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StrangeRabbit
02/26/2015, 06:03 AM
I've had my Golden Dwarf Moray for about 3 months now and he is my absolute favorite fish. I wanted to share my experiences with it so far and I want to hear all about yours as well!!

What I want to know is: Temperament, personality, if its shy or not, what you feed, how often you feed, how many you have or had, what tank mates you have, if it's eaten any tank mates, issues or bad experiences with your eel and any general advice or info to share. Pictures of your GDMs are also encouraged! I'm very interested to see what people have to say so ramble away:D

To start off, a little about the setup:

Tank:

Mixed reef.
Marineland 60 gallon rimless cube with glass top and corner overflow.
65 pounds live rock (started off dry).
1.5 inch sandbed.
Kessil A360 Wide lens with Spectrum Controller.
2 x Hydor Koralia Evolution - 4400 Model (1050 GHP).

Sump:

25 gallon custom cube sump (glass) with 3 chambers.

Chamber 1:
Recently stopped running filter socks.
Eshopps S-120 Skimmer.
300 watt Aqueon Pro heater.

Chamber 2 - Refugium:
Fluval Aqualife & Plant LED light.
15 - 20 pounds live rock rubble that seeded the DT dry rock.
10 red mangroves.
Chaeto.

Chamber 3:
Rio 2100 return pump.
Chemi pure blue.
1L Seachem denitrate in media bags.

Current Live Stock:

CUC:
6 Nassarius Snails.
10 Turbo Snails.
12 Margarita Snails.
5 Cerith Snails.
8 Blue Leg Hermits.

Inverts:
1 Cleaner Shrimp.
1 Fire Shrimp.
1 Tiger Pistol Shrimp.
Sand Sifting Starfish.

Rose Bubble Tip Anemone

Fish:
Sailfin Tang.
Blue Hippo Tang.
2 Ocellaris Clowns.
Sixline Wrasse.
Midas Blenny.
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yasha Goby.
and of course the eel!

Assorted Corals: Zoas, Plate coral, Torch, Blastos, Green Trumpets, GSP, and some SPS.

Parameters:

Salinity - 1.025
Ammonia/Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 5ppm (Don't let them get higher than 7ppm)
KH - 10
PH - 8.3
Calcium - 460
Don't have tests for phosphates or magnesium yet.
Temp - 75.5 F
5-10 gallon weekly water changes (depending on nitrates).

About the tangs.. I know the tank is too small to accommodate them but they are still really small about 2-2.5 inches. I will re-home them once I feel they are starting to outgrow the tank so no need to crucify me =)

So on to the headliner. After doing some research, I chose to get a GDM because they are the most reef safe eel and I was attracted to their small size. I finally found a local seller who had one for the awesome price of $150. I couldn't pass it up so I drove my happy *** down there, excited to get my first marine serpent.

Upon arriving, he told me the eel kept swimming up into the HOB filter and the stubborn thing refused to ever come out. Eventually, he let it stay there after getting a nasty bite during an attempt to get it back into the tank. Their reputation for being escape artists started to become obvious.

The two of us started to dig the eel out with small fish nets. For about 30 minutes, we kept getting splashed and nearly bitten trying to scoop him out. Feeling defeated, he finally took the filter off the tank and dumped the water into a bucket. Thats when I got my first glimpse of him.

I was pleasantly surprised at how tiny he was, no thicker than a pen and about 7 inches. He immediately started lifting his body out of the water, stretching as high as he could desperately looking for an escape route. After multiple attempts, we managed to get him into a bag and I could finally take him home.

Ohh this eel rodeo was far from over... After floating the bag I dumped him and the water into a tupperware container for drip acclimating. I covered the top with a piece of acrylic to prevent him from escaping. Within moments, he started lunging towards the top, smashing his nose against the cover trying to escape. I could not believe how badly this thing wanted out, it felt like I was containing a ****ed off gremlin, minus the fur. Once acclimated, I had to dump him in a deep cooking strainer, covering it with the acrylic and finally, plopping him into the tank.

I was told that these eels usually don't eat within the first few days, sometimes weeks, when introduced to a new tank. On day 2, I offered him some krill on a feeder stick to see what would happen. He instantly took the food which was not what I was expecting but nonetheless, was relieved.

