Pholidichthys leucotaenia

Bleeker, 1856

Convict Blenny, Engineer Goby

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Philippines south to the Solomon Islands.

Size: 11 inches (33 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow lagoon and coastal reefs and often found in substrate burrows at night, and in the daytime seen in large schools of juveniles along protected drop-off areas, yet adults are very secretive. Usually found between depths of 10 – 100 feet (3 – 30 m) where it mainly feeds on small crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Common in the trade, having an eel-shaped body with juveniles black with a white lengthwise stripe, and adults having wide irregular vertical white bars on a black body.

This species is mentioned here simply because its usually more often than not called a blenny. Even though they are goby-like, they ‘are’ related to blennies as they lack scales, have well-developed teeth, and also lack fin spines and a lateral line. As juveniles, they appear in great numbers along protected areas of drop-offs and are sometimes mistaken for coral catfishes. At night they settle into crevices in the reef. Adults are rarely seen, as they are quite secretive.

This is a major digger and will excavate tunnels and holes under any rock or decor in the aquarium. It can be considered a good sand stirrer, but can undermine anything it can dig under.

Can be maintained in either fish-only or reef aquariums with each having numerous hiding places, e.g., rocky crevices and a fairly deep finely grained sand bed.

Requires a meaty diet, including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, and other meaty type marine fresh or frozen foods, which should be finely chopped and fed twice daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Trachinoidei

Family: Pholidichthyidae

Genus: Pholidichthys

FYI: Has long been thought as the only member in the Family Pholidichthyidae until a second species was discovered. (See P. anguis briefly discussed above.)

Will eat small ornamental shrimp and crabs.

As it ages, grows very secretive.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5