On the regards to damsel species in general in their aggressive behavior towards one another, I wasn't thinking of getting a mix in their groups at any one time, but rather get one kind, and after prior to the QT lacking any damsels, I would order a new stock, and different from the last. As well, I knew that the idea of a small number in the Ribbon Eels tank, wouldn't matter any, for they would be extremely difficult to catch. When I housed a pair of Dragon Eels in this tank, I had some 30 (Blue to yelllowtail) damsels in their tank, and i had them in quite some time before the dragons were put back into their tank after I moved into my new house. The damsels did survived a long time, but of course the dragon eels weren't so much interested in them as a meal. They were fed better then i fed myself many always said.
Stomach examinations from Taiwan only revealed "unspecified small finfishes".
Yes, you made that understood from before, im at most is looking for the best solution in what I might do if a pair of ribbon Eels is a good project. I will being that im still plenty of time, for the two tank system will later me moved to where the 180 stands and then upgrade a certain number of items on their tanks. I will however admit that its looking more and more that I might have to scratch the idea on having the Ribbons, I no wish in obtaining them, to only have at some early demise, even that throughout my years in the hobby, I never lost any eel after the goldentail eel that crawled out of its tank, but then I was 10-11 of age, and its taught me a good deal. The one thing back in those early years Marco was, you did simply hands on learning and acknowledgement or you quitted the hobby in the first few years, so many did quit.
So no, I would only be getting one damsel species group at one time, when that group will be removed from its QT, I would then order a new damsel species. My only thought in that be is, do I setup another QT for just the damsels? Or housed them in the fish and coral 40 gal breeder QT?
I known that little be known in the Ribbon Eels natural diet, but Mollies!! Their normally are a freshwater species, and this through all that I understood that if its not from the oceans, its not suitable for my eels. Even if there be some way to enhance the nutritional value of the Mollies, I wouldn't use them as food for my other eels. I guess that im just so old fashion that im not willing perhaps to do something that I normally would never do, I really need to learn more in this idea before making any logical decision. As is Marco, ever sense I could remember, as far back in my late teens, I began planning my tanks and making any changes they would require as before the tank has even began. I like to feel in this that I had little to no major mistakes in as little then the last half century.
I do feel to believe that the hobbyist in this who managed hid ribbon eels for so long, that he must had as well offered the mollies a widen variety and nutritional values to which they as normally coming from a freshwater involvement wouldn't made all that much of a difference, I like to believe that this however made a world of difference.
Marco, you will have to excuse my typing abilities and grammar to what they be for i do at most times do have a lacking ability to put into words most to what im always trying to say. The ill effects which was caused to me in the Korean War has worsen somewhat, and that my memory or mind drifts into another world as it might be, so typing takes me far much longer then it has a few years ago. And while into my typing, i often become aware that I lost time and not remember right away what I was doing, and what takes many others to type out a few paragraphs, takes me hours.
But this problem in no way causes me to do anything less then I done in the aquariums I maintained through the years, I still am sharp to what I want for my tanks, and the care they are required.
Even clown fishes are known to attack larger predators, perhaps if im to stay within the idea of damsels, it will then be Chromis only, but i will that is need to look more into the idea of using Mollies.
The problems with starving ribbon eels is mainly stress (wrong handling, crowded tanks) and damage during catching and transport.
The tank I done for eels only, were only eels with a number of damsels in which I used for nipping on the food parts that eels like the dragons only torn up, and the damsels in this, assisted me in clean up, along with my 30 gal water changes weekly. I always then maintained a nitrate level at untraceable levels, In which for me was extremely important.
The oldest specimens I know of reached 16 and 17 (!) years of age in captivity. They thrived on a diet of black mollies and following the keeper preferred small black fish in general.
This is what I could feel good with as well, I have no wish in plaing the ribbon eels at risk, and to have only a very short term success of maintaining them, to me in which is no success at all to speak of., not when we look at how long they probable do live. For im sure, even that one managed them for 16-17 years, im pretty sure that if were in the wild, their life span would had been a good deal longer. The only eels I kept for anything longer then 8 or 9 years, were the pair of dragon morays which I kept for more then 14 years, and I only fed them once a week, and if they refused that weeks feeding, they waited for the next schedule feeding. Even the goldentail eels, when their growth size were near adults, I feed them as well, once a week as well. That is the one good thing about housing eels in a species only tank, you can control better in not to over feeding them. This Marco, I've learn a long time ago, and was why i had some seven eel only tanks for so many years.
Like this, I will not look for this thread, one person post a photo before and after of his sfe, two years apart the images and in the first one, his eel is young and slim, the second his eel is larger and fat as hell. He seems to think that his eel is healthy, to where his no idea to what body fat his eel has gained in but a few short years.
Black mollies are cheap, easy to breed and will live (even breed) in salt water (until they are eaten).
