brackish moray eel

[ROTTEN76]

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fish/ec ... chilus.php
has anyone ever kept this kind of eel? I couldn't find any recomended tank size for them. I've read they do well with puffers. I currently have 3 f8's and 3 knight gobies in a 56 g. I plan on getting a larger tank for them and thought about adding 2 of these eels. The f8's and kg's get along very well, at times all six will feed on a shrimp at the same time without any aggresion . So my concern would be with the eels . Any help, info, input, etc. would be helpful.

[jeff_purdon]

i've kept a gymnothorax tile with puffers with no problem. in fact i just bought a small one yesterday thats about 6 inches long. hes tiny compared to the one that got out of my tank and sadly died a few months ago. never had any sort of aggression problems. just feed the puffers first then feed the eel.

[Jase]

I'm guessing from similar species that it needs around 75 gallons apiece. so I would work with that if you really want one. also, just as a general rule, morays shouldn't really be mixed with other fish...
Corvus knows quite a bit about eels though, so maybe he'll be more helpful.

[ROTTEN76]

the other species of brackish eels do get quite large, so can understand them needing 75g apiece. this one ,apparently, only gets 13". so not much bio mass, was thinking maybe a 100g or 120g for two, along with the f8's and kg's.

[Jase]

I don't know enough about them, but I think eels are pretty territorial, so I wouldn't put two in one tank... I may be wrong though. I also think that it will eat you KGs.
I would wait for someone with more knowledge on them to help. I sent Corvus a PM for you.

[ROTTEN76]

Thank you Jase.

[Corvus]

Maybe my article on "freshwater" morays may be able to answer some questions:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/ ... r_eels.htm

I would not house adult specimens with fish smaller than 20 cm (8"). Even larger fish may get bite marks. I would not mix them with puffers, some puffers might bite the tail and fin of the moray. In addition if the moray tries to eat the puffer you may end up with two dead with if the puffer puffs within the throat of the moray and was not pierced totally by its teeth. Keeping them together may work for some time and with some eel/puffer combinations, but cannot be recommended by me.

I consider a 30 gallon as acceptable for one of these eels given proper filtration and water quality. Two should have at least twice the size, they can be kept in groups in larger tanks.

E. rhodochilus is rarely traded, G. tile is much more common.

Last but not least, they do much better in high salinity brackish (SG>>1.010) water compared to medium or lower end brackish water. I got mine thriving in pure marine water for many years, another person has its in marine for more than 10 years. MUCH healthier than only with a little salt or pure freshwater and therefore the best choice in my opinion.

[ROTTEN76]

Thank you Corvus. I should have known that it would be a bad idea.

[Jase]

He's good

I love when one of TPF team just pops in from time to time to right the world, then go on their way.