Eel suggestions?

[Juice It]

Just wanted to hear some thoughts on a nice vibrant colored eel for a 200 gallon that will actually make itself seen instead of never coming out. Miliaris looks cool, I like the way the tessellated moray looks but my book says it gets huge. The banana or canary moray looks awesome but never seen one for sale. From the eel keepers experience, what do you recomend?


Thanks,

Jeff

 

[myerst2]

If you want the ned all be all for the most vibrant Morays. There is no competition. Japanese or Hawaiian Dragon Morays win easily. Enchelycore paradalis will be a bit cryptic when very young but once adjusted they will make themselves be seen more so than almost all other eels, especially larger specimens. Larger ones will sometimes lay out with their full body exposed, and why not who's going to mess with those teeth. Besides not being cryptic they are the most beautiful and stunning displays.

As far a Tessalatas they are pretty but extremely aggressive and get huge. Millaris is a great choice but far more cryptic and will hide for days at a time until they are hungry. Still love millaris and loved my guy and would recommend this eel to anyone.

 

[myerst2]

Some pics of my Dragon and old millaris. Good luck. Tim

 

[nsxnr6]

My vote is for: banana or canary moray

I agree, they look sweet. If I can get a decent picture of mine, I will post him for you.

 

[Juice It]

In the one popular picture of the canary/banana moray it has awesome color. I have looked all over the net though and cannot find one in stock anywhere. I love the Dragon as well but am not at the point in the hobby to spend 850+(cheapest I have seen) on one fish. I like the millaris but haven't seen any around either. My local stores seem to only get snowflakes or wolf eels with no color. Definately don't want something that gets too large and overly aggresive toward my other fish. If anyone sees something that fits my bill, let me know. Thanks!!

 

[Grouperhead]

Whitemouths are very pretty. T-T-Trigger has one that is gorgeous. They have some on NYaquatic.com now. Goldentails are really nice too, but their prices seem to have gone up. Divers Den has (or had) one this week. Brazilian dragons are also very cool.

 

[anbosu]

Do you know how much that site charges for shipping, grouperhead? I have looked there before but since they don't show their shipping prices anywhere on the site I refuse to order from there.

 

[myerst2]

Not sure what a canary moray is? Please specify? Are you talking about an all gold millaris or a meletremus?

 

[myerst2]

Oh by the way whats up BO?! How's classes going? Ever find your millaris? T

 

[nsxnr6]

Hey Myerst,

You are correct, the banana moray eel or better know as the canary moray eel is a Gymnothorax miliaris.

Hope that helps.

 

[myerst2]

Ok then you are talking about the Brazilian color morph of millaris. Justrarefish.com has one right now. Personally, except for the rare Brazilian specimen they look dirty. T

 

[Juice It]

I was oin that site over the weekend and they didn't have one and now they have a banana and a dragon. Since this is the first one I have seen for sale, does anyone know if 450.00 is reasonable? Seems eel prices on the net are all over the map. It is a yellow specimen but not as bright as some pictures I have seen. What do you guys think of this deal?

Thanks for the heads up Myerst2! Didn't you sell your Miliaris for 150?

 

[ladyshark]

Banana eel is a fairly rare morph of g. milaris. I have kept an eye for one for awhile now. Have seen them as low as 250 at saltwaterfish.com (altho not ever in stock) up to $500, so 450 is in the range. Saltwaterfish.com has a pretty poor reputation, selling thin fish, not in good shape.

They don't come about often, so if you really want one, go for it. They do come about off and on. G. Milaris are pretty hardy eels in general, no reason to think the banana morph is any different.

 

[Grouperhead]

Tim, I've been so busy lately with trying to graduate my fish plans have been put on hold for now. Gotta graduate to make money to buy all the expensive fish I want!

 

[Megistos]

Shipping from nyaquatic is 39.99 if I remember correctly.

I have a whitemouth (G. meleagris) about 15" long. Has only been free in the tank for a day or 2 (was in a Critter-Keeper for a week and a half, let itself out the other day), but is already coming out frequently.

Do be advised that a new moray may not eat for several weeks.

 

[Stuart60611]

To tag along here, I have been considering an eel for my FOWLR system. However, I do not want to get one if I hardly see it and it hides all the time. I know that all eels will hide to a degree, but I was wondering which eel is the most outgoing in terms of being seen regularly. Also, do people quarantine eels? Can they get ich?

 

[Megistos]

You'll see your eels more if your lighting is dimmer. However, they are by nature ambush predators, so you are pretty much guaranteed that they will spend a significant amount of time hiding.

Don't get a Zebra or a Chainlink moray - they hide all the time, even after they get used to your tank. My personal experience is with a zebra and, more recently, a white-mouth. The whitemouth comes out a lot more than the zebra, but still only usually sticks his head out. I have heard that snowflakes are the same way. Basically, you're never guaranteed a frequently-visible eel. Your odds improve if you underfeed them.

Eels can get ich, but if they do it's likely a sign of bad water quality. If they do, treat with hyposalinity - copper is lethal to them. They are some of the most disease-resistant fish out there, and even quarantine fanatics like Bob Fenner (wetwebmedia.com) have advised that quarantining them isn't necessary.