Multiple Dragon Moray Tank 03/05/09
Hey crew,
<Hi Joe.>
I assume this will go to Marco. Hey bud, hope all is well.
<Sure, everything's fine. Thanks.>
After speaking with you in the past about a Tesselata tank I think I have officially given up on keeping one of these monsters, just can't justify that big of a tank and those huge water changes for just the single eel. So I'm writing today to inquire about my plan B. I'm considering this plan in my existing 240g or downsizing to a 180g (preferred).
Can a Dragon Moray (Enchelycore pardalis) and a Brazilian Horned aka Whitespot Moray (Muraena pavonina) be kept together in a 180g?
<In terms of water pollution, space required: yes, but with regard to their character this can become problematic. Almost all M. pavonina I had with other eels became aggressive towards their tank mates including morays at some point. The E. pardalis can be quite comparable in the long run... or stay quite peaceful.... hit and miss.>
I'm thinking of these 2 eels and one display fish (maybe a Queen or Emperor Angel)
<May be attacked, interpreted as a big piece of food, may not be able to hide from the morays. Probably should placed in before the morays to become dominant while the eels are still freshmen.>
along with a variety of Damsels/Chromis/Clowns for activity/food/color.
Think this is a feasible tank?
<Possible... but you should be prepared that one eel may have to be removed at some point. Both should have the same size and be put into the tank together. Lots of caves will also help to reduce territorial behaviour.>
I would of course have a HUGE skimmer
<Yes.>
and wet/dry on it.
<Not necessary in my opinion, I'd rather invest into good live rock and power heads.>
Thanks for any thoughts or ideas or better main fish for a tank like this.
<What you plan can be done... may fail... will definitely depend on the character of the two eels. Other moray combinations have higher chances for success: Zebra eel, Snowflake eel, Banded moray (E. polyzona), Mexican dragon (M. lentiginosa), Chainlink, Goldentail, White eyed morays (G. thyrsoideus and griseus) are easier choices that can be kept together. A divider would be another visually less attractive option or limiting yourself to just one of the desired species (one specimen or a mated pair).>
Joe
<Cheers, Marco.>

Dragon Eel is slipping away – 2/21/09 I have had an 18-20 inch Dragon Eel for 6 years. He's always been blind as a bat but is otherwise a hearty eater, healthy as a horse. He is of course beautiful, and they are no longer exporting this fish from Japan so he's essentially irreplaceable. Tank is 240 gallons and is kept clean, and is professionally serviced every month. Water quality has remained good throughout (I am a big believer in over- filtering a tank). He has survived a very wide range of tankmates. <And eaten some likely> About 4 months ago the tank had to be moved from a location about 7 miles away to its current locale. The only 2 fish that came along with the eel were a porcupine puffer (about 10 inches) and a Harlequin Tusk (5 inches). Not a lot of fish for a big tank, but hey, the economy. Since the move, the eel lost its appetite, eating only occasionally. Diet includes prawn, silversides, and "Variety Supreme" (or as we call them, "gumdrops"). <Mmm... not what I would use... Do you supplement, add vitamins, HUFAs?> I chalked his loss of appetite up to stress related to the move, since he otherwise exhibited no symptoms. But then about 6 weeks ago one of the 2 heaters in the tank burned out and the tank got a little cool for a few days (about 8 degrees F below normal). He stopped eating altogether and started to experience some sort of seizures. Once the heater was replaced he seemed to improve a bit (he finally moved back to his hidey-hole for a couple days, for example) but has demonstrated what I can only call neurological deficiency ever since, having trouble swimming, not eating at all, and occasionally hanging out upside down. <Bad> Now, 6 weeks later, he stall won't eat, he lies upside down in the middle of the tank. His breathing seems labored. He has lost lots of weight. But otherwise, he is asymptomatic--no obvious disease, no sores, no color change apart from being slightly paler -- nothing. Just starving and wasting away. I am contemplating euthanasia at this point. <Mmm, not quite yet> I don't have a sick tank or the budget to buy one, really, unless I believed there was a really great chance of it being successful. Do you foresee any hope at this point or should I admit the inevitable and put the fish down? Or is there something obvious I have missed? Thanks for your consideration, Brian Maffitt <Look into one of the commercial "appetite stimulants" sold in the trade... Selcon, Seachem's "Garlic Guard"... and raise the temperature to 82-84 F.... This and other Muraenids can recover from long bouts of non-feeding. Bob Fenner> Re: Dragon Eel is slipping away   2/21/09 Thanks so much for your response. A follow-up--he has a white curling emission coming from the opening in his midsection, is could possibly be a worm, or maybe he's just pooping? I could send a picture if it would be useful. Brian <Would be. B>

