blennies

The latter part of each summer is our most productive time to collect specimens. Most recently we have been collecting fishes for our Piling exhibit: blennies, gobies, skilletfish, various crustaceans, and vegetation. Late summer is prime time for these fishes, and Kiptopeake State Park is the place. Over 30 feather blennies, striped blennies, several planehead filefish, and green fleece have been added to the piling exhibit and the old (ecologically incorrect) crushed coral substrate has been replaced with sand. This tank is not only beautiful to look at but very entertaining. Blennies are combative and territorial and actually seem to enjoy fussing at each other. They will literally bite the hand that feeds them (us) and even the cleaning equipment!

A large male feather blenny takes up residence in green fleece