Within the first week everything was going great. He never bothered any of his tank mates and would even let the cleaner shrimp pick in his mouth for scraps after feedings. On the other hand, the fire shrimp will literally try to rip food out of his mouth as he's scarfing it down.

Around week 2 I came home one day and checked up on the tank. I couldn't find the eel anywhere. I looked in the overflow but nothing. I started looking on the floor and even under the tank stand, worried that I might find dried eel jerky but still nothing. Then I checked the sump and after a few minutes I found him..... poking out of the rock rubble... He managed to get into the over flow, swim down the pvc pipe into the filter sock, then crawl out of the filter sock and into the fuge. Absolutely relentless little creature...

Getting him out from the rock rubble was an absolute nightmare.... as you can imagine. lesson learned and I decided to cover the pvc openings with that mesh thing that comes with the veggie clips for nori. It's basically a mini version of chicken wire thats coated with plastic. The holes are large enough to let bigger debris flow through but small enough to prevent the eel from slipping through. Works like a charm. I also covered the gaps along the glass top with masking tape and poked smalls holes in it to help with gas exchange. It looks ugly but until I can find a more aesthetically pleasing solution, this will have to do. At this point I didn't want to take any chances. If you're thinking about getting a GDM, I strongly advise you make your tank escape proof before getting one. If theres a way out, they WILL find it! Wouldn't want your dog or cat eating gourmet sushi...

So onto feedings. I try to feed every 2 - 3 days. He gets a majority of krill and I'll throw in some silversides, raw shrimp pieces, or clam once or twice a week to mix it up. He'll indicate when he's hungry by starting to "hunt". He'll move about the tank, in and out of the rock looking to snack on something. Thats when I'll feed him until I feel he's had enough. Then he retreats to his favorite hole where he sticks his head out of the rock and sort of hangs out all day, until he gets hungry again.

For the most part he's left his tank mates alone. I had a purple firefish before getting the eel but it disappeared a week after he was in the tank. The firefish rarely came out of his hole and when I feed the fish, he would never go for the food. Maybe he starved, maybe the eel got him... regardless he hasn't been troublesome since introducing him, at least to my observation.

Then, about a week ago, I purchased 2 Sally lightfoot crabs. After placing them in the tank, I observed my new additions like any happy reefer would. Not a whole five minutes later, I notice the eel started "stalking" a crab. This was happening front and center in the tank, I felt like I was watching Animal Planet but in real life and without the annoying commercials.To my amazement, the eel actually snatched it and started shaking violently. Almost instantly, nassarius snails start popping out of the sand to scavenge any broken off crab legs from the thrashing. It was the first time I've seen it kill anything in the tank. I wasn't even mad though (well, maybe a little) because it was amazing to observe. The next day, the other Sally crab was gone. 2 days, later my coral banded shrimp disappears. Then, my peppermint shrimp and then 1 of my 2 cleaner shrimp.

I haven't fed him since he started chowing my tank inhabitants because I knew he'd probably be full from all the slaughtering anyway. Big mistake. Today, I woke up and saw my midas blenny with a giant bite mark by its tail. Luckily, nothing was bitten off but it still looks really bad. Poor blenny.. He's still swimming like he normally would so hopefully he'll make it through and heal up.

After the midas discovery, I decided to feed him some silversides as he was obviously hungry. The instant the first piece hit the water, the eel comes springing out of his hole with a vengeance, wolverine style. I've never seen him attack the feeding stick so hard and so fast and the first few strikes he actually missed before he landed the bite. I'm going to up his feedings to hopefully curb his hunger for my tank inhabitants. Do any of you experience increased aggression with age in your GDM or when you forget to feed yours?

Despite some of his less desirable tendencies, he is still my favorite fish. I love seeing him stick his head out of the rock with that menacing but at the same time adorable gaping mouth. They kinda look like they just told you a bad joke and are waiting for you to laugh.

For the most part he is always visible in the tank. He is far from shy and sometimes will swim out in the open, then recede to a different hole and hang out for a bit before moving around again. I actually want another one as I've read they do well in pairs. If any of you GDM owners have more than 1 in the same tank, let me know how its going!

