Barnacle Blenny

The Barnacle Blenny is a tiny, captivating tube-dwelling blenny that makes its home inside empty barnacle shells and worm tubes on Caribbean coral reefs. At just 1.5 inches in maximum length, it is among the smallest marine fish commonly kept in aquariums. Its oversized head, adorned with elaborate branching cirri, and its comically expressive eyes give it an appearance far more charismatic than its diminutive size would suggest.

In nature, the Barnacle Blenny is rarely seen outside of its tube, peering out with only its head visible as it waits to ambush passing zooplankton. This behavior is faithfully replicated in the aquarium, where the fish will quickly adopt a suitable hole in the rockwork or an empty barnacle shell and spend most of its time peering out with alert, inquisitive eyes. When food passes by, it darts out with remarkable speed to snatch the morsel before retreating instantly to safety.

Despite its tiny size, the Barnacle Blenny is a hardy and entertaining aquarium inhabitant that thrives in well-established nano reef systems. It is completely reef-safe and peaceful toward other species. The primary challenge in keeping this species is ensuring it receives adequate food, as its small size and sedentary nature mean it can easily be outcompeted by more active feeders. Target feeding near its tube opening is often necessary.