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Banded blenny (Salarias fasciatus) — Blenniidae

Banded blenny

Salarias fasciatus
Family: Blenniidae
LC · Least Concern

The Banded blenny (Salarias fasciatus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Blenniidae that grows up to 14 cm.

Length
14 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
0.0–8.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The jewelled blenny is a blenny of the family Blenniidae from the Indo-Pacific, known in the marine aquarium world as the 'lawnmower blenny'. The species grows to about 14 cm and has a scaleless, stocky body with a mottled pattern and small skin flaps above the eyes. It inhabits reef flats and shallow lagoon and seaward reefs, also in estuarine areas. With a rasping, downward-facing mouth it continuously grazes benthic algae and growth from rocks and coral. The species is a peaceful, diurnal reef dweller popular for controlling algae in aquaria. It is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Banded blenny?

The Banded blenny has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Banded blenny live?

The Banded blenny lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Banded blenny get?

The Banded blenny grows to a maximum of about 14 cm.

Is the Banded blenny dangerous to humans?

No, the Banded blenny is harmless to humans.

Is the Banded blenny edible?

The Banded blenny is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Juweel-slijmvis sourced
English name
Banded blenny verified
Scientific name
Salarias fasciatus
Family
Blenniidae
Other names
Banded blenny; Banded jewelled-blenny; Barred blenny; Jeweled blenny verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
14.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Marbled inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
8.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
Yes inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Salarias

More from the family Blenniidae

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