Bottom fish

[JohnniG]

Hi! I have a tank with 6 or so easy corals. They dont req. a lot of light and the water quality doesn't have to be perfect. I have some clowns and a sailfin surgeon fish atm. I am getting two morays, a zebra and snowflake in a week or so and I will be adding more fish also. Its a 140 gallon. What really inspires me is the fish that fill out the bottom of the aquarium or at least the bottom rocks, such as the morays. Because its pretty with the fish in the top ofcourse, but would be cool with some fish in the bottom too. Ive read that sharks and stingrays arent an option and a lot of shrimps arent good because of the morays, so... Do you know any fishtypes i can keep in there?

 

[rssjsb]

How set are you on the snowflake? The reason I am asking is that eventually it will pose a threat to your clowns and will limit the variety of smaller fish you can keep, including gobies, blennies, and other fish that might fit within the bottom-dwelling category you're interested in.

 

[JohnniG]

Im pretty set. The aquarium was set up for the morays and i'm looking for a third moray but cant seem to find one suitable since my salesman cant get chain morays. And I dont want the vicious ones. So if you got a third, apart from the zebra and snowflake? But anyway, they are going to stay. So if I could hopefully get something they leave alone. I get them as 20 cms though..

 

[rssjsb]

You probably won't have a problem until the snowflake reaches adulthood, which could take a few years. Once it does, the eel may cause problems. And it's not just little fish - they've been known to take angels and rabbitfish too.

Once my snowflake reached adult size, it started doing that "tying in knots" thing with big pieces of shrimp or squid. My puffer and large rabbit started hiding whenever the eel came out of the rocks (i.e., in feeding mode).

Sealifeinc.net has a chain link eel on its site right now. They're not a sponsor here so I don't think I can post a link.

 

[JohnniG]

Well, im located in Denmark? So don't know if the logistics are in place for something like that? But that would be awesome. Is the snowflake that much of a beast in comparison to the zebra?

 

[rssjsb]

Ah. That could be a problem. I doubt they ship internationally.

It's a life-cycle issue with snowflakes as I understand it. They are crustacean eaters when young, but will take fish as adults. Zebras get bigger than snowflakes, but are much more consistent in their diets.

You don't hear a lot about this issue with snowflakes in aquarium forums, but my theory is that this is because, sadly, most are lost to escape before they reach full maturity.

 

[DustyReefer]

The snowflake doesn't even have to be that big to be a problem, I had one that was put in my tank for no more than a half hour before it ate a six-line wrasse. The snowflake was definitely on the small side too. I don't see them as being appropriate for most reef tanks. The zebra though I've heard being very good reef inhabitants with the exception of liking to rearrange things. As stated the snowflake will definitely limit what you can put in the tank.

 

[bambam918]

The snowflake doesn't even have to be that big to be a problem, I had one that was put in my tank for no more than a half hour before it ate a six-line wrasse. The snowflake was definitely on the small side too. I don't see them as being appropriate for most reef tanks. The zebra though I've heard being very good reef inhabitants with the exception of liking to rearrange things. As stated the snowflake will definitely limit what you can put in the tank.

Funny cause I think the snowflake is less aggressive than the zebra. My brother had a snowflake that was not quit adult and it was very peaceful with his clowns and angles. I think if you keep the eels fed, the odds of them take another tank member decreases a lot.

 

[JohnniG]

Ive heard, especially when they are young, they are pretty docile. "They wont attack something they can't swallow" is what I remember.

 

[rssjsb]

Funny cause I think the snowflake is less aggressive than the zebra. My brother had a snowflake that was not quit adult and it was very peaceful with his clowns and angles. I think if you keep the eels fed, the odds of them take another tank member decreases a lot.

That's the key. When young they are quite passive.

 

[rssjsb]

"They wont attack something they can't swallow" is what I remember.

Not so much. Even when adults, these eels have small heads. Yet they can eat angels, butterflies, and other bigger fish they could not possibly swallow. They tie themselves in a sort of knot to overcome the fish, then eat it in chunks. Once mine started displaying this behavior with frozen shrimp and other frozen foods, the other fish in the tank got really nervous whenever they saw him.

 

[sealbeach1]

Not trying to change any thinking about what type of eel, I have had Golden Hawaiian dwarf eels in my reef and never had a problem with them bothering my fish or shrimp.

 

[JohnniG]

Bot back to topic. Anyone know some bottom fish other than the already mentioned ?

 

[Tuton]

I have seen Cleaner shrimps kept with large eels before.
They will set up shop outside the hole the eel is in and wait for a job.
One of the smaller hogfish or larger hawkfish might make a good lower level fish

 

[JohnniG]

Thank you! I will google those.

 

[Tuton]

A cleaner shrimp is to an eel as an anemone is to a clownfish

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Maybe one of the larger species of hawkfish?

 

[rssjsb]

I have seen Cleaner shrimps kept with large eels before.
They will set up shop outside the hole the eel is in and wait for a job.
One of the smaller hogfish or larger hawkfish might make a good lower level fish

I have to say, you're comparing apples to oranges. The eel you pictured is a fish-eater. You can tell by the teeth. Zebras and young snowflakes have pebble-shaped teeth that are adapted to eat crustaceans. So while fish-eating morays may tolerate cleaner shrimp, this is less likely to be the case with eels that are adapted to eat shrimp and crabs.

To the OP, I think one of the bigger hawkfish might work for you. You may get away with a flame or long-nose hawk for awhile, but the larger ones stand a better chance over the long haul. There's a really pretty Japanese golden hawk, but I think they're fairly aggressive. Arc-eye hawks are also cool.

What about a dogface puffer? They're not bottom dwellers, but they're compatible with your eels.

 

[JohnniG]

Thank you mate. Let me google those !