Tesselata eel tankmates in danger!

jjcr_7 · 06/30/2011, 12:47 PM

I have a tesselata, zebra, and a snowflake eel living with large angels and tangs in a 200gal tank. The only problem I have is my tesselata constantly harassing my snowflake. I think it he's gonna kill it. I placed a small tube inside the tank for the snowflake to hide in it but now it seems it's going to starve since the tesselata doesn't even let the snowflake get out of the tube. Something interesting is that tesselata gets along with the zebra (even when it's far smaller than the tessie), they even share the same cave. What should I do? Shall I let the snowflake die, or sacrifice the tesselata?

ReefinMadness89 · 06/30/2011, 12:49 PM

I doubt anyone would tell you to let it die. Give it away to someone in your local reef club at least.

But anyway, maybe hold the tessie at bay with a net while you feed the snowflake? I haven't had experience with mean tesselata's just mean snowflakes.

saltyclown · 06/30/2011, 12:55 PM

IMO I would take the tessellate out of the tank and place it in your sump if at all possible,

Feed him By himself for a few weeks and feed the others separate, Try to nurse the snowflake back to good health and make sure its eating well.......

Rearrange your rock configuration and try to give each eel several places to hide, once your comfortable that your rock work has good homes for the eels and the snowflake is in good health then Wait until Night time right before your lights turn off, and feed the crap out of all of them make sure they are nice and full and then turn the lights off and put the tessellate back in the tank on the opposite side of where your snowflake is hanging out......

Hopefully this will curb his enthusiasm and might solve the problem, then again there is a very good chance that he just starts picking on the snowflake again as soon as he finds it..... all of this is worth a try in hopes that it works, but if it does not you might have to sell one of the two to another tank owner, I would rather see someone sell the eel than to let it get picked on until it dies.......

rubensito · 06/30/2011, 01:37 PM

I would just rehome the snowflake, which unlike most morays will be readily accepted by most LFS or people interested in it. The tesselata will eventually be too aggressive for a smaller eel like most Echidna.

Recty · 06/30/2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcr_7

I have a tesselata, zebra, and a snowflake eel living with large angels and tangs in a 200gal tank. The only problem I have is my tesselata constantly harassing my snowflake. I think it he's gonna kill it. I placed a small tube inside the tank for the snowflake to hide in it but now it seems it's going to starve since the tesselata doesn't even let the snowflake get out of the tube. Something interesting is that tesselata gets along with the zebra (even when it's far smaller than the tessie), they even share the same cave. What should I do? Shall I let the snowflake die, or sacrifice the tesselata?

If I was able to do it, I'd put you in a small cage with a bigger, meaner, hungrier animal capable of mutilating or killing you and see what you would like done.

Remove one eel from the mix, you'll probably have an easier time selling or giving away the snowflake than the tesselata.

SACRIFICE the tesselata? Let the snowflake DIE? I mean come on, I'm no bleeding heart save the whales type, but buying an animal and then just deciding you're going to kill it when it doesnt work out how you want is just wrong.

Do the right thing and get rid of one in some humane way, either through sale or giving it away to someone who knows what they are doing.

jjcr_7 · 07/01/2011, 01:22 PM

I'll try placing the snowflake in the sump, though it'll be lonely there. I hope the tessy wont bother anyone else.

Recty · 07/01/2011, 01:46 PM

Most tesselata eels eventually get very aggressive, especially at feeding time. Anything that gets in its way will get a bite, and possibly be killed.

Depending on what fish you have in there with him, you're asking for trouble.

jjcr_7 · 07/14/2011, 12:39 PM

ok for all those concerned about the tessy's and snowflake's safety, I have a good news. I managed to install a separation inside the tank, and I left the snowflake in a 25gal space inside the same tank. All the fish and also the snowflake are able to pass through the division so they can enjoy the entire tank, and the Tessy is being kept in the larger side of the tank. So for now everything's going ok.

rubensito · 07/14/2011, 01:26 PM

wouldn't the others still be in danger while they are in the tesselata's side of the tank? You'll still get problems if the other fish didn't get away from the tessie.

olemiss reb · 07/14/2011, 01:30 PM

If they can get into the same area as the tessie they are in danger. Tessies are aggressive and get huge, they do not belong in community tanks with anything other than very large fish.

fish stalker · 07/14/2011, 01:55 PM

Ok so you have managed to buy some time for the snowflake, what are your long term plans? Eels are strong and resourceful and amaze me with spaces they have gotten through in escapes or should that be escapades?

jjcr_7 · 07/15/2011, 04:41 PM

I mentioned at the beginning of the thread my tank is made up only of big angel and tang fish. And for the moment the tessy is getting along with everyone, including a zebra mooray who seems to be like a partner to the tessy. For some reason the snowflake was the only one suffering.

I think the issue with the tesselata is a bit exagerated. I remember a tesselata in a lfs that was quite friendly (don't ask me why, it just got along with all its tank mates).

I also saw a giant tesselata in a big fish store in florida, its partners where a couple of other dangerous eels, some sharks, groupers, and for your surprise: lots of damsel fish. Why damsels? was my question to one the store workers. "They are fast enough to constantly escape from sharks, groupers, and eels". Seem to be a quite fair answer, considering that the store held an spectacle every evening when they fed this monster group of fish. As a matter of fact it was one the store's attraction.

