[FlyingHigh]

I am trying to aquire a Gymnothorax griseus (Gray Moray)from The marine center and I'm told that its just a matter of time and he'll get me one. And i'm wondering if this eel can be safely housed in a 120gal. (48"x24"x24") tank with a Gymnomuraena zebra (zebra moray)?

The tank has a Hang on back eco-system 60 and has 2 cornor overflows plumbed into the sump on my 600 gal reef. This sump has a ETS 1800 skimmer and a 60gal refugium. Lighting on the 120 consists of 2 175 watt MH's and 6 110 watt VHO's. So far to this tank I've added 30lbs of dead rock (formly live rock from an old system) and 12 lbs of LR. To this I've added 6 blue legged hermits (from my reef tank) 10 bumble bee snails and 2 tiger tail cucumbers.(to help with algae control).

Do you think i could also add a Pterois radiata (White Fin Lion)
to this tank? Without them hurting eachother, or being crowded.

In addition I would also like to keep various Zoanthus sp. polyps and one or two Tridacna clams.

How well do you think this system will handle the bio-load from these 3 fish?


Any and all opinions and questions would be greatly appreciated
thanks for your time Tim.

[scubadude]

WOW....sounds like a very aggressive system. Alot of relativities involved here too...Like the how big are the eels? and how big do they get? Im not real educated on either the lionfish or eels but it seems to me that it would be a tad bit crunched for space with all of them in one tank, even if it is a 120g. I would think maybe one small eel, that doesnt grow too big, and the lion would be ok. Im sure you are taking a risk with the clams and the polyps but as long as you keep everyone fed good I think you would have a good chance at everyone getting along.

The tank has a Hang on back eco-system 60 and has 2 cornor overflows plumbed into the sump on my 600 gal reef. This sump has a ETS 1800 skimmer and a 60gal refugium

You lost me on this dude! sounds like you have a couple of systems plumbed into one refugium/sump? Can you elaborate on this....man I sure would love to see some pics of this.

[FlyingHigh]

sounds like you have a couple of systems plumbed into one refugium/sump? Can you elaborate on this

well your right i do have a couple of systems plumbed together.....
the overflow from the 600 flows in to a 60gal refugium than into a sump where the skimmer is located. this is where I put the 2 output lines from the 120.(after the refuge but in same chamber as the skimmer input) it then flows into a sump this is where chiller and calc reactor are located. From there water is returned to both tanks. The return on the 120 is a 3mdq little giant. The HOB eco-system 60 was added before I decided to plumb the tanks togeter. And I figured hell it can't hurt to leave it going.

Like the how big are the eels? and how big do they get?

this comes from wetwebmedia.com
"The Gray Moray, Gymnothorax (Siderea) griseus (Lacepede 1803), is a small (three foot max.) compatible species"

It is a Siderea species so it consumes crabs and shimp in the wild

and hers what they had to say about the zebra moray

The Zebra is one of the smaller morays attaining two to three feet in overall length in captivity, and maybe four in the wild Though a multiple foot-long zebra is also a large animal, due to their more placid nature and lower metabolism they present a far slower and more stable "load" on your system

These fishes are relatively peaceful (especially as morays go), accepting of captive conditions, don't get too large, and readily feed on live and frozen meaty foods. Morays as a group are disease resistant and hardy; the zebra is supremely so.

My main concern with the clams is the eel knocking them around (I have an imperator angel in the main reef and he killed my last clam so that why I'm considering trying it in the 120).

[reefhead]

Flying High

I remember that bad ass tank you constructed with the moving lights!


pics,pics,pics!!!!

[FlyingHigh]

heres the clam killer



and heres a photo of him from about 2 1/2. years ago when he was in my 120.




if you'd like to see a few other pic's ....Please come see my new photos on PhotoIsland.com!

To get there, simply click the address below and enter password: guest

http://www.photoisland.com/servlet/G...SERNAME=tmcrae

[FMarini]

Hi:
I have both... radiatas and zebra morays.
The P. radiata will max out arond 8-10" and the zebra around 3ft but thick and clumsy. Both fish will be fine for this big system, esp if the 60gal is attached to the 600gal main setup. My concern for the zebras would be they are big and clumsey and IME knock over your rockwork (which they do frequently). They also try to escape fairly regularly (althou they are not real good at it). So i cover my whole tank.
I think if you get a good radiata you'll be fine, they tend to do poorly as lionfish and are one of the more difficult to keep lions (as they don't tolerate poor water quality like the other lions), but a good one if established and eating dead preparead marine foods will do okay. Same w/ the zebra. Mine when on 12 week hungar stickes refusing all food, until one day it decided to eat the thawed gulf shrimp and crab claws, since then they have been killer (read great) fish.
I wll say that the lion and the zebra will really prevent you from having anything else in the tank as the lion will pick off swimmers and the Zebra will pick off moving inverts
sounds good
frank

[FlyingHigh]

Thanks alot for your insights frank. BTW the tank is a 120 not a 60
You said it all when you said if a can get a good radiata...my LFS said he won't order one cus they always come in looking bad but he gets all his fish from the indo-pacific
So when http://www.themarinecenter.com/ calls me with the gray moray I'll get my radiata from him on the same order. He seems to have a real good rep. for selling only healthy fish.

After talking to a few more people I've reconsidered the zebra as 2 eels and a lion might be a bit much.

[chromis]

The Grey Moray is an excellent choice! In a large tank you can see their foraging nature, truly an active eel. I would avoid the zebra, they get large and rambuncious. A great red sea tank though with the radiata and the grey moray. Cant wait to see pics of the eel!


Andrew

[FlyingHigh]

Thanks for the reply chromis
can you elaborate on what their foraging nature is. I've never owned an eel and have yet to see a live gray, all the eels I have seen in LFS's are just curled up under a rock or being held prisoner in a breeder box
. I don't suppose you know of any sources that I might call to find a gray from. I called marine center about a month ago and he told me every week he requests one from his red sea supplier but as of yet no word . I've also had no luck finding a radiata at any LFS's as of yet but I know its just a matter of time till i see one of them.

[chromis]

If you can pick up Reef fishes vol 1 by scott michael, he describes them completely there. A very active fish, foraging among acropora branches for inverts. Groupers and others follow them aroung for scraps. Definitely a favorite of divers in the Red sea. If marine center cant get it then no one can


Andrew

[FlyingHigh]

The guy at marine center said he used to get them all the time but couuldn't sell them it seems noone wanted a gray colored eel

[FlyingHigh]

shameless bump