How would you stock a fang tooth eel tank

OP
OP
G

Gp!

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
629
Reaction score
433
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You really don't want the wimpy triggers like the bluejaw, not only do I not think they are tough enough to run with the eels, they are also just plain boring.

Definitely don't want that - thanks for the insight

Here are the possible outcomes that I have seen. Maybe the triggers just won't care, as they don't see them as threat, this does sometimes happen. But it will be less likely when you have multiple triggers to choose from. Some damsels will escape the wrath of the triggers, as damsels really are little demons, and very elusive. The triggers eventually give up and you have the ones that survived. They may slowly start to disappear after that when it becomes an opportunistic score for the trigger, or the triggers just stop caring. This is usually the same thing that happens with the eels.

Granted, there doesn't seem to be much out there with respect to what I am trying to learn - but I've been trying to read up on triggerfish to get a better understanding of aggression towards fish so I can get an idea of what is a "maybe" with damsels since some like the bluejaw pose no risk. I won't be tore up if a handful of damsels end up as food so long as I end up with a lot of them being elusive little demons for the long term.

I really liked the Clown, Humu Picasso, and Niger triggers. It sounds like the Clown is a definite no and the Humu Picasso is an unlikely - but the Niger might be a good choice?

I was hoping for 2 or 3 triggers in the 12" range that has been recommended a safe size with the eels. I really enjoy how they swim and behave.

The Melichthys triggers like the Indian Black or Pinktail also sound like candidates. Although they don't seem to be as attractive from pictures.

Crosshatch sound like they would have been excellent but seem to only come from Hawaii and aren't available any longer?

You want a more unique trigger, have you seen this one, the gold heart, They have been coming around more frequently, they used to be pretty rare.

1648339775170.png

Wow - that one is gorgeous!

Because of your starting point with the eels, you are likely looking at least 5-6" triggers to start. I would stock the tank with the damsels first. If they last a good long while and you enjoy them but you've lost some and want to restock, be careful. Make sure it's after the eels have been fed and after the triggers bedtime before introducing, and be mindful it doesn't look like you are offering a midnight snack to the eels.

Noted!

Would a constant supply of something like freeze dried krill or another autofeeder friendly food the triggers will eat help keep them off the damsels? Or is it more about they are going to go after them for the activity than just to eat them?

You definitely want triggers with these eels, I'm getting ready to revamp my 210g and am thinking of triggers and eels. I'm different than most where I like understocked tanks and don't mind tanks with little movement.

Awesome! Glad the subject is on topic for you too! Thanks again for all the help. I really appreciate you sharing what you know.

I may still go that route - I was really happy with the stocking list. I just think after looking at the space with the tank I would appreciate the constant little fish motion and from what I gather there is no way to incorporate that with the list I had settled on. I am trying to see what a list including lots of damsels could look like for comparison. It seems like I am going to have so much rock for the eels that there will be a million hiding places for a big group of damsels perhaps with some variety - but if it doesn't work out as a good option that is okay.
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I don't see a problem with your stocking plan other than some consideration about the groupers. The Melichthys triggers generally don't photograph well and look much better in person, there;s alot of subtle detail in colors and texture, They are milder in temperament than the 3 forementioned, and the niger is no slouch, usually equal to the picasso. Unless you growing up a clown trigger, that would your most aggressive, but I think the level of aggression is fine your setup. You have to understand, these are just generalities, I had a picasso trigger kill a clown trigger, so go figure, each fish has their own temperament, and there's always risk Not many have gold hearts and they tend to be on the mild side, probably on the line of the Melichthys triggers. The emporer would still be the king of the tank.

You can cut and carve rock to fit around the pvc, to conceal the pvc while eliminating wasted space and bulk. And it does go on the bare bottom while the substrate goes up to it.
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Found a couple old pics of my jeweled eel, he died unexpectedly after about 5 years. Maybe from liver damage caused by copper exposure, this was before I connected the damage caused by copper to many fish. This was a good outcome, most pass within 1-2 years at most. It's very important you get your eels from sources not running copper in their systems.

That picasso killed the clown, and the niger went blind, that was the 2nd niger I've had that went blind. The blueline is a gorgeous fish but gets very aggressive, too aggressive for most tanks, he was a grow out project that went to a 500g. The passer angel was also a grow out going to the same tank.

Back to the Melichthys triggers, I've kept the Indian black and the pinktail, I enjoyed both. They can be hit or miss with their boldness, my pinktail actually was the king of the tank I kept them in, but that is more of a rarity. Most tend to be shyer. The Indian blacks seems to be a loner type fish that is out, usually doesn't take much guff, but tends to be more low key. This obviously depends on what else is in the tank.

