moray eel's

[JML]

I am getting ready to set up a 180gal. reef tank. I have two 40gal. setup now for over three years. There will be angels, tangs, 4-5 chromis and maybe 4-5 cardinals. Also there will be corals, mostly soft but a few SPS. What I would really like is to add a moray eel, maybe a snowflake or another type that is not to aggressive. I need some feedback on whether the moray will be OK to put with these type of fish?? How about feeding and places to hide?? The other thing I'm not totally sure of is the cardinals. I want to have a small school so what type would not get to big, maybe 2-3" . What type can you keep more then one?? Thanks for any advise you can give.

[O'Man]

Do not have personal experience with all your questions, but I have had a Snowflake Moray. Had it about 2 years. They grow fast. Seem to eat anything. Mine met its demise when it climbed out of the tank.

That tank was too small--38 gallon tall tank. Only tankmate was a Clown Trigger that I had 3 years--another story(no battles between the 2). As for hiding places, a reasonable ammount of live rock, enough for filtering A 180 Gallon tank, will provide plenty of places.

I can tell you these guys love to eat, and are,therefore, somewhat messy. Strong mechanical filtration is critical. Since you are in Howell, you may want to go to Aqua Oceans in Dover Township and look at an AMT system (I am assuming they are still there off Route 9, but I have not bought anything there in a few years.) These setups have certain drawbacks, but will definately keep a messy tank clean. A 180 gallon tank may discourage the eel from playing Harry Houdini, but as it gets bigger you never know-- think about making it escape proof, or you may find dried eel on your floor.

As for Cardinals, I don't know that they wouldn't eventually become bait. A good general rule with fish is that if one will fit in another's mouth--he will probabally end up there some day.

[This message has been edited by O'Man (edited 03-10-2000).]

[JML]

Thanks for the reply. I go to Aqua Oceans all the time, they are still there. My whole new setup will come from there. Great filtration system. I have a hang on the back vertion on both my tanks now and the maintainence is very simple. Any thoughts on live rock?? Any type, Fiji, Florida Keys, Pacific?? Thanks

[O'Man]

I am a big fan of Steve's filters. I have a HOB on one of my tanks, and I do not miss the old wet dry. Eventually I may get one for one of my other tanks, but for now what I am doing is working fine. With the way those filters work, I have found some improved results by only using the filter pad 1 week per month (unless it starts looking dirty).

As for rock, since most of the animals you will keep are from the pacific, I would lean toward Figi/Pacific. Florida rock is more likely to have bristle worms and blood worms in it. Also, Florida rock may not always come from the cleanest areas.

I do not know what you have planned, but consider a plenum for nitrate removal. I set up mine a couple of years ago using Geo-Marine (fairly large aroganite) and have not had clumping problems, ect. The nitrate readings I get are zero.

[FOX]

JML,

Just wanted to let you know that large angels will eat just about any coral you have, and the pygmys are hit or miss. Sometimes they do sometimes they don't.

FOX

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[JML]

In my tanks now I have almost all pygmy angels. Flame, Coral Beauty, Lemon Peel, Halfback, Eible and By-Color. None has bothered the corals I have in the tank so far. My 180 gal. will have a plenum with Carib Sea aragonite for substrate.

[Dolemite]

I used to have my Snowflake in a full blown reef. He was fairly small (12") at the time but he never bothered anything, except that I could never keep more than 3 chromis' in there. If I got anymore they would disappear over the night times until their number dwindled down to 2 or 3. He never even knocked anything over to my knowledge. Only issue I've ever had is that it's a poop machine. My old Tang used to have a bit of a war with him during feeding time but noone was ever hurt (Tangs is too smart). now I have a pygmy angel in with him (about 2") who actually has the cajones to taunt the eel who is now about 14". The angel will go over to wherever the eel is poking his head out of, and wag his tail the eels face until the eel moves. I tell you they've gotta be made of Brass.

[SawCJack00]

I also have a snowflake eel in a 125 FO tank. He doesn't bother any of my fish as long as he's well fed (twice a day). He did take a bite out of the tail on my large Royal Gramma, but that healed up. Unless you can completely seal the top of your 180, I wouldn't recomend the snowflake. Even in a 125, mine tends to explore the surface a lot. I have mine completely sealed. They do crap alot, but otherwise their great.

[Joez]

Great fish.

I just want to reiterate about them escaping. I had two small cutouts on the back of my canopy for wires. I was sure the eel wouldn't be able to get through them. Well it did I'm sorry to say. If there are spaces, it will go through them.

Mine may have taken out a couple of small blue chromis. Other fish were fine with it.