Starting predator tank eel questions

[customguy79]

Hey guys and gals Ive decided to start a predator tank now that my reef tank is established and been running for years. I have a 5 foot by 21 by 30 high tank (can be covered) and am curious what eels others have had success with in this type of setting. Tankmates would be puffer, trigger, maybe another undecided choice. I like the honeycomb but understand they get too big to keep in that setting. I like the white mouth, honeycomb, yellow head, fire coral eel, and bottom of the like list zebra eel. What would be recomended? Whats going to be more active while lights on etc. This isnt a tank build so please spare me the questions on skimming, abilty of husbandry etc. I got that handled.

Thanks in advance

[Megistos]

From that list I would say your best bet is a whitemouth. They reach a decent size (honeycomb/tesselata just get too big for that tank) and are fairly active without being too foul-tempered. Fire coral (G. miliaris) is also a wonderful fish but not quite as active; also it stays somewhat smaller.

Any of the 3 species commonly called "yellow head" (usually G. fimbriatus, sometimes also G. undulatus and G. ruppellii) get to a decent size but are usually much nastier-tempered than the above. My only experience is with G. ruppellii and it was fairly prone to hiding.

Had a zebra for awhile when I first started keeping fish. Never saw it unless I was feeding it; recommend avoiding.

You might also consider a "Brazilian Dragon" (Muraena pavonina). They're decent-sized and fairly active if a little aggressive; also not unattractive.

[customguy79]

OK perfect I think the whitemouth will be the choice. Now I have a few more questions before prepping. What is the rate of growth for them per year say? Should I get super small or can I get a larger one right off the bat as a show peice? Any tips or tricks to keeping them besides the recomended lid I see everywhere? And here is the tankmate list what order would you think is best?

eel
picasso or niger trigger or maybe both
puffer
larger blonde naso tang

[anbosu]

Forget the naso in that size aquarium. I think a niger would suffer as well. A dogface puffer would probably be ok, and so would the picasso.

[customguy79]

Forget the naso in that size aquarium. I think a niger would suffer as well. A dogface puffer would probably be ok, and so would the picasso.

any other suggestions on colorful tankmates? reef tank pops with corol this one im using the fish over live rock to provide the color and appeal.
I am a huge trigger fan but I am open to suggestions from the masses that be in the know.

Thanks

[Megistos]

OK perfect I think the whitemouth will be the choice. Now I have a few more questions before prepping. What is the rate of growth for them per year say? Should I get super small or can I get a larger one right off the bat as a show peice? Any tips or tricks to keeping them besides the recomended lid I see everywhere? And here is the tankmate list what order would you think is best?

eel
picasso or niger trigger or maybe both
puffer
larger blonde naso tang

I would get the largest one you can find, but they grow pretty fast when they're small if you feed to satiation regularly (1-2x per week). Once they get to ~24" (only takes 4 months or so) they slow down.

No real tips to keeping them aside from making sure they stay in the tank/out of the overflow. Very hardy fish. Mine has survived an accidental tank nuke that wiped out the coral and killed all but the eels and a trigger (that I still have), months of neglect, 9 months of voluntary starvation and a few times on the carpet and has never looked the worse for it.

Just FYI you can easily keep corals with eels; it's just the soft arthropods and sometimes clams that are at risk. I kept a "predator reef" for a long time with a whitemouth moray, goldentail moray, Hawaiian black durgeon trigger and Caribbean scorpionfish. It was absolutely gorgeous and I'm trying to re-build something similar atm.

As far as triggerfish, get whatever species you like that will tolerate tankmates in the long run (i.e. no clowns/queens/undies - when adults, these kill everything or die trying). My black durgeon (Melichthys niger, NOT the regular Odontus niger) has been a very nice and active addition. The Xanthichthys species are attractive too. The Xanthichthys can be kept in pairs; in a tank that size I don't know that I'd try 2 unrelated trigger species.

As far as puffers go, most of the neat ones will outgrow your tank. I'm a big fan of Arothron meleagris and A. stellatus though.

At full size you're already pretty close to your maximum bio-load with that group, and most things big enough to survive that tank would push you over. You might get away with a scorpionfish or maybe a few damsels that you replace every month or so.

[customguy79]

yes I told my LFS guy I wanted large size eel either the whitemouth or the brazilian. I have an awesome location that accepts overgrown fish here in town and places them in an exhibit(s). Glad to know picasso and miger trigger together wont work thats going to be a tough choice to make between the 2. I know for sure a trigger and eel are going in the tank. Any other tankmates that would be ok with them? I have a full reef 20 feet across the room so I dont have to worry about mixing them ever.

[Megistos]

Really anything that's large enough/aggressive enough to not get eaten, and not so large/aggressive that it's a clear threat to the fish you're planning the tank around.

I don't want to set off a raging threadnaught by suggesting tangs (also I know very little about them). Lions are not a good idea with triggers (triggers like to nip their spines). Anything below about 4-5" will eventually become eel food. Arothron puffers and maybe some of the hardier medium-sized angelfish might be good options. All I can really say is browse around until you find something small enough for your tank and not small enough for your eel.

[customguy79]

perfect thanks everyone

[Polahbear]

Whitemouth moray is hardy. I have one, it was already 9 years old. The previous owners' house burned, everything in the tank perished except the eel, which survived. Then it lived in the sump at the lfs until i took it. I have had it 3 years now, it looks a few inches longer than it was when i got it.