This is fecal material... I would force feed this animal... See WWM re if you are unfamiliar. BobF.     2/22/09

Parasitic worms
I need some help!  My Hawaiian Dragon Eel stopped eating.
  I notice that he has thin, tan worms all over his body.   The worms are about an inch in size.  The part that doesn’t hook into the eel ends in a point.
  Please tell me what I can do to treat this.  I know eels are sensitive to many forms of treatment.  He is a full size eel.  Thanks so much for any advice you can give.  Kelly
<Mmm, need to have a definitive identification of these worms... to the phylum level. I suspect they're flukes of some sort, and could be treated with an organophosphate. I suggest a pH-adjusted freshwater dip (that will likely result in a bunch "letting go" for microscopic exam.) at this point. Be careful with netting the specimen and keep the dip tank covered and heavily aerated during this procedure. The dip by itself will not effect a cure... as the worms are likely of a type that have direct development and will still be present in various stages in the main tank when/if you return the eel. Bob Fenner>

Re: Parasitic worms
Hi Bob,
<Hi Kelly>
Thanks for your response. I did do the freshwater dip.  It took 18 minutes for the leeches to let go. (not die, just let go).  Yes, I did say leeches.  I took some of the specimens to an aquarium today.  I was told that they were leeches.
<Easy to see with some magnification (and specimens!)>
  Unfortunately, these leeches like to live in the substrate.  I had 200 pounds of sand and crushed coral in my
tank.  Well, with some help, I actually removed all the substrate and bought more live rock.  The substrate is totally infected with these leeches.  Just looking at them makes my skin crawl.  I am treating the substrate with Clout in a separate container.
<This should "do it">
There are no more of these leeches visible in the tank.  Although, he does have two of the leeches on him.  Compared to the hundred that were all over him yesterday, I consider this a huge accomplishment. Once the eel settles
down and does not appear so stressed, I will try to pick off the two remaining leeches.  This has been a very long project, but is well worth the effort to save this beautiful eel.
<Yes>
We have a Titan trigger fish with the eel.  She was sick in the past and had to be quarantined.  We now think she was being infected by the leeches as well. Since last night when we gave the eel a freshwater dip, the Titan has been
extremely protective of the eel.  She lies right beside him.  If I am working in the tank near to the eel, she goes completely ballistic.  I have to say a full size Titan trigger and full size Hawaiian dragon eel are a nice match.  Although, I would not add anything else with them.
Take care Bob.
Kelly
<Thank you for the progress report. Bob Fenner>

Dragon Eel
Hi Bob, I have a 75 gallon FO aquarium that is currently stocked with:
4" Naso Tang
3" Panther Grouper
4" Foxface
3" Volitans Lion
3" Picasso Trigger
2" Tomato Clown
I would like to add a Dragon Eel (Muraena pardalis) to my tank.
<Yikes... in a 75 gallon system? Sorry to state, your system is already going to be overcrowded with modest growth of what you already have...>
They are a bit pricey so I wanted to seek the advice of a professional before I made the purchase. Would this overload my tank?. 
<Definitely>
I have a large wet/dry filter and protein skimmer. Is the eel compatible with my other fish? 
<It would likely eat the Clown>
Will the eel be aggressive to me when I clean the tank? 
<Not common. This is one of the more "peaceful" fish-eating Moray species. Unfortunately it (and some of your other livestock) need larger quarters. Bob Fenner>
Thank you for your help. Jim, Logan, UT

