The Brachiosaurus Blenny (Omobranchus anolius) is a small and peculiar fish very rarely seen in the trade. As its name implies, its looks a bit like a dinosaur–specifically a Brachiosaurus. The similarity here comes from the large fleshy crest on the head of male O. anolius. Brachiosaurus skull : wikimedia commons The sexually dimorphic Omobranchus [...]
The Brachiosaurus Blenny (Omobranchus anolius) is a small and peculiar fish very rarely seen in the trade. As its name implies, its looks a bit like a dinosaur–specifically a Brachiosaurus. The similarity here comes from the large fleshy crest on the head of male O. anolius.
Brachiosaurus skull : wikimedia commons
The sexually dimorphic Omobranchus anolius (female top, male bottom) : LiveAquaria
Omobranchus anolius has a deranged taxonomic history; it was first described as Blennechis anolius (later reclassed to Omobranchus) by Valenciennes in 1836, based on a specimen from Port Jackson, Australia. After that many synonyms followed.
- Petroscirtes altivelis (Steindachner, 1863)
- Blennius unicornis (Castelnau, 1879)
- Petroscirtes cristiceps (Macleay, 1881)
- Petroscirtes guttatus (Macleay, 1881)
- Petroscirtes wilsoni (Macleay, 1884)
- Salarias galeatus (De Vis, 1884)
The Brachiosaurus Blenny is native to Australia’s shallow waters among shallow mud flats and mullosc beds. It is often referred to as the Oyster Blenny for its habit of living inside (deceased) oyster shells! O. anolius has been scientifically documented from Spencer Coast, South Australia to the Quensland cost of the Gulf of Carpentaria, with suspected occurrence further into Victoria (Springer 1975). For aquarists, the shallow water that this blenny inhabits means they should handle sub 75F temperatures with ease. (Fish sharing similar range, but at greater depths often require sub 70F environments for long-term health.) Additionally, the small size of this fish (3″) makes it a perfect candidate for nano reefs or a small scaled shallow water Aussie biotope.
Recently a pair of ‘Brachs’ made its way on to LiveAquaria’s Diver’s Den. Additionally, our readers that attend DFWMAS’ Next Wave Conference were again exposed to the the Brachiosaurus in a talk by Old Town Aquarium owner and marine pro Jim Walters.
Brachiosaurus Blenny at Old Town Aquarium
The behavior and personality of this fish is similar to its cousin the Elegant Blenny (Omobranchus elegans): peaceful, mild mannered, and relatively shy. This particular specimen readily took to prepared foods, but was rather reclusive and did not care for my 85mm lens aimed at him.
Despite the recent arrival of this fish into the trade, it has not been talked about much. While it may not share the striking coloration of other blennys, gobiids and basslets, it is certainly unique in its own right. The best word I can use to describe this fish is odd, and I mean that in a good way. From the occital crest to its abstract markings, Omobranchus anolius is truly an odd and unique fish.
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