Eyelash Blenny

The Eyelash Blenny is a charming combtooth blenny named for the prominent fringed cirri above its eyes that resemble elaborate eyelashes. These ornamental appendages, combined with the blenny's expressive face and alert demeanor, give it an endearing personality that captivates aquarists. The body is typically mottled brown to olive with darker banding, providing effective camouflage among reef rubble.

In the wild, the Eyelash Blenny inhabits shallow coral reefs and rocky areas throughout the Indo-Pacific, where it grazes constantly on filamentous microalgae growing on hard surfaces. Like other Cirripectes blennies, it is an active and efficient algae grazer that contributes meaningfully to algae control in the reef aquarium. Its constant movement across the rockwork, pausing to scrape algae with its comb-like teeth, makes it one of the more visually active blenny species.

The Eyelash Blenny is hardy, peaceful, and easy to maintain, making it well suited for beginner aquarists. It adapts readily to captive life and accepts prepared algae-based foods with ease. Provide ample rockwork with natural algae growth for grazing, and supplement with algae sheets and spirulina preparations if natural growth is insufficient. This species is completely reef-safe and makes an excellent addition to community reef aquariums.