The Molly Miller Blenny may not be the most attractive fish, but it could possibly be the most useful reef aquarium clean up fish. They’re peaceful and reef safe, they can live in groups of multiple Molly Miller Blennies, they’re hardy and boisterous, and they eat microalgae and Aiptasia. Yes, they eat Aiptasia. It’s easy to misidentify true Molly Miller Blennies, so be careful when buying if you are choosing them for their Aiptasia eating. The best news is, these have been bred in captivity and captive bred groups are often sold in stores. They’re sexually dimorphic, but it helps to look closely and have a group in front of you to compare. Mature males have red cirri on the top of their heads.
The Molly Miller Blenny, also known as the Combtooth Blenny, originates in the Caribbean Ocean. Its color is a mottled tan, white and black covering the body and fins. The head of this fish is covered with short hair-like appendages and has two very large eyes. A well-established 30-gallon or larger aquarium with multiple hiding places and plenty of live rock is a suitable environment. The live rock provides places to hunt and feed on small crustaceans and algae as well as places to hide. It is not usually aggressive unless the tank mates appear to have a similar shape as it does. The diet should include meaty items such as finely chopped crustacean flesh, vitamin enriched frozen brine and mysis shrimp. If insufficient algae is present in the aquarium, the diet should be supplemented with a quality dried seaweed.