Tank mates for a moray

LCDRDATA

New member
I recently picked up a 30-gallon cube I plan to use for a species tank. I have my eye on a small (~ 6-8") snowflake moray, which I figure won't outgrow this tank for quite awhile. What would you recommend in terms of tank mates, particularly cleanup crew, that these guys won't eat? :eek:

As the lighting setup isn't that great and the money will be going into other aspects, I'm thinking of lower-light softies and maybe an anemone of some kind, but since I expect the moray to mainly hang around the bottom of the tank, any good ideas for higher in the water column / further up the rock work? Thanks!
 
They grow faster than you'd think. I wouldn't do this without an exit plan.

Having said that, here are some thoughts based on my experience:

1. Snowflakes will generally leave snails alone, but anything that looks like a crustacean will be dinner. They won't disturb corals, but they are messy and you may have difficulty maintaining water quality high enough to keep any but the hardiest in a tank that size.

2. Fish that are small enough to keep in a tank that size could also be on the menu, but snowflakes at that size generally don't eat fish. When they get close to sexual maturity, they can't be trusted.

3. Be sure that the tank is sealed. Eels have tiny skulls. Anything that their heads can get through, including eggcrate, is big enough for them to escape, which is by far the biggest cause of losses for these fish.

Bottom line, I think you'd be much better off with a mitratus eel. They're pricey, but can be maintained in your 30-gallon tank for the long term.
 
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