My experience so far has been very interesting. I've read people having similar experiences with theirs and others with completely different ones. It really does come down to the individual. Do share and spare no details =)

Happy Reefing!

RJT
02/26/2015, 06:24 AM
One of my favorite guys in the tank. Had one for 4 years and he hasn't attacked any tankmates. Yours seems extremely aggressive. Can you post a pic or video?

StrangeRabbit
02/26/2015, 08:02 AM
He's insane! Might be kind of why I like him so much. Wish he wasn't messing with my livestock though =\.

I'll try to post some pics later today when the main lights go on.

StrangeRabbit
02/26/2015, 05:29 PM
Some pics of my GDM

309326

309327

GT350pwns
02/26/2015, 06:41 PM
I love these things. Want to put one in my reef but I'm way too nervous to have the same outcome you have had.

gobolts23
02/26/2015, 07:32 PM
I have had mixed results with these morays. They are very hardy but the larger ones can and will eat smaller fish. I have also purchased so called "pairs" and they would bite each other. The wounds would heal quickly but you could see the scarring afterwards.

I have a buddy that has a couple that are very yellow. (as yellow as a banana moray throughout the entire body)

The ones that I purchased from a diver in HI varied quite a bit in coloration. Some were whitish. Others were very bronze and some even had markings on them.

steelersfan
02/26/2015, 09:57 PM
I have a small specimen that is bright yellow. He is definitely one of my favorites.

arc eye
05/12/2015, 03:16 PM
Bump. Interested in hearing more experiences.

RDtrack
05/12/2015, 04:14 PM
I've had one going on two years. I use to feed him /her with a tweezers. But I have several angels that rule the tank now so he/she had become a scavenger.

I can't keep any small shrimp or crabs as they become lunch. I have two fire cleaner shrimp with him / her now, these are left alone.

I had a pair of harlequins but they unfortunately became a shrimp dinner in front of my eyes. If they could escape they would but when they molted they became a food source.

Like others have said one of my most favorite fish.

JoeVandal49
05/12/2015, 05:01 PM
I dont have one yet, but will be getting one soon.

I currently have two Snowflake moray eels.

Are GDM as blind as Snowflakes seem to be? My two snowflakes both seem to be very blind.

RDtrack
05/12/2015, 07:32 PM
I would say yes they are blind as bats

Daltonbilecki
05/12/2015, 08:39 PM
I have a small eel (the brackish water type) in my tank and I absolutely love him. Hes always stalking my damsel trying to get a bite and goes insane when i feed him. Thinking of adding a cleaner shrimp but dont wanna pay $20 for his lunch...

ichthyogeek
05/12/2015, 10:38 PM
Note on when you say "when I feel he's had enough to eat" part. From what I've read about eels, usually, you feed them to satiation 2-3x a week, not how much you think he needs to eat per feeding. Also, there's a DIY mesh screen thread around here, with 1/4" netting attached to aluminum bars that I think would be good for the tank (I saw it on BRS, which mentioned the thread came from RC).

Golden eels sound awesome from what you say about them. Are they a common fish to find? I've been looking every once in a while (not a top fish for me...), but I have yet to find one.

Martini5788
05/13/2015, 08:45 AM
Mine is really shy, I can't get him to eat hardly anything. But he does not try to escape. He is rather lazy. I put a firefish in a few weeks ago and then it disappeared. Do t know the outcome. Maybe firefish are on the definite no no list if you are keeping gdm's. Mine also is not an escape artist, he is perfectly content to stay in his hole. I got really lucky when I got a box of Marco rocks in because one of them was tailor made for an eel. See the picture below. That
Hole came like that, I didn't chisel it out. I was hoping when I put it in the tank that he would like it, and sure enough he won't leave the rock. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/13/2ad3dc7b7d2d0b602ecbdcc7f32e9b17.jpg

steelersfan
05/13/2015, 09:50 AM
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd29/nervoustime/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsodinwtzt.jpg (http://s227.photobucket.com/user/nervoustime/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsodinwtzt.jpg.html)

ksicard
05/13/2015, 11:15 AM
I had one for about a month before he jumped out of the tank. I have glass tops and he managed to push open the back plastic flaps and slither right out. I was very sad. I'd like to try one again but I'm not sure if my tops will keep the beast in the tank.

