z28sseater, this is for a 1 on 1 chat with you, its in the open for others to see

z28sseater, I think that you should open up and chat with me on what your doing and what other ideas you have, specially when it comes to keeping and maintaining eels. You need to know that you are about that 10,000 person who thought of doing what you have right at this time, and yes, perhaps the number is a bit exaggerating, still so many before you tried it, and failed. The biggest problem most not realized is that the Tess moray isn't or wont when of size, will prefer to swim a lone, their only social behavior is when they mate, but after doing so, they part company. Large eels in the same tank, depending on the species, will have a great deal of conflicts, what you would see is, scares the next day almost anywhere on their bodies. Eels, not like triggers and groupers who will attack until one is dead, few eels in this method will do as the groupers, very few, for the most part, eels are concern much on becoming injured themselves. In which is why they move in for a quick bite and back away into some secure location.

Actually, I ran out of count to just how many did have a Tess moray in their tanks. Like one other, he had two in a slightly smaller tank then yours, with two other eels. I tried to tell him of the dangers that he faces, but he wanted me to show him proof to what I was saying. I told him that in months to come, he will have all the proof he wants. In later months, I checked in on him posting anything more of those eels, its been like more then a year now, and I see nothing more of the pair of tess eels he was showboating.

Sure, right now your tank appears to be under your full control, but it be only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose. In your video, did you take notice how the eel acted when the puffer was in front of it? When larger the eel becomes, it will start to take tank mates, just how much larger will be up to the eel, but it will happen, rest assure on that.
Another error in so many who kept the tess eel, all were in too small a tank for the eels life span, know this that the eel will live longer then most any other marine species you would want to maintain, and were talking decades, surely longer then 50 years. But being that all those with tanks so small for its full growth, will always leave it that the eel has no place to swim around.

You really need to see these amazing animals out in the wild, When I was healthy and all, up till 8-10 years ago, I gone diving many times, and was blessed with the appearances of either the tess, green or gaint morays. mostly its been the Tess moray and I always look to be in its path so that it would go through my legs and I bend to fell its body as it swims through.

Eels like this require a great deal of open free space, if I were to want to own this animal, I would have it in nothing smaller then a 2,500 gal system. But this is me, my .02 cents worth for what it is worth. And I did mention to how strong the eel will become due too its large growth in size, you will need to secure your tanks glass cover as best you can, even use duct tape across the back and sides were the glass cover will remain closed at all times, and even add gravel bags at the edge of the glass cover at different points, but be careful not to but it to over weight to the center of the glass.

I do however have a question or two, do you have a sump? Skimmer? I hope your no (HOB) hang on the back items.

So this eel again requires lots of open free swimming space, its better for this eels long term health. You can ignore my words, or take it to heart that you really have to consider here on that you really need to do something better and not cause so many fish species demise.

Do know this, that its only a matter of time, before another who will do this same thing.

Buddy

After i bought it i did research it. A couple of the bigger websites such as liveaquaria and blue zoo aquatics said that my tank is within spec. They both say atleast 185 gallons minimum tank size so on, so on.

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Please understand one huge thing here, that no matter what be the link or from a book, the suggestions on tank size is only their opinion/suggestion. And please note, that eels like the tess or the green moray, require of much free open water space as possible for moving about. Also, the same thing with that person who said the same as you are saying now, but later he had to had learned differently from it. The most sorry thing in this is, no one ever learns what is the best for their eels or other marine species in proper aquarium size. the tank is OK while in their juvenile and early adult stages, but for the long term, its not. You young man will be further proof in what im saying here, just give it time and all of what I told you will come about. In other words young man, you require the self learning skills of what is best, by what we call, trail and error method.

I understand from numerous people that they grow according to tank size, and very rarely will grow full size in an aquarium, just like any other fish.

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You really don't learn anything in that statement, for know this, if you feed your eel everything in what I been feeding all my eels through my life time, and maintain for them the highest water quality and not over feed or stock, you be surprise to how well your eels growth would be. You say all eels will not grow to their normal maximum growth size, and I say that they would if you do all the right things by your eel. Also, in simply thinking that you have a smaller tank, your eel will not over grow it, that im afraid if a mistake for you to take into your own understanding.

Ive called around numerous LFS and all have declined taking the eel. a couple have said they will take it for free and no money in exhange. Thats the last thing i want to do is give it away for free, because of the price tag on these eels. I might end up having to give it away for free.

