Blennies
Suborder: Blennioidei

Blennies are small, brightly colored fish that live in the Chesapeake Bay year-round, mostly among oyster reefs.

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A striped blenny found in an oyster aquaculture cage is held by Joyce Luk, an intern with Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA), at Orchard Point Oyster Co. in Queen Anne's County, Md., on Aug. 11, 2023. Luk's interest in the internship program was sparked by a passion for sustainable foods like kelp. MIA was founded by Imani Black to support young, minority women to create a more diverse and inclusive aquaculture industry. (Photo by Marielle Scott/Chesapeake Bay Program) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to requests@chesapeakebay.net. Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image. A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.

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Appearance

Two species of blennies can be found in the Chesapeake Bay: the striped blenny, Chasmodes bosquianus, and the feather blenny, Hypsoblennius hentz.

The blenny's scaleless body grows 3 to 4 inches in length and is olive green in color with small, dark spots on the head. Long, continuous dorsal fins run along its back. Striped blennies have lines that run along the sides: males are bright blue and females are pale green. Males also have a bright blue spot at the front of the dorsal fin and an orange band running along the fin’s entire length. Feather blennies have two feathery, branching tentacles on the head. The body is covered with small, dark spots that sometimes form lines or bars.

Feeding

Blennies mainly eat small mollusks and crustaceans.

Predators

Larger fish such as striped bass, bluefish and weakfish will prey on blennies, who hide from predators within the small crevices of oyster reefs.

Reproduction and life cycle

Spawning occurs from early spring through August. Females lay round, amber-colored eggs inside of empty oyster shells, usually within live oyster reefs. Males aggressively guard the eggs until they hatch.

Did you know?

  • Though they are abundant, blennies are solitary, secretive fish and are not frequently seen. With a little luck you may find one hiding within an empty oyster shell in the Bay’s shallows.

Sources and additional information

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