75g predatory fish

Han

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I got tired of waiting on a yellowhead moray and decided to stock my empty 75g that was supposed to be a predator tank. I got a kole tang and 6 damsels. Since the eel is now out of the question, I’d like some ideas for some kind of predatory fish that is more mild mannered and won’t eat my fish. I’ve been thinking of a ghost ribbon eel but I’d like to hear some other suggestions.
 
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Han

Han

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I’ve had snowflakes in the past so i want to try something different, I do really like zebras but i feel like they get kind of big for a 75. I saw one once that looked close to 4’.
 

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The ghost ribbon eel might be worth a go, they are quite nice. I like ribbon eels, he may take down the damsels if he could catch them. They can be difficult to feed, I mean like forever, They will eat dead food but sometimes need to be teased persistently.

I know you are not looking at lions, but check out the scorps. The leaf fish is interesting, a bit sedentary for my taste, but cool. They have a small mouth, but the damsels are on the menu. There really isn't much that won't try and eat the damsels. They are elusive and are a fun addition to a predator tank though. I really like this guy, even though he was suppose to be a Caribbean scorp, which is a smaller version of this one. There's a few out there like these guys, they have a wonderful personality. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/scorpaenodes-brasiliensis.638971/
 
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Han

Han

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I’ve had my black ribbon eel for over a year now (in another tank) without any issues, he eats well so I feel pretty confident that I could get a ghost eel feeding too. Those scorps are super cool, how good are they at hunting? I feel like he might be lazy enough to leave the damsels alone maybe. My lfs has had a little D. barberi lion for like 6 months now and he looks really cool, but I guess he’d definitely go for the damsels.
 

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I'd grab that d. barberi. maybe I should have you ship it to me, they don't come around that often. When they get to about 5" are are fed well and happy, they can be pretty specular. They also have the nickname peacock lion; they can display shades of green and even turquoise with red eyes. I have literally torn my lion tanks apart to get damsels out that just refuse to be eaten.

If you actually get a Caribbean scorp, the damsels may be fine, this scorp is really pretty small. But if you get thge one I did, if thge damsels get close, they are toast. Those type of scorps are wicked fast, I mean you just see a dust up and they are gone.
 
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Han

Han

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Wow I didn’t know the barberi was that rare. If he’s still there next time I go maybe i’ll get him if the price is right. I assume they should be fed live like other dwarf lions, not an issue for me since I feed live to my ribbon eel already.

I remember i inquired about the caribbean scorp a while back and nobody at the lfs seemed to have heard of it, and they deal in a lot of rare/hard to find fish. Guess you really lucked out finding him.
 

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The d. barberi comes out of Hawaii and isn't really a popular fish, so i think with their restraints, they would rather collect something else. The real reason they are not that popular is because they are usually very drab when on display at a lfs. If they are small or stressed they can just be a boring brown. But like I said, if they get happy and mature a bit, they can be a real stunner. They are definitely going to be happier and likely live longer if getting live food. If you have read some my post lately I have been including recommendations to dead diets. The problem is, it is actually more of pita to get them an adequate dead diet, and likely just as expensive.
 
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Han

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Well I think this post is settled, now I just regret not getting him when I was there today. To be honest he didn’t look too happy, very drab and his fins were a little tattered. Probably from the triggers and puffers he was housed with. He did seemed fat and I assume he’s eating well if he’s been there that long. You don’t think the damsels would nip at him?
 

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If they try, once one is in his belly, the others will steer clear. What happens is, one damsel goes down, then the rest are so elusive, they steer clear. I learned the hard way, only one damsel at a time in the tank. He may get them over time, so if you are attached, it's a 50/50 shot. I had a fu that would learn where they slept, then camp out outside their hidey hole, then one by one, pick them off.
 
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