unlike most blennies that perch on rocks and dart between hiding spots, the Harptail Blenny is an active mid-water swimmer. It constantly patrols the aquarium, swimming gracefully through the water column in search of algae to graze. This active behavior adds motion and life to your tank and makes the Harptail more visible and entertaining to watch than many bottom-dwelling blenny species.

Algae Control Benefits:

The Harptail Blenny is an effective member of your cleanup crew, grazing on nuisance algae throughout the day. It readily consumes:

• Hair algae and filamentous algae
• Film algae on rocks and glass
• Diatoms and other microalgae
• Detritus and organic matter

While not as voracious as some dedicated herbivores, the Harptail provides valuable natural algae control while also accepting prepared foods, making it easier to maintain in tanks with limited natural algae growth.

Feeding:

Harptail Blennies are easy to feed and readily accept a variety of foods. While they graze on algae throughout the day, they should be supplemented with frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, herbivore pellets, and quality flakes 1-2 times daily. A varied diet maintains their vibrant coloration and supports optimal health. Their omnivorous nature makes them more adaptable than strictly herbivorous species.

Behavior & Personality:

Harptail Blennies are active, curious fish that spend most of their time swimming openly in the water column. They're generally peaceful and can be quite personable, often learning to recognize their owners and coming to the front of the tank during feeding time. Their constant swimming and grazing behavior makes them entertaining to watch and adds activity to your aquarium.

Venomous Fangs - Important Note:

Like other fang blennies (Meiacanthus species), the Harptail Blenny possesses small venomous fangs in its lower jaw. These fangs are used purely for defense and are not aggressive weapons. The venom is mild and primarily causes localized pain and swelling if bitten (similar to a bee sting). Bites are extremely rare and typically only occur if the fish is cornered or handled. Normal aquarium maintenance poses no risk, and these fish are completely safe in community reef tanks.

Compatibility:

Harptail Blennies are peaceful and compatible with most tank mates including:

• Clownfish, gobies, dartfish, and other peaceful community fish
• Tangs, wrasses, and other semi-aggressive species
• All types of corals and invertebrates
• Shrimp, crabs, and snails

They may show territorial behavior toward other blennies or similarly shaped fish in smaller aquariums. Provide only one Harptail Blenny per tank unless you have a very large system (75+ gallons).

Tank Setup:

Provide plenty of live rock with caves and crevices where the Harptail can retreat if needed. While they spend most of their time swimming in the open, they appreciate having secure hiding spots nearby. Moderate water flow is ideal, and they adapt well to various lighting conditions. A secure lid is recommended, as blennies can jump if startled.

Mimicry & Defense:

The Harptail Blenny's venomous fangs serve as an effective defense mechanism, and several non-venomous fish species have evolved to mimic fang blennies to gain protection from predators. This mimicry is a fascinating example of evolution in action and highlights the effectiveness of the fang blenny's defensive strategy.

Captive-Bred Advantage:

Our Harptail Blennies are captive-bred, ensuring superior health, disease resistance, and adaptability to aquarium conditions. Captive breeding also protects wild reef populations while providing you with a hardier, more resilient fish that's already acclimated to prepared foods and aquarium life.

Our Harptail Blennies are carefully selected, quarantined, and eating well before shipment. Each fish is backed by our live arrival guarantee, ensuring your elegant new algae-grazing swimmer arrives healthy and ready to bring active personality and practical benefits to your reef aquarium.