But anyways I still appreciate your advise for the future, because I hope my solution is definite, but there's always a chance that sooner or later it will fail. So put yourself in my shoes and think what would you do in the meantime to find a possible next solution?

jjk_reef00 · 07/15/2011, 05:06 PM

Read the comments here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1720837

I think you are going to end up with one eel because the tesselata will kill everything else...

rubensito · 07/15/2011, 06:00 PM

the tessie will eventually wreak havoc on the other eels, the permanent solution is separate tanks

06/30/2011, 12:47 PM	#1
jjcr_7 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	Tesselata eel tankmates in danger! I have a tesselata, zebra, and a snowflake eel living with large angels and tangs in a 200gal tank. The only problem I have is my tesselata constantly harassing my snowflake. I think it he's gonna kill it. I placed a small tube inside the tank for the snowflake to hide in it but now it seems it's going to starve since the tesselata doesn't even let the snowflake get out of the tube. Something interesting is that tesselata gets along with the zebra (even when it's far smaller than the tessie), they even share the same cave. What should I do? Shall I let the snowflake die, or sacrifice the tesselata?

07/14/2011, 01:30 PM	#10
olemiss reb Molon Labe Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,550	If they can get into the same area as the tessie they are in danger. Tessies are aggressive and get huge, they do not belong in community tanks with anything other than very large fish. __________________ secesh

07/15/2011, 05:06 PM	#13
jjk_reef00 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,476	Read the comments here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1720837 I think you are going to end up with one eel because the tesselata will kill everything else... __________________ I need more fish tank appliances! --Ed Current Tank Info: 375 FOWLR

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06/30/2011, 12:49 PM	#2
ReefinMadness89 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: BFE! (aka; Tonopah, AZ) Posts: 447	I doubt anyone would tell you to let it die. Give it away to someone in your local reef club at least. But anyway, maybe hold the tessie at bay with a net while you feed the snowflake? I haven't had experience with mean tesselata's just mean snowflakes.

06/30/2011, 12:55 PM	#3
saltyclown Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Fort Worth Posts: 7	IMO I would take the tessellate out of the tank and place it in your sump if at all possible, Feed him By himself for a few weeks and feed the others separate, Try to nurse the snowflake back to good health and make sure its eating well....... Rearrange your rock configuration and try to give each eel several places to hide, once your comfortable that your rock work has good homes for the eels and the snowflake is in good health then Wait until Night time right before your lights turn off, and feed the crap out of all of them make sure they are nice and full and then turn the lights off and put the tessellate back in the tank on the opposite side of where your snowflake is hanging out...... Hopefully this will curb his enthusiasm and might solve the problem, then again there is a very good chance that he just starts picking on the snowflake again as soon as he finds it..... all of this is worth a try in hopes that it works, but if it does not you might have to sell one of the two to another tank owner, I would rather see someone sell the eel than to let it get picked on until it dies.......

06/30/2011, 01:37 PM	#4
rubensito Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 219	I would just rehome the snowflake, which unlike most morays will be readily accepted by most LFS or people interested in it. The tesselata will eventually be too aggressive for a smaller eel like most Echidna.

07/01/2011, 01:22 PM	#6
jjcr_7 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	I'll try placing the snowflake in the sump, though it'll be lonely there. I hope the tessy wont bother anyone else.

07/01/2011, 01:46 PM	#7
Recty Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 6,584	Most tesselata eels eventually get very aggressive, especially at feeding time. Anything that gets in its way will get a bite, and possibly be killed. Depending on what fish you have in there with him, you're asking for trouble.

07/14/2011, 12:39 PM	#8
jjcr_7 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	ok for all those concerned about the tessy's and snowflake's safety, I have a good news. I managed to install a separation inside the tank, and I left the snowflake in a 25gal space inside the same tank. All the fish and also the snowflake are able to pass through the division so they can enjoy the entire tank, and the Tessy is being kept in the larger side of the tank. So for now everything's going ok.

07/14/2011, 01:26 PM	#9
rubensito Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 219	wouldn't the others still be in danger while they are in the tesselata's side of the tank? You'll still get problems if the other fish didn't get away from the tessie.

07/14/2011, 01:55 PM	#11
fish stalker Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Houston Posts: 456	Ok so you have managed to buy some time for the snowflake, what are your long term plans? Eels are strong and resourceful and amaze me with spaces they have gotten through in escapes or should that be escapades?

07/15/2011, 04:41 PM	#12
jjcr_7 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	I mentioned at the beginning of the thread my tank is made up only of big angel and tang fish. And for the moment the tessy is getting along with everyone, including a zebra mooray who seems to be like a partner to the tessy. For some reason the snowflake was the only one suffering. I think the issue with the tesselata is a bit exagerated. I remember a tesselata in a lfs that was quite friendly (don't ask me why, it just got along with all its tank mates). I also saw a giant tesselata in a big fish store in florida, its partners where a couple of other dangerous eels, some sharks, groupers, and for your surprise: lots of damsel fish. Why damsels? was my question to one the store workers. "They are fast enough to constantly escape from sharks, groupers, and eels". Seem to be a quite fair answer, considering that the store held an spectacle every evening when they fed this monster group of fish. As a matter of fact it was one the store's attraction. But anyways I still appreciate your advise for the future, because I hope my solution is definite, but there's always a chance that sooner or later it will fail. So put yourself in my shoes and think what would you do in the meantime to find a possible next solution?

07/15/2011, 06:00 PM	#14
rubensito Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 219	the tessie will eventually wreak havoc on the other eels, the permanent solution is separate tanks