Travis1787
05/19/2016, 10:02 PM
This is the most recent thread I can find with some who gotone of those i have been looking for over a year.... where the heck did u find out and how much did u pay?

vcam
05/20/2016, 08:22 AM
Tagging alone, been searching the internet but cannot find anything!

Spartanman22
05/20/2016, 08:28 AM
I kept one in a mixed reef with multiple small fish (clowns, small wrasses, basslets, etc.). He never bothered fish or coral. He was by far the most personable and interesting fish in my setup.

I fed him 2-3 times a week. I would feed him small chunks of squid from the local market.

I had him about 6 months before I found him underneath my couch one morning. Very very frustrating day...I had a screen too on my tank and he still found a way out. So make sure your tank is covered well!

I got mine from one of RC's sponsors. I'm actually local to Reefwise. When I got mine last summer I paid $150. They often have pairs as well for around $300 I believe.




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Travis1787
05/20/2016, 08:53 AM
I haven't seen any even available and the norm price for 1 is $300 these days

scuzy
06/26/2016, 12:37 AM
I love mine too http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160626/5c802ae9383a6611c7ca6b650f4f0624.jpg

I am getting him another mate soon.


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Spslvr
06/26/2016, 02:53 AM
I had one for about a year, absolutely loved him he was so placid ate from my fingers, one night he looked a bit hungry and i said to myself ill feed him tomorow, overnight he wandered into the weir down to the sump and into my skimmer, i dont think ive ever been so upset with a fish loss and it was completely my fault, ive ordered one again...

coral49
09/02/2016, 09:09 AM
How are they with anemones, I would like to have one but a bunch Bubbles in 300 gallon.

ksicard
09/02/2016, 11:07 AM
I don't see any issues with them and anemones. I don't have an anemone but my current one doesn't bother any of my shrimp or small fish. He's tied with being my favorite between him or the earlei.

some years back when I had an anemone my GDM never paid any attention to the anemone.

RDtrack
09/02/2016, 07:32 PM
I've had a pair with carpets and no problems.

scuzy
11/17/2016, 01:23 AM
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161117/4a870eea4ad749ccfe219924304be574.jpg

Buddies


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LargeAngels
11/17/2016, 08:10 AM
I've had mine for about 8 years now. I've got it with a bunch of large angels, tangs, wrasses, clowns etc. He will scavenge for what ever food is on the bottom, even pellets. Pretty cool, but usually don't see much besides his head except if he ventures out for food.

Joesvwbora
03/27/2017, 12:06 PM
Just purchased one of these beauty's was so excited when my lfs had Found one. I have a 54 gallon corner and so far so good. It's been pretty shy and has stayed in the same rock and has a a few holes it seems to prefer. It is housed with a serpent starfish, male and female royal gramma, randals goby, coral banded shrimp and a circus goby. The key fear I had was for the circus goby thinking it was a little in the smaller side however the goby is much larger than the eel.
I have noticed when feeding the other fish the eel will come out and snap at some of the frozen food that crosses its path.
It's been pretty hard to photograph but I should be able to get some better ones soon.

carrots
03/28/2017, 12:29 PM
keep us updated. I have been looking for a bright yellow one for some time now. Let us know if their color changes after they become comfortable in your tank. The ones I have seen at the LFS are very pale. Not sure if it is due to stress or not.

Joesvwbora
03/28/2017, 12:36 PM
The one I have is a light ta that would be great if it changed to a yellow i will let you know if the color does start to change .

scuzy
03/28/2017, 04:15 PM
The color changes as they get bigger. Both of mine are noted the danger light gold color. Started off ugly brown.


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Joesvwbora
04/03/2017, 11:52 AM
Well hadn't seen the eel since last night was getting worried so I did some intensive investigation investigation. Not sure how it made its way to the sump but 20 min of fishing and it is back in its cave in the display. Not sure where the gap in overflow is but I will be looking for a solution.

scuzy
04/03/2017, 11:53 AM
Use gutter net and glue it you your overflow teethes


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Joesvwbora
04/03/2017, 11:57 AM
That's a good idea during my next water change I'll have to set that up thanks.

ca1ore
04/29/2017, 07:51 AM
Picking up one of these locally tomorrow. Had one a long time ago and it was a model citizen for years. Any words of wisdom beyond tight fitting lids? I've nothing in my tank that will be at risk. The CBS is now way too big as are all of my fish. Coming from a LRH, but I shall still QT.

scuzy
04/29/2017, 09:06 AM
I quarantine mine in critter cage put it through ttm for both of mine. Just make sure you need the overflow teeth mine escaped to sump 4x until I glue gutter guard nets on the teeth.


