Reef safe eels?
- Thread starter lachya
- Start date
eatbreakfast
New member
Melatremus, golden dwarf moray, is considered reef safe due to it's small size.
hotelbravo
Active member
my snowflake doesn't mess with any fish or shrimp in my tank and even shares a hole with my firefish.
eatbreakfast
New member
I have seen lg snowflakes go "rogue" and hunt new fish and invert additions. One even got into an acclimation box to eat a new fish.
hotelbravo
Active member
I guess ive been lucky my snowflake hasn't ate any of my 3 small peppermints or my medium scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp. infact I have noticed my cleaner shrimp cleaning my snowflake eel. he seems to have cleaned every fish in the tank they love him.
The one that is gone?
hotelbravo
Active member
yes :worried: im not giving up on the chance he is still alive somewhere.
eatbreakfast
New member
I don't know if I agree, melatremus stay small, under a foot, and aren't especially active. A 40g is 3' long, it's more than enough space.
After looking at this 1 more I could see that. My mouth dropped when I saw what they go for.
JoeVandal49
New member
I have a pair of Snowflakes that are 100% fish and coral safe but not invert safe. Thats not to say all snowflakes will be the same. Both have and will snack on shrimp, and my smaller of the two has unsuccessfully gone after the hermits on occasion.
One is full grown, the other is about half my larger ones size. The smaller of the two seems to misbehave(more active, and actually seems to actively hunt for inverts) more than the larger one, so i dont think age/size has anything to do with it. The larger one stays in its pvc tube 90% of the time.
The fish i have kept with them that could potentially be in danger are a yellow watchman goby, mandarin, yellow corris wrasse, mottled clingfish and chromis pretty much since day one with them. No issues, and often both eels touch skin to skin with the watchman goby.
Zebras are reported to be the most reef safe, hunting only very specific inverts, and i would love to have one, but they get very large. I will definitely get one though when i finish the down stairs remodel in a couple years and install the large peninsula i have planned. I thought about one for the 300g stock pond, but i know i would come home to an eel on the concrete floor at one point or another.
IMO Golden dwarfs are not invert OR fish safe. They are one of the more notorious fish hunters out of the eels commonly described as "reef" safe. They do stay relatively small, but bite size fish can be on the menu. If you don't have smaller fish then its not an issue.
None are 100% "reef" safe, because none are 100% invert safe. The Zebra is likely the most reef safe however, but again, they do get large. I would not keep any in a "small" tank, with the exception of possible the golden dwarf, but i dont know what your idea of small is so...
One is full grown, the other is about half my larger ones size. The smaller of the two seems to misbehave(more active, and actually seems to actively hunt for inverts) more than the larger one, so i dont think age/size has anything to do with it. The larger one stays in its pvc tube 90% of the time.
The fish i have kept with them that could potentially be in danger are a yellow watchman goby, mandarin, yellow corris wrasse, mottled clingfish and chromis pretty much since day one with them. No issues, and often both eels touch skin to skin with the watchman goby.
Zebras are reported to be the most reef safe, hunting only very specific inverts, and i would love to have one, but they get very large. I will definitely get one though when i finish the down stairs remodel in a couple years and install the large peninsula i have planned. I thought about one for the 300g stock pond, but i know i would come home to an eel on the concrete floor at one point or another.
IMO Golden dwarfs are not invert OR fish safe. They are one of the more notorious fish hunters out of the eels commonly described as "reef" safe. They do stay relatively small, but bite size fish can be on the menu. If you don't have smaller fish then its not an issue.
None are 100% "reef" safe, because none are 100% invert safe. The Zebra is likely the most reef safe however, but again, they do get large. I would not keep any in a "small" tank, with the exception of possible the golden dwarf, but i dont know what your idea of small is so...
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themoraykeeper
New member
Have kept a few Eels in a reef tank, but will share my opinions.
Depending on tank size;
if it's a smaller tank the golden dwarf would definitely be my choice. A nice, reasonably active moray that never touched any fishes in my Fowlr and the inverts were all never bothered with. Only thing I would say is that they can get lost in larger tanks and be difficult to find and feed. So I would say 40 gallons would be ideal size for this species.
The other eel I would say is one of my favourite fish, the zebra moray had been reef safe with me for 6+ years, never touched or looked at any fishes (including small damsels, royal gramma) and was a great eel in looks and Personality! Would deffo say a 5ft tank minimum or around 125 gallons for when they are fully grown, as the 4ft 75 gallon I kept one in soon looked too small and it passed before I could upgrade. Gets around 3ft+ when adults and can knock off corals if not secured. Can also eat inverts (crabs, shrimp etc.)
The final eel but probably less reef safe is the skeletor moray, as they can take fishes and inverts, but mine is a dream and has never touched anything! Really aggressive feeder and always tries to steal foods off the other fishes and gets around 2ft. Such as cool and active eel though, probably on par with the zebra in my opinion. Would recommend if willing to risk it potentially
Another few Eels to look at but haven't had personal experiences with any of these;
. Goldentail moray
. Banana moray
. Snowflake moray
. Chainlink moray
^ however these may eat fishes and inverts in a reef tank, so take caution and research would be best!
Depending on tank size;
if it's a smaller tank the golden dwarf would definitely be my choice. A nice, reasonably active moray that never touched any fishes in my Fowlr and the inverts were all never bothered with. Only thing I would say is that they can get lost in larger tanks and be difficult to find and feed. So I would say 40 gallons would be ideal size for this species.
The other eel I would say is one of my favourite fish, the zebra moray had been reef safe with me for 6+ years, never touched or looked at any fishes (including small damsels, royal gramma) and was a great eel in looks and Personality! Would deffo say a 5ft tank minimum or around 125 gallons for when they are fully grown, as the 4ft 75 gallon I kept one in soon looked too small and it passed before I could upgrade. Gets around 3ft+ when adults and can knock off corals if not secured. Can also eat inverts (crabs, shrimp etc.)
The final eel but probably less reef safe is the skeletor moray, as they can take fishes and inverts, but mine is a dream and has never touched anything! Really aggressive feeder and always tries to steal foods off the other fishes and gets around 2ft. Such as cool and active eel though, probably on par with the zebra in my opinion. Would recommend if willing to risk it potentially
Another few Eels to look at but haven't had personal experiences with any of these;
. Goldentail moray
. Banana moray
. Snowflake moray
. Chainlink moray
^ however these may eat fishes and inverts in a reef tank, so take caution and research would be best!
themoraykeeper
New member
https://youtu.be/Zg1VGPHHoOw
Here's a video of my zebra moray in a Fowlr, 75 gallon!
Here's a video of my zebra moray in a Fowlr, 75 gallon!
Sounds Fishy
New member
+1 snowflake eel. Didn't eat my reef lobster...
I have a zebra in my 225 and while I don't have a bunch of corals yet, he is a model guy. Wont touch snails or cleaner shrimp. Did munch a sally crab but that's it. No fish eating and with a proper amount of rock to hide in and good feedings they are less like likey to wander around knocking stuff over looking for food.
