I ordered a Golden/banana moray (have some Q's)

[themoraykeeper]

Hey guys!
Basically I pulled the trigger and ordered a banana moray which will come near the end of august so I have time to prepare.
It will be around 12 inches and will be going into a 4x2x2ft tank with some other tank mates such as a yellow tang, 3 damsels, 2 clowns, puffer and a harlequin tusk which I may rehome as I know it grows pretty big.
Just wondering, as I dont have one now, what size quarantine tank would be best for the eel? and is a protien skimmer needed on it for the 2 weeks it will be there?
Also, what size PVC piping would be required to make the eel feel comfortable?
What foods should be its staple diet? I'm assuming squid, krill and silversides would be ok?
Dont want to loose such a beautifal creature so want to prepare best as possible!
Thanks in advance and looking forward to replies!

[luisagos]

I would put the Banana eel right in your DT from day one.

Its the most expensive animal you will have in that tank.
So why take the risk on the Banana Eel?

Bad idea on the clowns, Tusks re-home them, damsels might be a meal down the road.

Make the tank Eel proof, 100% covered tight, or risk $500 plus animal, its up to you.

NEVER feed krill and silversides as a stable diet.

Krill is ok, now and then for keeping the rich color.
Silversides are junk food for any fish, not for $500 plus animal.

Buy Shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, they are fresh and free from antibiotics unlike the Asian Shrimp. Which lost 40% of their farm due to a disease they have now.

Secure the rocks, or you lose another eel from a pointless death.

Don't forget to use selcon for soaking your food, its a must.

[themoraykeeper]

Originally Posted by luisagos

I would put the Banana eel right in your DT from day one.

Its the most expensive animal you will have in that tank.
So why take the risk on the Banana Eel?

Bad idea on the clowns, Tusks re-home them, damsels might be a meal down the road.

Make the tank Eel proof, 100% covered tight, or risk $500 plus animal, its up to you.

NEVER feed krill and silversides as a stable diet.

Krill is ok, now and then for keeping the rich color.
Silversides are junk food for any fish, not for $500 plus animal.

Buy Shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, they are fresh and free from antibiotics unlike the Asian Shrimp. Which lost 40% of their farm due to a disease they have now.

Secure the rocks, or you lose another eel from a pointless death.

Don't forget to use selcon for soaking your food, its a must.

Thanks for the advice!
Oh okay, I just was thinking about the quarantine tank because I thought it helps spot disease and issues before placing it in the DT where its harder to handle?

yeah said I was gunna re-home the tusk (going into my LFS 12 foot tank), but why are the clowns definitely in trouble whereas the damsels aren't? Is it because they are less strong swimmers than the other damsels? Just curious about that, but think I know why

I'm working on securing my tank up now, need to fill all the gaps around a few corners though.

And about the shrimp, should I just feed that then? Or are there other suitable foods like squid and crab that the eel may eat?

"Secure the rocks, or you lose another eel from a pointless death."
Am securing the rocks next week, but seems a bit harsh to put that so bluntly right?
Last time was hard because my LFS told me to secure them with this putty stuff, and wasn't very affective. So I'm using a different method this time.

And I'l research into the selcon! Seems like a good idea though

Thanks for your help

[Das awesome]

You can feed it pretty much everything. Shrimp, clams, squid, fish, etc. Just make sure to feed whole fish a few times a week because the head, guts, bones and all the other good stuff is needed for them.

[luisagos]

Originally Posted by themoraykeeper

Is it because they are less strong swimmers than the other damsels? Just curious about that, but think I know why

Clowns are to easy for a meal, big enough damsel can be tough cookie.

Originally Posted by themoraykeeper

And about the shrimp, should I just feed that then? Or are there other suitable foods like squid and crab that the eel may eat?

Fresh fillets, stay away from salmons, any type of red or super oily fish meat.
Snapper, grouper are very good.

Originally Posted by themoraykeeper

"Secure the rocks, or you lose another eel from a pointless death."
Am securing the rocks next week, but seems a bit harsh to put that so bluntly right?