Eels
Hi,
<Good morning, PF here in the bright and early, at least by my standards...>
I am purchasing that book I have already ordered it. <I'm assuming Michael's book on sharks and rays.> I know a lot about epaulettes but no where can I find information on how well they do with eels, in particular a Hawaiian Dragon Eel or a Tesselata Eel. <Both eels are piscivorous, and if there is a substantial size difference, I imagine one would eat the other. That said, Tesselata eels reach almost 6' in length, that's a lot of eel. Hawaiian Dragon eels reach about 32" - 1/2 the length. Don't forget the square/cube law: double the size, 4X the mass. > I have read everything on your website about sharks and almost everything about eels but I didn't find any information on Hawaiian Dragon Eels or Tesselata Eels. <I would recommend you read Scott Michael's Reef Fishes Vol 1, there's an extensive section on eels.> I also am looking into the blue dot stingrays.  I am not necessarily getting an eel or a stingray but I am definitely getting the sharks.  I have read numerous books on marine aquariums that included information about sharks.  I
have also contacted the aquarium about epaulettes.  I am smart enough to know not to get any kind of shark that is sharky-looking, like a nurse, lemon, white tip, leopard, shovelnose, or hammerheads, which are available from time to time. <Good for you, I can't believe someone would try to keep a hammerhead, well, actually, sadly I can believe that.> I have read lots of information about the sharks but I cannot find any information on how they behave with the Hawaiian Dragon Eels or Tesselata Eels or the blue dot stingrays. <The sting rays fair poorly in captivity, and need a very different setup than either the Epaulette or the Hawaiian Dragon eel - the ray needs a large, sandy area, while the shark and eel need rock work. For the sake of the ray (not to mention your wallet) leave it in the ocean, or go see one at a public aquarium.> So I need to know if they can all be housed together or with just an eel or just a stingray and sharks? <Think I already answered that one.>  I also need to know some information about the Hawaiian Dragon Eel such as his behavior, what it eats, and if it is hardy? <It's an aggressive piscivore, like all eels prone to carpet surfing, and yes they are hardy animals. They are also known for going on hunger strikes. Do pick up and read Michael's book.>  I also need to know if the sea life I listed above are compatible with a woebegone? <Not in my opinion. The woebegone gets over 10' long and is no more appropriate to keep than the hammerhead.>  I know it is compatible with an Epaulette but I don't know if it is compatible with the other sea life I listed. Please help me. Thank you very much.  Sincerely, Versusdude320
<Well, I hope this helps. Please do some more reading and research before making any final decisions. Have a good day, PF

Avoiding Reef Jerky
Dear WWM Crew,
<Scott F. at the keyboard tonight!>
I am finally ready to stock my 437 gallon (80"x36"x36") Acrylic Tank with two Hawaiian Dragon Moray Eels, in a reef type environment.  The tank has two openings each measuring 16"x22". My concern is weather to leave these openings uncovered in order to enhance air exchange or cover them with acrylic panels to make the tank "eel proof", as well as control evaporation.  Lighting initially will be a 6 foot custom Sealife ABS Fixture with four 96W P.C.'s.  The tank is plumbed to a 150 gallon open sump and connected to a large Aqua Medic Protein Skimmer.  I would appreciate your advise on whether or not to cover the tank openings.
Thanks, Ron
Well, Ron, as you have surmised, Morays can slither out and around just about any form of confinement, if they feel frisky. I've even seen them many times, when I was fishing, slither right out of the water to eat fish that we were cleaning on the rocks - an amazing sight to see! I'd opt for a cover of some sort- either the factory supplied acrylic slot covers, or a finer eggcrate over the openings. Either way, you do want to secure them, or they can definitely become "reef jerky"! Regards, Scott F>

Tesselata Moray  9/8/05
Hi,
I was wondering if you could give me some guidance, I'm  looking to have a custom tank built for a Tesselata Moray eel, would 60" x 30" x  30" be large enough. I'm planning to keep the eel on his own, with plenty of  hiding places.
Also as the tank is going to look pretty empty until he has reached   maturity, how quickly to they grow if fed daily, and how active are they through  the
daytime.
                                                                              Thanks
                                                                              Kev
                                                                              >>>Greetings!
That tank should be fine for quite some time. Whether or not it will be appropriate as a PERMANENT home is open to debate. This is due to the eventual size of the animal in question. Moral eels are very sedate though, and don't need much swimming room. Even still, I'd say you're on the edge here. I've seen adult specimens in captivity, and they are quite large. I'd shoot for a 72" tank if possible.
Growth rate is tough for me to pin down, depends on feeding regime and frequency of water changes really. I'd say you'd be looking at an 50" animal in about 2-3 years though.
Hope this helps.
Jim<<<

