Eel or other ill eat you alive fish.

reefwars · #1 10-12-2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

I've had my snowflake moray for over 6 years. Its pretty close to 2'-6" and lives in a 120gal. In a 33gal it could almost reach the entire length. Maybe a golden dwarf moray would be a better fit? Any fish that is small enough to be eaten will be. Its never touched a snail of any size. I also feed it anywhere from 3 to 8 silversides or up to around 12 krill at a time depending on their sizes so filtration is another big consideration.

mine loved snails but only the babys and he would eat them shell and all ,he never touched any of the large snails but when my turbos would breed he would eat the tiny little babys that were around his lair.he also ate a very large cinnamon clown. ive been bit by him and it isnt pleasant like someopne cutting you with a steak knife, and they can be quite sneaky for escaping so a lid is a must. when mine was a baby he was in my 33 and he never grew alot as a juvie but like my old one i had once he hit the 8-9" range he started to fatten up and grow considerably and would have outgrown my 33 in a matter of no time.as juvies they are friendly and can even be fed my hand like mine was but once they are able to fit fish in their mouth and see fish as available food nothing is safe including your hands. if you have sand in your tank as juvies they are quite good at digging tunnels in and around the live rock. if your looking for a deadly or aggressive animal as a juvie a snowflake eel just isnt it im afraid lol

reefwars · #2 10-12-2011, 05:27 AM

6 yrs is quite the long time russell alot of people dont keep one past a year or less, have you been able to sex yours??

Corbin · #3 10-12-2011, 05:39 AM

yeah thats why im thinking more of a richardson moray, more aggressive stays small.
as for a lid, what do you think the best would be, good ol glass lid?
i was thinking of a steel mesh one, like ones for snake/lizards, and cutting it so its glass for most of it (as not to defuse light) and then use the mesh around back to cut room for my hang on skimmer/cords, or considering i ahve a AIO, just cut it and bend it so it dips in the water flush against the back, so then i dont have to make a lot of little cuts and would be safer.
what have you guys used?

whatcaneyedo · #4 10-12-2011, 01:49 PM

My 120gal is actually open topped. I do have a crown around the front and sides and plumbing over the back. In the 6 years I've had the eel it has never jumped out. Knock on wood. One of these days I need to make a top of some sort. I'm thinking of just using plastic mesh/chicken wire (sold at Crappy Tire) like what I've used over my frag tank to keep the wrasse from jumping out.

I guess like every fish they have their own personal habits. I've has ceriths, astrea, trochus, turbo, fighting conch, nassarious, abalone... and perhaps some other snail types. None of them were ever eaten by the eel.

Sorry I have no idea what its gender is. Is there an easy way to tell? I haven't researched into it.

If I was going to do a small predator tank I'd probably get a leafy scorpion fish Rhinopias. However they can be pretty pricy.