So called 'Freshwater' Moray Eel

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:32 pm

Ok, from the get-go I knew these things were not freshwater. Obviously I figured these buys have to be atleast brackish. So last night (after sifting through the 20 or so at work) I managed to catch the smallest and darkest one. Basically if you look at it, it will remind you of a snowflake moray.

But I digress, so far the little fella is in my 60 gallon fw quarantine till he gets all chilled out and eating so then I can put him into my 'new' brackish tank (80 gallons) that is through its 3rd week of a fishless cycle (still in fw state.) I was hoping on possibly moving my figure 8's into the 80 (breaking down their still new 95 due to space) with the eel once he has been brought up to the same SG. As I see it, the eel will see the figure 8's as prey or the other way round. So far I had spend a few days, a month or so ago, with a dremel and PVC to make hides and stuff for the figure 8's to check out, which now seem to be eel housing. So basically, I just would like to know if the eel (which will probably be eels by thursday if this guy does well) will be fine with figure 8's or vice-versa.

Jager · Post by **Jager** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:12 pm

it could be, but id watch the eel with them , use a divider or something just incase, and the eel needs hiding areas that the puffers cannot get too. also the eel will need higher sg than the f8s may like.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:18 pm

Yeah, I was thinking about the SG. What would the eels prefer? High brackish to low marine?

Also, after checking out the eel I have at the moment this morning. He seems very active for an eel (active as in not hiding.) There are about 3 pieces of pvc in the tank and he doesn't go in them.

vipervenom · Post by **vipervenom** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:40 pm

I am pretty sure "freshwater" morays require high end brackish or pure saltwater as they get older.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:01 pm

Ok, I was planning on putting them in high end brackish.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:34 pm

All I can say now is 'OHHH CRAP!' This afternoon I came home finding the eel acting weird as in his breathing was more slow. I thought that it was because he had not eaten in a while and the problem would be solved by later today. So I went out and got some krill, ghosties, garlic gaurd, and the other 2 morays (to give the other one company cause he seemed sluggish after he was taken away from the others.)

I get home to find him laying on the tank doing his slow breathes and then he gapes his mouth and lunges towards the glass (OK, seems I scared him) so then I continue to float the other morays in the QT. He looks at the bag, then goes back facing the glass.

45 minutes after complete floating and water being introduced to the bag the *new* eels go to check out the first one, they rub against him, nudge him, and seem to sniff him. One then goes off to a cave in the tank (a cup) and the other goes to the opening between where the aquariumglass and the cup meet. The original moray is just dazed for the moment. Then out of no where he follows the second eel to the crack. I watch for a little to find no aggression, so I go off to feed the puffs (oh and yes I soaked some krill in garlic gaurd to find he is not intrested, so I introduced 5 ghosties.) I come back down to check out the eels to find my 1st guy on his side (breathing) as if he were euthanatised. I get a soft brine net to nudge him and flips over to move to some PVC to support him (there is a pretty strong current in this bare bottom tank.)

I don't know what to diagnose this guy with so I have no clue on any remidies.

Only things I could think of were the following:

~SG hasn't been raised yet and the eel isn't taking to the temporary fresh too kindly.

~He is not eating, therefore he is weak.

~I medicated the tank with a partial dose of Pima Fix to help calm him and help treat him for anything bacteria related that I might have missed while examining him before taking him home.)

~I've been using DI water for watcher changes.

~Ph 6.5 has been added to help make the water slightly acidic (last water change with this added yesterday)

Jager · Post by **Jager** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:14 pm

sounds bad, maybe he nees higher bw now. otherwise i dunno, they gennerally keel over in fw once they need salt, and id say yours needs it ASAP

vipervenom · Post by **vipervenom** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:36 pm

I think int he wild, the only time shese morays spend in pure freshwater is when they are born, and then immediately head for saltwater. Fish like these usually take to a change in salinity much better since esturaies salinity is altered weekly even from heavy rainfalls etc.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:40 pm

Over a few hours last night I put a net breeder box in my figure 8 tank and had a bucket to drip down the tank water slowly to raise the SG. The eel is more then perfect now... all I need to buy is raw shrimp.

vipervenom · Post by **vipervenom** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:44 am

Wow! Now we know for next time! Awesome news!

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:24 pm

Ok, these guys are either eating stuff without me being around or they havn't touched a thing. I've tried it all, soaked/non soaked shrimp (zoe, zoecon, garlic gaurd mixed concentrations and non mixed), soaked/non soaked krill, home raised and bred feeders (ghosties, guppies/endlers, and cherry shrimp ), staple foods (mainly pellets), vegetable matter (lettuce/cabbage) and live bait foods (brine, blackworms, mealworms, earthworms, live common mosquito larvae & bloodworms)

With the krill and shrimp i tried by hand, moving it around on a stake, fishing line attatched to the out take (to similate muvement without me being near the tank), and just leaving a piece in for a while with the lights off before I go to bed.

Kinda geting desperate here.

vipervenom · Post by **vipervenom** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:19 pm

Have you tried rosy reds? Maybe they will take to live fish better than crustaceans?

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:46 pm

Ehh, rosies aren't really an option I was aiming at taking (thats why I was using home bred guppies and endlers.)
But I guess its worth a shot...

English George · Post by **English George** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 7:55 pm

IME morays when moved often go throgh a period of fasting. i usually don't feed them for a while then start them on lance fish.

Dawgz · Post by **Dawgz** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:35 pm

Correct me if im wrong, or maybe its just my f8....dont ALL f8's sleep on the ground?...wouldnt this make an easy meal for the eel? and the eel die'ing afterwards from the poison\toxins the puffer has?...

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So called 'Freshwater' Moray Eel

So called 'Freshwater' Moray Eel