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Youngster, I would give it away, for you still have no idea in what you have there. Know this, I quit FO tanks about 10 years ago, I gotten tired of FO tanks, other then eel species only tanks. But I always thought back then to own a queen trigger in my last five years in having any FO tanks. That fish grown a inch a month in the first year or so, and slowed a little bit after, and when I was looking to get rid of all the fish in the FO tanks, the QT was of the size of 2'.

I was looking for someone who had a large enough tank for him, if not, I wouldn't given the fish away to them, the person who took the fish, I known about him and he said he was to place the QT in a 300 gal tank. Due to the aggression of this fish, I had to been happy enough that it would have a good home, other then to think only in the money. But here, in your problems to be, your a species that just as the QT, will look to kill any tank mates, the tess will be far worst. I would give it away, only problem with your LFS is that they will sell it to some other person just like yourself. But in what I said here, is why they offered you no money in return.

i have a 30 gal sump with liverock, 2 Hydro sponges and chaetomorpha. I have 2 Aqua medic Turboflotor multi SL, and yes they are hang ons, unfortunately. That is another one of my biggest problems is keeping the top sealed, which so far my eel has been pretty goood about being away from the top, he likes the bottom. Also have plenty of substrate and live rock in the main tank. I do have a little bit of an issue with the nitrate, but not out of control, "yet".

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Im sorry to have to say this, but all what you say you have here, I wouldn't have any of them on a large tank myself. Im sorry that if you had some guidance when starting your tank, it was poor advise. take your 2 skimmers, what you paid for them, $250 each? We all get what we paid for our equipment. The QT for my SPS tank later, is a 40 gal breeder and it will have a skimmer better then the two you have put together.
Also, you saying it yourself, you are already proving to me what I will tell you here. With the filtration you have and skimmers on this tank, I would do a 50% water change weekly, not every two weeks. Also make a note on this, that I not know how old your tank is, but know this, things will become worst, you will have to over work yourself in your maintenance of your tank, for still you will find that things aren't as perfect as you might want them to be.

Canisters will add to your nitrate levels, you need to shut them down at feeding times, and remember to turn them back on.
If your a sump already in place, you then can change it to a larger sump and with that, buy a far better skimmer for the sump, also, why the algae plants? your a FO tank and please don't ever flush any algae in your bathroom, it will only add to the problems that others done here in this. Trow the algae plants in the garbage can.

You need to change much to make your aquarium system better.

Its got hte most distinctive markings and its just a cool fish. I know there are better choices for eels for my set up but i just love the eel. As far as equipment in the tank goes its way capable of handling the bio loads that the fish make. I do try to do 50% water changes every 2 weeks.

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Your eels markings will change some, and no, your equipment is not ideal for your aquarium tank size, or its bio load. For this is were you need to take note on, your situation as is will only worsten, you can not check on your tanks waste build ups, but I have to say that their already building up in your tank. Also note that of all the marine species in your tank, your eel requires a major part of your tanks oxygen, and later when the eel grows, and as long as its a live, it will grow, it will require even greater oxygen levels. Your eel doesn't prefer to be at the bottom of the tank, it will move all bout, more so when its night, but also, in the wild, an adult tess moray hunts day or night. There will be no telling on when it may push its body against your glass cover, forcing it to give way, over the top of the tank. use the duct tape, and use it as I mentioned it.

Please let me know what you think.

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You young man, is just one of the untold hundreds that I said the same thing too, but what if you will take me to my word or you will either look back and see that things aren't as bad as im saying they will be, for note, your trigger is small, as your eel is small, things will become a great deal worst then their now.
　
Think about this, you post two threads of your fish and a video right, you had no one here offering you a pat on the back for beautiful fish and eel, for all understood that your tank is on a collision course with desaster.

Buddy


P.S.
Here at AC, your many who would be very happy to offer you what is best for your tanks filtration system, all you have to do is ask the other members here, and being that if it is that you want to better your tank, you be surprise then by the amount of help you would get.

So i understand that i need to get rid of the eel unfortunately. Now what do you think of my tank if i were to get rid of the tesselata eel. Basically with the equipment i have, without the eel i would have a volitan lionfish, clown triggerfish, foxface, niger trigger, formosa wrasse, blue hippo tang, dogface puffer.

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Even in the idea of ridding yourself of the tess moray, your equipment still wont be suitable for that size aquarium, as well as its bio load. Note, that things will only worst en in the tanks conditions as the months move on. In all my years doing FO tanks, I never look to use chaeto or so in trying to control the tanks nutrients for proper water changes with no over feeding and tanks bio load, you would then see a difference in how well off your marine tank would be.