As any other fish species, Mollies I figure will eat their own young as well? So I would then need to use holding containers that allow filtration, but no young that will escape from the young fish holding facility. And yes, I would then as well require a second holding tank just for this purpose. But what would be extremely helpful Marco is if I could communicate somehow with this person who done this for his ribbons eels. I need to learn to what he done different from so many others, like im sure he just didn't feed them flakes only. that he must have put together some type of nutritional diet to make it that their of some value for the eels.
I not know if just because, due to the idea that when their living in the eels salinity level that this somehow changes their nutritional level, I could be wrong, but I also will keep a open mind in the possibilities.
My approach with ribbon eels would be this: If necessary I'd feed black mollies (in the beginning only). Then I would train the morays to a diet of various frozen foods, which would be enriched with vitamins about once a week and include various fish species, various shrimp species, various cephalopods, various bivalves. I suspect variability would be much higher than with only one type of damsel, although we know black mollies work as a long term food quite well.
It is obviously that we think somewhat a like with many things here to do with eels, for of course, I wouldn't just sit here feeding Mollies all those years without trying all the many other natural marine products. Even knowing that they will refuse it many times over, and that I will try time again to feed, even that i will attempt to feed any two or three seafoods at anyone time. Also, I will like to get something like in the link that you provided for me for feeding the eels, I make my own with plastic tubing, adding on something for a tip in order to attach the food too, and I have to believe that the item i use for feeding, becomes mostly invisible when in the tanks water.
Congrogadus subducens is a species I can honestly recommend, but don't expect a moray in terms of character, they are different. The good thing about Congrogadus subducens is that have been bred in captivity
Yes, I know that their character and behavior is much different from the true moray eel and that they have been breaded as well, its not however my idea im looking into doing, other then to do a bit something different then in past years. I did however assisted others in the home care for such Eel Blennies for even that they aren't as the same, many technics however work the same, and they are aggressive when it comes to feeding. But one thing I not know, for the most part, others only had one eel, not two. When mating occurs, how much time do I have to remove their young from the tank?
Also, the idea of a third Congrogadus subducens, couldn't this somehow place at risk new borns? Like I know that the wolf eel care for their young, but another who had nothing to do in having those younglings, if hungry, will feed on them? I assume it will.
2 or 3 ribbon eels in the 130 gallon tank are feasible ideas. For the ribbon eels I'd choose a smaller pipe diameter and more than 2 pipes.
But on the Ribbon eels, I think I will stick it with a single pair only, I want them as is too have as much room, that the one main fish will be either a Rabbit fish or tang, and perhaps a few smaller, but not to small in size. Also my thoughts later as the tank ages, to get a sea urchin and sea cucumber. So I not think I want to crowd it with as many Ribbon Eels, I will make it as comfy as possible, for its a pair im most interested in, and im more into the idea that they survive far greater then what most I've heard.
Just in the past year, in some of the forums, others posting their ribbons and of course, their feeding on feeders only. And as some time gone by, their be nothing more posted on their eel. I mean, they will post like crazy for the time they have the eel, like a year to 18 months, and then all a sudden, nothing.
Like in the Eel book which you brought to my attention, it too speaks of waste, water quality, as I told others for a number of decades, but on my own through the errors of others who added copper to their eel tank. I think Marco, that I gained a great acknowledgement of the eel through those 3.5 decades that I've had as many as seven eels at any giving time, and never, I mean besides when i was still a small young kid myself, I never hand feed. But there happens to be so much to learn from one species to the next, that learning somehow just never ends. It will be the Congrogadus subducens for the 70 gal tank, even that their not a true eel, they still however offer me something different. And I will as well, deepens the sandbed in the 70 by 3" and add a 1.5" pvc if available in that size. And i agree with the ribbon eels as well, i will go within the idea of a 2" pvc and see if James could assist me with having four channels, even more if their all attached to one another, it might be better.
But the problem on that is, ever other week, I want to blow out the pvc tubing with a powerhead for clearing out any debris in the piping, using a long tongs to get the pumps over the piping.
Marco, my fellow eel lover, this post has taking me sense I first seen your response this morning at about 4 am my time i think it was. Anyway, I have much difficulties in managing to type, and the more I try to type, it becomes much more harder for me. I cannot set and type, and be finished with anything. Following after the Korean War, I slowly became aware that I had a disability due to being in combat.
In short, my mind goes blank, that it takes me time to think what I was going to say, what I was doing and causes me a good deal of grammar issues, for many due to it, not think they should listen any due to it. But I still enjoy the hobby that has giving me much joy. I hope that there not be too much misspelling, sorry for it and the other thing be, more most precise words to best say what I wanted in the first place. As is, this whole post has taking me with rest periods as well, 10.5 hours to complete, YIPES!!
When the time comes, and I start my SPS tank, if I no one to assist in editing my words, i will just have to make it as short and simple as best I can. later my Friend
Buddy