Substrate for Dragon Eel/Freshwater Top Off mix-up - 3/22/07
  Thank you all in the process of getting my aquarium off and running.  I have learned so much since I stumbled across this web site 1 month ago.
<No problem friend, that's why we're here. Glad to be of assistance.>
  I will be starting a 240g (96x24x24).  The Hawaiian dragon eel will be my center piece.  
<Wonderful choice, and an excellent configuration for such.>
It will be a FOWLR system with a 90g sump, 250 lbs live rock and a  2-3" live sand bed or crushed coral.  Could you please offer me your expert opinion on which type of substrate would be best suited for this system?  
<A sugar-fine oolitic sand always wins out in my books -- not only is it easier to maintain, I think it just looks better!>
would you also recommend a refugium for this setup?
<Absolutely, though no reason to add more to the tank -- a section of your sump will happily suffice.>
  Further more, I was reading the section on specific gravity.  Mr. Fenner advises (if I understand the article correct) that one should not refill evaporated salt water with freshwater.  
<Mmm, no, I do believe this is a misunderstanding on your part. You should always top off evaporate with freshwater.>
He advises that one should do a water change when the water level noticeable evaporates.  
<Which article are you referring to? This seems to counter everything I've ever read from Bob...>
So my question would be, is a freshwater top off system necessary?  
<Depends on your diligence and laziness levels! If you would like the majority of your tank to be blindly run to you, then an auto top off is a worthwhile investment.>
When I notice the water level decrease a little should I do a water change?  
<You should perform a water change regularly on a schedule of maintenance (a good 'rule of thumb' is once a week.)>
How much can I expect my tank water to lose over the course of a week? I live in Calgary, Canada and it is very dry.  
<This all depends on several factors, such as your ambient home temperature, the tank temperature, the lighting scheme used, the type of cover you employ, etc. I would say a safe estimate would be a half a gallon a day, give or take. Again, don't trust this as a set in stone factor, this is entirely determined by your configuration.>
My original plan was to buy a auto top off system and use RODI water and do weekly 5% water change.  What would you recommend?  RODI auto top off and a 5% weekly  water change or when the water evaporates a little just do a water change?
<Weekly 5-10% water changes, with whatever water top off scheme you choose will be sufficient.>
  Thank you for your time,
  Brent
<Anytime, Brent. Glad to help. -JustinN>

Hawaiian (I'm here!) Moray Eel, sys.  3/28/07
> Hello all!
>   Thank you for all your help thus far.  You guys must be avoiding my emails because I send them so often.  I do not try and waste your time.  I do as much research as I can before I bug you with my questions.
<Mmm, something wrong here Brent... our mail server keeps returning outgoing to you...>
>   My first question is, what is the girth of a full grown Hawaiian dragon eel?
<Mmm, about the size of your forearm at its thickest>
>   Second, I will be buying an aquarium that is 96x24x24 (240g). What size of intake and return holes are needed in the overflows to get the proper water movement?  I will also be using the Durso standpipes.
<This, and much related material is archived here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marsetupindex2.htm
Scroll down...>
>   Third, the aquarium will house a Hawaiian dragon eel as the center piece.  All other fish are subject to the eels compatibility.  How much water should be turned over in 1 hour?
<10-20 times is about right>
>   Forth, I will be using a 90g sump with a refugium built in.  How many gallons should the refugium be?  What should be in the refugium for a FOWLR system?
<Also posted... see the above index...>
>   Fifth and final question, I will be employing the use of a Euro-Reef RC250 skimmer.  Would you recommend that I put the skimmer in the sump or plumb it externally?
<In the sump, first area... with a weir to keep the water level constant, about the right level>
Would the Euro-Reef RC250 be an appropriate size for the aquarium?
>   Thank you very much for all your knowledgeable replies.
>   Brent
<Mmm, I think it will do fine for here. Bob Fenner>

Japanese Fishes. Centropyge interruptus, Enchelycore pardalis sys...   6/30/07
Hello and thank you for your extremely valuable site. I have searched and not found references to my questions. I'm a long time owner of a 200g reef setup and have learned many lessons first-hand and from sites like yours. I'm now embarking on remodeling my house around my dream setup. A 500g reef tank and a 170g eel tank (one specimen).
<How nice!>
I have one question that affects both tanks. I would very much like to keep a Centropyge interruptus in my reef tank. Also, I have planned the eel tank entirely around a Japanese Dragon Moray (Enchelycore pardalis). My understanding is that the dragon moray has more stunning color when collected from Japan than Hawaii.
<Mmm, yes... or the Marquesas... though both/all "color morphs" are gorgeous...>
My LFS has told me that both fish require significantly cooler water than other fish. Is this correct?
<Mmm... define "significantly"... My answer is no... both are tropical fishes, both collected in warm water... though the small Centropyge does occur in water in the upper sixties F. in places>
I can cool the eel tank easily as it is a separate system, but the angel will be mixed with fish from all over the world. I have not been able to find a recommended temperature range for these animals. Will a warmer tank temp (~80F) affect the viability of the angel? Any suggestions?
<Should be fine... You can find, see, infer this information by looking up these species on the site fishbase.org
Cheers, and good-life with your projects. Bob Fenner>

