Triplespot Blenny (Crossosalarias macrospilus)

The Triplespot Blenny is a distinctive combtooth blenny from the Indo-Pacific with a white to pale body marked by three large, prominent dark blotches along its flanks. An enthusiastic grazer of turf algae, film algae, and microalgae from hard substrates, its comb-like teeth are specialized tools for scraping algae from rockwork, glass, and hardscape. Relatively large for a reef blenny, it is a functional and visually interesting addition to reef systems where algae management is a priority.

Provide a mature reef aquarium with adequate algae-covered rock surface. Supplement with dried nori and algae wafers as needed. Keep singly unless the tank is large — territorial toward other blennies. May occasionally nip at clam mantles or large-polyp corals in the absence of sufficient algae. Hardy and adaptable once established. Provide caves and perching spots on exposed rockwork.