Scooter Blenny trouble

Question
QUESTION: Hello!  I have a 75 gallon saltwater tank with beautiful water parameters.  I have an Aquaclear 110 filter, an Aquarium Systems protein skimmer, about 40-50 lbs. live rock, about 1 inch of live sand, and four 54-watt currant T5/HO lights on a timer.  Everything looks great, lots of coralline algae and my fish are happy except for my poor Scooter Blenny.  Here's my list of fish: 1 Scooter Blenny, 1 Kole (Yellow-eye) Tang, 1 Cleaner Shrimp, 1 Clown Fish (small), 1 Six-line wrasse, two groups of yellow polyps, a chocolate chip starfish, and a serpent starfish, plus a whole bunch of hermit crabs and snails.  Well, the sixline wrasse is the problem.  I used to have a chocolate tang which was the dominant fish in the tank, but a had to get rid of it because it was harassing the Kole tang.  Well, when I brought him back to the pet store, it seemed the sixline wrasse started acting up towards the blenny.  He nips at him and his fins have become ragged.  The blenny isn't hurting him at all (very peaceful) but I've caught the wrasse harassing him nonetheless.  Moreover, I CAN'T catch the wrasse to take him back.  I'm wondering if there's a fish out there that I could put with my setup which would keep the sixline in check and allow the blenny to recover.  He's my favorite and I don't want to lose him!

Thanks,
Jacob

ANSWER: Hi Jacob

I would get rid of the AquaClear filter, it will do more harm than good in the long run.

The Scooter blenny is not actually a species of blenny, it is a species of dragonet (Synchiropus ocellatus) - one of the most challenging group of fish available in the hobby due to their unique feeding requirements.

All dragonets can only survive by feeding on small live foods such as copepods.  While some may eat prepared foods, they can only survive long term on copepods.  The general rule of thumb is at the absolute least is 80 lbs of live rock which has been left to mature for at least 6 months before the addition of a dragonet.  For my mandarin fish (another dragonet), I have 150 lbs of live rock

The sixline wrasse is a direct competitor with any species of dragonet and will eat all of the copepods, eventually causing the scooter blenny to starve to death.  I suggest adding at least another 100 lbs of live rock asap, preferably 150-200 lbs.  50 lbs of live rock will not be able to sustain a scooter blenny alone, let alone a scooter blenny and a sixline wrasse.

Catching the sixline wrasse will actually be quite simple.  Observe him late at night with a torch to find his 'sleeping spot'.  Once you have found it, you can catch him at night while he is sleeping.

With regards to adding another fish to 'bully' the sixline, this will not work.  The wrasse will most likely bully the new fish.

Hope this helps.  If you have any more questions, please, just ask away.

Cheers

Michael

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Why is the AquaClear no good?  Could you recommend a better filter?  Thanks!

Answer
Hi

You don't need a filter at all.  These just build up nitrite and nitrate which will eventually poison you inhabitants.

All you need is live rock and a protein skimmer.  Any money you would have spent on a filter would be better spent on live rock.

Cheers

Michael