Sorry about that, its a very old story for Eels, they jump out or die from falling rocks, it happens so often even with all the warning over the years.

Originally Posted by themoraykeeper

Last time was hard because my LFS told me to secure them with this putty stuff, and wasn't very affective. So I'm using a different method this time.
And I'l research into the selcon! Seems like a good idea though

Drill holes through the rocks and use nylon threaded rods, or use BASF Emaco S88 CI cement, potable water safe.
You can tint the cement to match coralline coloring. Look at my Banana eel thread you can see the red tint on the rocks, thats BASF Emaco S88 CI cement tinted.

Selcon adds a little more to the food.

Omega-3 fatty acids in a concentration. Also contains Vitamin B12 and stabilized Vitamin C to enhance immune system function to prevent and reverse disease. Soak any freeze-dried or frozen food or feed Selcon to live brine shrimp to improve their nutritional quality. It can also be used directly in reef aquariums to benefit filter-feeding invertebrates.

Originally Posted by Das awesome

You can feed it pretty much everything. Shrimp, clams, squid, fish, etc. Just make sure to feed whole fish a few times a week because the head, guts, bones and all the other good stuff is needed for them.

I am going to disagree with you, the risk versa rewards are too high.
You realize most captive animals live much longer in captivity then they do in the wild?
Things can go wrong with feeding a whole fish, and why would you want to train your new eel to eat a whole fish? What happens when he is hungry and your not around, good bye fishy.
This is not 100% guarantee that he will not eat your fish, he still a Moray Eel after all.
But training him to eat a whole fish is in right direction for him to eat the rest of your livestock.

With shrimp and fish fillets you can smell it if is bad, not so easy with other foods, and with soaking the food with selcon, he will be healthy.

People have lost animals with bad oysters.
Again Risks versa Rewards are too high, for me a least.

[luisagos]

I know I am going to be asked, what tint did I use.

[rssjsb]

Originally Posted by luisagos

I would put the Banana eel right in your DT from day one.

Its the most expensive animal you will have in that tank.
So why take the risk on the Banana Eel?

I don't understand what you're saying here. Are you telling the OP not to quarantine or to remove his other fish?

A 40-gallon is fine as a temporary QT tank. Just be sure there's something for the eel to hide in (i.e., PVC pipe or something).

[luisagos]

Originally Posted by rssjsb

I don't understand what you're saying here. Are you telling the OP not to quarantine or to remove his other fish?

A 40-gallon is fine as a temporary QT tank. Just be sure there's something for the eel to hide in (i.e., PVC pipe or something).

Your 100% right, you should quarantine everything.
But with that being said.

$600 > $50 (would depend what type of clowns and puffer)

Is my madness.

QT will stress most animals, again risks over rewards.
These eels sometimes will not eat right away, some just starve away.

I got lucky with my, ate on the second day, but I did take like 6h to acclimate him, and he went into the DT right away.
Also depends where your getting your eel from also.

You quarantine to protect your main display from losing livestock, which cost $$$ and if you care about your animals, which i do.
Also to cure anything they might have.
Eels have slime coat that protects them more then a normal fish.
When I pet my eel, I got to put some pressure just to feel him, its like touching liquid soap.

Hence why I have two tanks, I would never put my banana eel in my other tank, which i have a gobby, pistol shrimp, clown, and file fish, those are the smaller ones.

I know ahead of time that in my eel tank, anything I put in there could be food one day.

I would put nothing new in the eel tank without quarantine it first.

Banana Eel is a prize animal, meant to be the center piece, because anything else in there could be food.

[themoraykeeper]

Thanks for the advice guys
Still not sure on the quarantine as some of the info here sways both ways, so I'l research into it a bit more on whether it would be worth the time.
Will take everything into account though!

[themoraykeeper]

Eel will be coming tomorrow guys will post pics and how hes doing after I pick him up

[themoraykeeper]

Quick question guys, how long should I acclimate the eel tomorrow? Thanks