Going back, the crosshatch is a deep water fish, and in reality don't usually live that long. Most people deny this because they have a hard time admitting how they lost a fish that cost this much so soon. While not the most bold fish, they are usually collected at a large size, and will likely be safe with the eels. Over time their colors fade if they don't die first. Not the triggers I would choose.

1648394831292.png 1648394857959.png 1648396001250.png
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
G

Gp!

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
629
Reaction score
433
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Found a couple old pics of my jeweled eel, he died unexpectedly after about 5 years. Maybe from liver damage caused by copper exposure, this was before I connected the damage caused by copper to many fish. This was a good outcome, most pass within 1-2 years at most. It's very important you get your eels from sources not running copper in their systems.

That picasso killed the clown, and the niger went blind, that was the 2nd niger I've had that went blind. The blueline is a gorgeous fish but gets very aggressive, too aggressive for most tanks, he was a grow out project that went to a 500g. The passer angel was also a grow out going to the same tank.

Back to the Melichthys triggers, I've kept the Indian black and the pinktail, I enjoyed both. They can be hit or miss with their boldness, my pinktail actually was the king of the tank I kept them in, but that is more of a rarity. Most tend to be shyer. The Indian blacks seems to be a loner type fish that is out, usually doesn't take much guff, but tends to be more low key. This obviously depends on what else is in the tank.

Going back, the crosshatch is a deep water fish, and in reality don't usually live that long. Most people deny this because they have a hard time admitting how they lost a fish that cost this much so soon. While not the most bold fish, they are usually collected at a large size, and will likely be safe with the eels. Over time their colors fade if they don't die first. Not the triggers I would choose.

1648394831292.png 1648394857959.png 1648396001250.png


Wow that blue line is definitely a stunner!

Good info on the crosshatch - doesn't sound like a good choice.
 
OP
OP
G

Gp!

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
629
Reaction score
433
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I was just dry fitting plumbing and realized that my returns don't have screens on them. They are just open 1-1/2 bulkheads.

Do I need to worry about these eels going up the returns? I had planned to use them
as a way to send food from the auto feeders up from the sump for fish - didn't think about the eels going through them
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes everything needs to be covered, I believe you can get screens that fit each size or you can make your own. Don't under estimate what eels can squeeze through. Even the top of overflows need to covered or they will end up in the sump, and if your sump isn't covered. on the floor.
 
OP
OP
G

Gp!

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
629
Reaction score
433
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes everything needs to be covered, I believe you can get screens that fit each size or you can make your own. Don't under estimate what eels can squeeze through. Even the top of overflows need to covered or they will end up in the sump, and if your sump isn't covered. on the floor.

Doh! Can't believe I overlooked that. The overflows are covered. Would have to be less than 1/4" to get through. But the returns are a problem.

How small of a diameter opening would you think is safe?
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
They aren't going through the returns, It hard to say how small of a diameter, it's just best to have every crack and crevice covered. I know countless examples of people that told me how they lost their eel to carpet surfing, and they never thought they could have squeezed through "that". Your eels can also push through lids, so I suggest clamps, weights, or some type of method to secure down the top. While this may be a one in a million shot, I personally know a few larger eels that did carpet surf from pushing right through the feeding door of a glass lid. This is another shameful issue that many have a hard time confessing, especially when they were negligent in securing their tanks. Believe it or not I have actually seen post of people advocating a topless tank with an eel, stating that if an eel is happy they won't try and escape. An eel does not have the consciousness to understand that over that glass edge, there is no water and the floor. It is not about escape, their nature is to cruise and explore, poking their noses in and squeezing into areas as a form of hunting and exploration. An eel may stay tucked away in the rocks for a long while, then just one night of exploration, squeeze themselves into a crevice and be on the floor. I know a guy that has one of those tanks that has the glass rim at the top, I forget the name of the design, somehow one of his eels ended up on the floor. These fang tooth morays are very dynamic, when they launch themselves it is a beauty to behold, I imagined he launched himself over the rim. You'll see how strong they are when you are transporting them, and you won't believe how they can achieve that amount of leverage not bracing on anything.
 
OP
OP
G

Gp!

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
629
Reaction score
433
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
@lion king do you have any experience you would share about keeping different types of anemones with eels?
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
@lion king do you have any experience you would share about keeping different types of anemones with eels?

I've never done it but I don't see an issue. Other than lighting, eels will not enjoy higher light. Although this isn't that big of deal other than they would likely stay tucked away during daylight hours, which they would likely do anyway.
 
Back
Top