Dragon moray and other fish

V

Vargklo

New member
I have started up a 125 gal FOWLR tank half a year ago. I've stocked it with some smaller fish of less significance and my beloved picasso trigger. Clearly, the picasso is king of the tank, and is approx 3 inches long.

But i'm still lacking a "crown jewel" for the tank. Now, I have the opportunity to purchase an adult dragon moray (approx 1,5-2 feet) from my local fish store. The moray comes from the home tank of one of the store owners, who says that it really is quite peaceful and has not harmed any other fish in his tank for the last 5 years.

Would you try to add a dragon moray to a tank with an established picasso trigger? I'd like very much to have them both...
 
i would only do one or the other

i dont think it will end well ( as the moray will prbly eat him)

anything smaller than that moray becomes a potentail dinner item ( it might tank a week, a month, or a year) but it will be eaten............
 
Wow if I had the choice between the Dragon Moray and the picasso I would definately choose the Dragon Eeel! Those things are BEAUTIFUL!

Maybe you might want to get a larger picasso and then also get the Dragon Eel. (knowing of course that you might be comitted to a larger agressive FOWLR tank)

If your lookiing for a head turner and crown jewel the Dragon Moray would be the one hands down IMO.

Since I've never had a Dragon Eeel I can't comment on its possible temperment towards that 3" trigger, but if you have the funds and have a Drgoan Eeel availble I would grab him in a heartbeat!
 
It's weird that the dragon is that old and so small... It should definitely be 3 feet by now. Anyway, I'd probably worry that the trigger would one day attack the dragon's "horns"... They seem to have a tendency to pick on things like that. That is of course if the trigger isn't eaten first.
 
Thanks guys, just keep on posting :)

You replies are very relevant. Below you find a picture of my tank. Oh yes, beside the picasso (it's bigger today than in the picture below), there is also an Odonus niger and a navarchus emperor in the tank. I will most likelt move the navarchus to my reef tank, but maybe also the O. niger can stay in the FOWLR?

My FOWLR:
attachment.php


It's difficult to judge the length of the dragon moray in the fish store. It could very well be 2-2,5 feet (but not 3 feet). It's currently in "hibernation mode" (i.e., it doesn't eat), but I've been told it does like that every summer.

The dragon moray for sale:
attachment.php
:) :) :)
 
I have my Dragon with many fish, but I added my dragon last and he is at the most 13". It all depends on what the history of the dragon is. If you put a wild caught 24" dragon in a display then i would be very concerned about other tank mates. Where as if the dragon was brought up in captivity on a "dead" diet from a small size i wouldn't be as concerned as long as you keep him well fed. Tim
 
myerst2,

Thanks, you perspective is very helpful. The dragon moray in question has lived in a quite large tank (500 gal) for the last five years together with another moray and quite a collection of other "normal" fish. I hear from the owner that there has never been a problem with aggressiveness towards other fish, and that the dragon moray has fed on thawed shrimp for the latest years.

What maybe concerns me in this case is if the picasso trigger will be aggressive to the (very much larger) dragon moray. My picasso attackes every new entrant in my FOWLR tank, from hermits, snails and acropora frags. Maybe if I take out the picasso at the same time as I out in the dragon moray, and reenter the picasso two weeks after?
 
Yes it is iffy either way. You will be putting the dragon in much smaller confines and he if is alone he may regard that whole tank his own if you remove the picasso. He may attack the re-introduced piccaso because of territory. If you add the dragon with the picasso in their the picasso could badly injure the dragon quickly or be scared. The picasso may attack at first but if the dragon takes a shot at the picasso, it's over for the picasso. i would try and maybe get a eeg crate partition and let them see each other in the tank and see how they react. That's what i would do. Personally I would get the dragon either way, unless you have a real love for your trigger. i would get a planktivore trigger instead. X. ringens for example. Tim
 
myerst2,

Thanks for the advice, I'll think about the egg crate.

In this case, the dragon moray has been in a smaller tank (125 gal) for the latest 2 months at the local fish store, so it is probably already getting used to a smaller space.

By the way, what's your experience with this thing about the moray refusing to eat for longer periods (weeks or even longer)?
 
Yes they can go on long hunger strikes from time to time, which is totally normal. Especially when you first acquire them. Some larger specimens have been known to not eat for months at a time with no harm done.

As far living with a Tessy. Those are two very aggressive eels that I wouldn't recommend keeping together unless you have huge tank. I had a 4' Tessy years ago in a 150 and you couldn't put your hand in the tank much less anything else that moved. Maybe as juvis you could get away with but with age there will be problems. I think Tessy's are even less tolerant of other eels in their territory. Tim
 
like Tim said it all depends on the eels temperament. one of my dragon morays will eat anything that touches the water and was raised by me and another wild caught specimen which was collected at 20" will not touch its tank mates...so it all depends
 
Congrats that is a beauty!!!! That dragon has a very distinct jaw line. Seems much shorter than other Dragons. Do you know where the Dragon was collected? Wondering if that short jaw line is a locality trait? Please post your pics in the other thread I have going about showing your eels!!! What are you keeping with your Dragon? Great luck with him!!! Tim
 
Oh this is what I mean by your eel having a shorter jaw line. Look at these dragons compared to yours. Tim
rpyledragoneelorg_170h.jpg

dragonmoraythumbnail.jpg

enchelycore-pardalis.jpg
 
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