The way your making my tank sound is like i am not doing anything right??? I am only 23, not making that much money so i have a budget.

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know one honest thing here, we all at our starting years, if not a bit later on learn what is most best to have. And I understand your on a bugget, for so am I and so many others, so what do we do in that case? We save our money, put money together, and look to buy the best equipment piece for our tanks, for yes, you can manage for a limited time period under your aquariums present situation. Also, you can own a eel, but a tess moray, your no idea to the what its diet will require to the eels satisfaction.

Because much later on, your eel will need to be fed whole portions of fish, as well as the single whole large frozen octopus and whole squid. I owned this eel myself as you now do, back when I was just 17 of age. But back then we had no Internet or any great books to research with. I had the eel in a 300 gal tank, and when it grown to 5', I soon understood that in another two feet, its body would nearly reach a cross the tank, giving it no place to swim. this and over feeding will only add to your eels handicap, causing its health rate too worst en and in doing so, its life span will be dramatically shortened a great number of years. But i was lucky, I offered the eel to a city aquarium zoo, and they were all to happy to have the Tess. As it turn out, they been trying to get one for years, so they offered just the same to buying the eel. In later years, I done much business with many aquarium zoos and private personal as well as a great number of hobbyists in general.
　
But not just in eels, but sharks and sting rays as well in later years. And now, im down to my final years in the hobby, and I want to do the one thing I not done as yet, an SPS reef system. And its cost me a great deal of money, and now I need to get even more money so that this tank could be rebuild, for all was done wrong, I was just unlucky to chosen the wrong person to trust this project with, but its to cost me another $5,000 or more and I will mange it soon enough.
　
All you need is a larger sump, with the best skimmer you can buy, that is it as far as im to see it. Also powerheads for water currents, and just how much LR do you have? Im sure that you might manage changing sumps on your tank, and if and when you do this, don't switch of any of the other skimmers and canisters until some weeks later. You would then be free of any HOB equipment. You honestly need to change what you have, it would prove to be a great deal better from what you have right now. If you question my views in this matter, then why don't you ask others if what you have is OK for your size tank and bio load.

And one more thing, the tess eel I sold to the city zoo, in some later years I checked in on them and the eel had grown to 7'. They ask me of what was best to feed it, and they followed it to the letter.

Buddy

Well, i appreciate all this knowledge you have given me so far.

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As far as my filtration situation im not sure i totaly agree with you

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How can that be, when you show that you even doubt my word? Know this, I seen this all too often through my years in the hobby. I told you that what you require most here is a slightly larger sump, with the best skimmer you can afford for your tank size and bio load. Im not however all that surprised from your decision, I seen this all too many times, others like yourself feel that your tank can and will manage well off. But like I said, it will take a whole lot of maintenance work on your part.
　
　
Other AC members, I think for those who from this point viewing this thread, that it be time that you post your opinion on the above discussion. The problem here is that z28sseater is only reading my thoughts on the problems of his tank, he should now hear it from many others. As for myself, I will not respond to another thread, for he has shown me here that its been a waste of my time.
　
　
If others here would want that z28sseater do better in this hobby and stays with AC, he needs to hear from all of you right now.

Buddy

Ive talked to a couple different lfs around my area and they say with the water changes i do, 50% every two weeks my filtration is more then adequate. The fx-5 is filled with eheim ehfisubstrat pro, i have probably somewhere aroud 200 ibs of live rock.

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200 lbs of LR is nice, but your new lfs fails to tell you that there be no two tanks a like, not unless their both your tanks. But in stocking and feeding methods, differ from one hobbyist to the next, you can not count on your figures in doing just a every two weeks water change, and all will be well. We each have to make adjustments with our tanks. But another hobbyist who had the same size tank as you, and with better equipment running their tank, you find that they not have to make a 50 gal water change, even if you were making them weekly.

Being that your more hard headed here, and you know far better then most members here at AC. The line above is the last thing I can tell you, but then perhaps you already had known that.

The purigen I feel that it wouldn't matter much, as is, there be so many different items to chose from, but just because there out there, it not mean that their needed.

OK, so you know far better then I do, your the expert, now I can see why no others had said anything in your threads and here in trying to assist you.

I never should have started this thread in trying to best help you,
This thread is now closed!