Captive Bred Flametail Blenny (Enchelyurus flavipes)

The Flametail Blenny is a bold, reef-safe personality fish that earns its keep as a great natural algae grazer. With its sleek dark body and eye-catching “flame” tail/dorsal coloration, it adds high contrast and constant movement as it perches, hops, and picks through your rockwork. Many hobbyists report them actively eating tufts of hair algae and even some film/slime algae, making them a practical (and fun) addition to reef tanks.

This species is a strong choice for customers who want an algae-eater that doesn’t bulldoze frags or rearrange the tank. It’s generally reef compatible and well-suited for both reef and fish-only systems, especially when given plenty of live rock to explore.

Care Guide 

Reef Compatibility

Reef Safe: Yes. Best in reefs with stable rockwork and places to perch/hide. Like many blennies, it can be territorial toward similar-shaped fish or other blennies in smaller tanks, so plan tankmates accordingly.

Minimum Tank Size

A 30-gallon minimum is commonly recommended, with larger tanks making temperament and compatibility easier.

Diet / Feeding

Marketed and kept as an algae grazer, but they do best with supplemental feeding so they don’t run out of nutrition once the tank “cleans up.” Recommended foods:

• Dried seaweed/nori (offered regularly)
• Herbivore pellets/flakes
• Prepared algae-based foods / macroalgae (recommend herbivore-focused feeding and seaweed offerings weekly)

Temperament

Semi-territorial (especially with other blennies or similar body types). Provide multiple caves/perches and introduce thoughtfully if the tank already has established rockwork “owners.”

Behavior

Expect a classic blenny “percher”—they sit on rock ledges, watch the tank, then dart out to graze. This “busy” behavior is exactly what many customers love about them.

Quick Specs

• Common Name: Flametail Blenny
• Scientific Name: Enchelyurus flavipes
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Algae Control: Excellent grazer (hair/film algae)
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Temperament: Semi-territorial (avoid similar blennies in small tanks)