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ca1ore
05/04/2017, 08:49 PM
Mine is now in a 30 QT. Is that very pale yellow pinkish color - not really 'golden' at all. About a foot long. Been feeding it small chunks of silverside and those small hikari clams on the half shell.

wii64brawl
05/04/2017, 09:05 PM
Had mine in a 30 gallon fish only. Lost the first to carpet surfing (he got through the tiniest crack so seal your openings!), and the second stopped eating one day (after two years of eating fine) and starved to death after several months.

JJsReeftank28gn
05/05/2017, 01:42 PM
Go to liveaquria.com they have them but there not cheap 799.00 for one.

wii64brawl
05/05/2017, 02:17 PM
Go to liveaquria.com they have them but there not cheap 799.00 for one.

You're much better waiting around for a diver direct eel. I got both mine from a diver in Hawaii, got them for $125 shipped each. They pop up every so often on eBay.

ca1ore
05/05/2017, 05:30 PM
Plus the ones LA sells aren't actually the melatremus dwarf eels.

wii64brawl
05/05/2017, 05:53 PM
Plus the ones LA sells aren't actually the melatremus dwarf eels.

Didn't realize JJs was talking about golden morays and not the dwarfs. Even so, the dwarfs often appear on DD, but are usually around $400-500.

HBtank
02/18/2018, 11:05 AM
Have had one for about 2 weeks! Love it! Spent so many years in Hawaii and one everpresent game when diving was always who could find moray eels in the reef (almost always snowflakes). Fast forward and the same family will bug me about sneaking in an eel into my tank randomly. Well, jokes on them, finally found an eel that I could sneak in myself!

It is the pale pinkish/yellow with brown spotting variety, and brighter yellow on top of its head and some on the tail. Blue eyes of course. Mine seems fairly mature and “thicker than a pencil” by a good amount, and it is exactly 9.75”.; I and everyone else thought it was larger than 9”, more like a foot, but the pvc in his enclosure let me measure exactly.

Shy right now (from light, I would not say from fish), has a rock picked out in the back of my main cave, but it has holes leading to the front and he is using those now too. Loves krill and eating good now. Smallest fish in with him is a blue reef chromis, but sorry little guy, you just don’t see good enough for that!

I would totally get him a buddy if I could, maybe a bright yellow morph. Already spent a good amount of time eel proofing my canopy and overflow.

RBU1
07/23/2019, 05:58 PM
Let’s bump up this old thread. I’ve had my golden dwarf moray for over a year. Doesn’t bother anything. He only eats once a week sometimes every other. Just a small piece of shrimp. What else have people had success with feeding?

LargeAngels
07/23/2019, 06:16 PM
Mines going strong at about 11 years now. Still eats anything. Funny to see him put his jaw sideways on the sand and pickup small pellets.

RBU1
07/23/2019, 06:49 PM
That’s awesome. Mine doesn’t come out to eat that often. Makes me wonder if he is also grabbing pellets. I don’t see him much at all. Always in the rocks.


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LargeAngels
07/23/2019, 07:22 PM
Yeah, I mostly just see a head peeking out. When he’s hungry and I feed mysis I’ll see him slither around the rocks.

RBU1
07/23/2019, 07:26 PM
Mine seems to only eat raw
Shrimp I tried other fresh seafood from the grocery store he wouldn’t touch it. Wonder what else I can try.


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LargeAngels
07/24/2019, 06:16 AM
The larger Hikari mysis is a good choice.

jambon222
09/25/2019, 01:18 PM
The larger Hikari mysis is a good choice.I am feeding mine raw scallops and octopus pieces. I use a feeding stick and he takes it with a lot of excitement. I feed a few small pieces every other day.. too much maybe? Mine does not like raw krill... so far that is all he takes. I try to hide a few pellets in the octopus for some extra nutrition.

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