Dragon Moray, sys...    1/1/08
Hi,
I currently have a 2 year old 400 litre marine aquarium with a 30 watt UV steriliser, Eheim wet/dry canister filter, Fluval external filter, plenty of liverock, and a Aquamedic protein skimmer with a sander ozoniser.
Its currently stocked with a 5" sub adult queen angel, a 5" dogface puffer and a 6" great barrier reef harlequin tusk.
<Yikes... you're a good candidate for a larger system and much more filtration>
I have recently seen a 2ft dragon moray at my LFS, I have been looking for one for 3 years and this is the first one I have seen.
<Sometimes there are a few more of these to be found underwater, but most years... in diving a hundred, two hundred times in their geographic distribution I'll maybe see one>
The store owner assures me I will not have a problem, but as the fish is 800 pounds ($1600 at current exchange rate) so I would appreciate your advice.
<Where's my collecting gear!?>
Thanks Kev
Manchester, England
<A good species, typically good specimens, but... your system is too small as it is, to house the fishes you have at what will be their about full size per the setting. I would go forward with the acquisition if you have a tank at least twice this size. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Dragon moray compatibility
I have an 18" Hawaiian dragon moray in a 65gallon tank. He is doing great and eating well. He is the only fish in the tank with the exception of some damsels I get about once a week for him to chase around and eat. I want to put a fish in there that actually swims around. The tank looks pretty empty most of the time. I really want to put a clown trigger in the tank with him. I know this fish will eventually out grow my 65 but for now the one I saw at my LFS is the perfect size. Too big to be eaten and too small to have an adverse effect on the tank quality. My biggest concern is if the trigger will pick on the eel? It's the eels tank and I don't want to get something that will hurt him. Thanks.
<Mmm, well, this tank is already too small for just the Dragon Moray... and it has now been "trained" to eat what comes into its system... I would NOT place a trigger in with this fish. Bob Fenner>

Could you tell us what are the natural predators of the Hawaiian Moray Eel? 1st Grade Report  11/15/05
Aloha,
Could you tell us what are the natural predators of the Hawaiian Moray Eel? Any help would be appreciated.
Mahalo,
George
<Mmm, the resident sharks, including the White Tip Reef, Triaenodon obesus mostly. Bob Fenner>

Dragon moray comp. – 01/04/2008
Happy new year and thanks for the quick response
<Happy new year to you, too… please attach earlier e-mails to new queries, so we know who answered your last question.>
, I did forget to mention that I am planning to upgrade to a 1000 litre tank within the next 12 months as I love my Queen Angel and I know it could reach 45cm. The only thing stopping me at the moment is the size of my apartment, which will not be an issue for much longer.
I would normally wait, but this is the first Dragon Moray I have come across in the UK after 3 - 4 years of searching. Do you think if I improve the filtration as you suggested, I would get away with keeping the eel in my current set up for the short term until I upgrade. If so what upgrades would you recommend?
<I would not risk the lives of your beloved Queen Angel, your puffer or any other fishy inhabitants by putting a Dragon Moray in the same tank. Even other morays of similar size often flee from Enchelycore eels. They can take chunks out of large fishes and fold angels to fit them into their stomach.>
All my fish are really healthy and I do regular water checks and changes with R.O.. water. I am even considering trading my black coral sea puffer against the eel if you think it would be a risk to keep them all, but I am very reluctant to part with any of my fish as they all work really well together.
<The Dragon would be a typical case for a specimen only tank. Not much I can think of – aside sessile invertebrates, snails, hermits – is safe with this type of moray, even other Moray Eels may fail.>
Thanks, Kev.
<Cheers, Marco.>

Moray Eel order of introduction to the new system – 01/07/2008
I am planning consolidation of White Mouth (18 in) and Hawaiian Dragon (15 in) into the same system. Both are pretty laid back and fed mostly frozen silverside fish.
<Usual warning: Feed a varied diet with clam flesh, mussel flesh, prawns, scallops, squid, fish, and add vitamins from time to time. Your eels will probably thank you by having a long and healthy life.>
What order would you suggest for moving them? My plan is to move the white mouth first and introducing dragon a week later.
<This coincides with my recommendation. Although I would have kept the Enchelycore preferably in its own system, what you suggest has been done successfully at least for some time. Be prepared to remove the White Mouth or the Dragon in the case of severe aggression, though. In addition provide enough hiding spots for both of them and ensure the tank is 150 gallons or larger. It’s good the Dragon is slightly smaller. The first nights and the first few feedings will be the most critical moments.>
Thank you in advance for your help. Steven
<Good luck. Marco.>