Omobranchus zebra

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Facts
Latin name Omobranchus zebra - (Bleeker, 1868)
Local name Zebra blenny
Family Blenniidae - Omobranchus
Origin East Indian Ocean, Australia, Indonesia, Central/West Pacific
Max length 6 cm (2.4")
As aquarium fish
Minimum volume 150 l (40 gal)
Hardiness Average
Suitable for aquarium Suitable for special aquariums
Reef safe Always reef safe
Aggressiveness Aggressive towards other species
Feed
Recommended Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...)
Zooplankton (Cyclops, pods...)
Beware of
Brackish water

These fish live normally in brackish water and must therefore be kept at a lower salinity level than is normal in a reef aquarium.

Aggressive

This species can be extremely aggressive towards other fish.

Be careful when keeping these fish together with peaceful or docile species. Regular feeding, plenty of hiding places and a lot of space can alleviate aggressive behavior to some degree.

Keep in mind
Bred in captivity

This species can be bred in captivity, one can therefore consider asking your local fish store for a captive bred specimen.

Descriptions and further reading
Family description (Blenniidae)

There are many differences within the Toothcomb Blennies family, some eat algae whilst others eat zooplankton. There are many families of Blennies, this is merely one of them.

What they have in common are their oblong shape and long dorsal fin. Some species have small "legs" used to move around the bottom.

These Blennies do not normally get very big and are therefore a good choice for both small and large aquaria. They are not often very colorful, but many have a fun personality which many aquarists fall for.

The species of the families Aspidontus and Plagiotremus imitate Cleaner Wrasses and can therefore be difficult to identify.

FishBase
Aquarium trade No
Distribution Indo-West Pacific: India, Malaysia, Indonesia (Ref. 7050), Singapore and Philippines (Ref. 1548).
English common names Zebra blenny
References and further reading

About references

Jeff Kurtz. 2007. Combtooth Blennies: Bewitching Bottom Dwellers - Tropical Fish Hobbyist - (English)
Scott W. Michael. Reef Aquarium Fishes: 500+ Essential-to-know Species - TFH Publications / Microcosm Ltd. - (English)
Bob Fenner. The True/Combtooth Blennies, Family Blenniidae - Wet Web Media - (English)
Bob Fenner. Blennioids: Blennies and Blenny-Like Fishes - Wet Web Media - (English)