Help with setting up a 75 with a spotted moray eel

[Gary G]

Hey guy,
I have been doing all kinds of research on eels but I figure it's better to ask then kill a fish. I am looking into tankmates but all I can think of is the mini angels. I have seen some people put a dog face puffer in a tank with an eel. can I also get a cleaning crew or will the eel just eat them all?
thanks in advance

 

[woodguy]

most likely eel will eat a clean up crew, tangs can help with algea, just have to watch on what tang you can keep in the 75 gallon yellow, scopas, maybe powder blue or orange rim would be fine

 

[Gary G]

cool thank you, I've been hitting a wall thinking about how to stock it. I even looked at mini angle fish. trying to see if the fish are small they have a chance.

 

[lion king]

I don't have direct experience with these guys, but I do have a jeweled which is of similar size. Full grown they are a beast and can easily take down fish the size of dwarf angels and small tangs. The question is would they, keeping him well feed and on a strict feeding schedule. If you are feeding every 3 days, feed every 3 days. In a 75 I wouldn't overstock, the bioload of the eel alone will be a challenge to maintain. Fish need to be at least semi aggressive and definitely nothing smaller than the afore mentioned. For me in a 75, I would do the eel, a dwarf angel, and a small tang, that's it. Shrimp and crabs may go missing, but snails and an urchin would be OK for cuc.

 

[Gary G]

Yea you nailed down my list I can't find a small tang that I like or will work in that tank. Any special media you think I should use?

 

[lion king]

A good skimmer and an algae reactor would work well. The algae reactor will do tons more work than any media, I also run chemipure elite and purigen.

 

[Gary G]

how do you use the purigen ? mesh bag or in a reactor?

 

[lion king]

Purigen needs to go in a high density bag like Seachem's the bag, it is really really small. If you prefer running reactors; you could stuff the bag into the reactor. it is too small to run loose.

 

[Gary G]

well, this is the sump I am going to use. the bags should fit fine in it. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/90-filtration-system-somatic.html
since this a new setup for me . i would rather over do it then learn as i go.

 

[Gary G]

hey do you think you have time you can post some photos of your sump? trying to nail down what i should add to the setup.

 

[Gary G]

Umm,
need to change my plans as I am getting a different tank size so now it will be a 125 build any new advice you have?

 

[lion king]

Umm,
need to change my plans as I am getting a different tank size so now it will be a 125 build any new advice you have?

That's excellent; a 125 is my favorite tank, even more than my larger tanks. The 6 foot length opens up more possibilities for choices in fish. The only advice I stick with; when doing aggressive fish, just don't over crowd. You'll find more choices in tangs as well as smaller large angels.

 

[Gary G]

Hey Lion I tried to send you a pm a few days ago but i was not able to? So now I need to figure out stocking cause its a larger bioload
Tips welcome

 

[Gary G]

won't let me upload pics of the tanks funny

 

[Gary G]

guess it does

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Gymnothorax moringa?!? If so, I'd recommend going with Damsels. Colorful, fast, and won't cost much to replace. Moringas are quite aggressive and will see Tangs and Centropyge as an easy meal in the confines of an aquarium.

 

[lion king]

Hey Lion I tried to send you a pm a few days ago but i was not able to? So now I need to figure out stocking cause its a larger bioload
Tips welcome

Gymnothorax moringa?!? If so, I'd recommend going with Damsels. Colorful, fast, and won't cost much to replace. Moringas are quite aggressive and will see Tangs and Centropyge as an easy meal in the confines of an aquarium.

I would heed Bob's warning and do more research on the eel, but there are many factors to consider that many don't. There's a big difference in adding an 8" specimen after having him conditioned to stick feeding and kept on a strict feeding schedule compared to a full grown specimen right from the ocean added to a tank with smaller fish. It's important to keep the eel in an observation tank alone and get him eating dead food regularly before adding him to the main display. I would not get one over 12" and the fish would be at least 3-4". There's still a gamble no matter what.

As far as stocking and filtration; I would do the eel and 3-4 aggressive/semi aggressive fish. Personally I like aggressive sparsely stocked tanks, so that's just my preference. For me an oversized skimmer and the largest algae reactor I could build or put together, I also favor using nopox to manage nitrates. There are other tools such as brightwell xport and an algae scrubber you can use to manage the bioload as well.

 

[Gary G]

Everything I plan on getting will be small so I can enjoy them more. I agree I do not want a lot of fish for say just enough for movement in the tank.