Switched to the "Dark Side"

[Illithid]

Just got him yesterday from a guy on Ebay. He is a 36" Tesselata Moray Eel. I think I'll name him "Fluffy" or "Spot".

If I can't get a octopus to live in my tank, I'll save some in the wild from being eaten. (Morays are the worst enemy of octos in the wild - for everyone who didn't know .)

 

[salty65gal]

He looks good in your tank, here's a couple pics from when I had him and pics of my other tanks I've had in the past year. Yeah, I'm a reef junkie. lol Good luck with him and enjoy!

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b353/thereeftank/

 

[Paradox]

Nice!! I had one of those guys for years. They grow fast and BIG! Be careful feeding them. Live feeders will make them more aggressive. I once kept a tank filled with nothing but exotic eels. I have a couple scars to show for it!

Although they are expensive, but a Hawaiin Dragon would be a great tankmate!

 

[Fishfreak218]

My octopus is named Fluffy!!!!
at first it was Kalamari; Kal for short but i changed it to Fluffy lol.

 

[Armstrong]

Are you allowed to pet the Moray Eel? Or this particular species is dangerous to touch period? I love pets that you can touch at least.

I think it looks extrememly beautiful and I love it. Im used to seeing dark green Moray's and leopard eels.

 

[Animal Mother]

I want a Tesselata but my 100 gallon isn't set up and it would probably outgrow it anyway. Instead I have a 20 inch "Freshwater" Moray in a 30 with a large Green Spotted Puffer. Probably save the 100 gallon for some cuttles eventually.

Love the eels. Hawaiian Dragon would be awesome. I just can't justify paying $1000+ for it.

 

[Illithid]

Are you allowed to pet the Moray Eel? Or this particular species is dangerous to touch period?

I am allowed to touch it, but he would probably rip my arm off and beat me with it. No, all morays will bite and from what I have read -it really sucks.

I keep snakes- so I figure it would be equal to a arboreal species like a chondro (green tree python), but with the added bonus of a high risk of infection.

I have started feeding him with a Aqua Tongs which is really cool. Will work up to gloved hand (welder's glove type) as he gets acclimated.

 

[Paradox]

Each individually will have a different temperment. However, feeding live foods will make them more aggressive. Add that to a poor college student at the time (me), who would sometimes not have enough funds to buy food for several days, and you can get very dangerous eels that will snap at any movement in the tanks. If I recall correctly, My Tesselata eventually ate one of its tank mates, a lemon headed Moray. Typcially though, if you keep them well fed, you should not have much to worry about.

I guess I havent looked at prices for Hawaiin Dragons recently, but a local store that specialised in moreys once sold them for 300-450 retail. I was lucky enough to have a good friendship with the owners (Probably because I was there ALL the time), so I was able to get one at wholesale price. They are marvelous animals. Very colorful and distinctive facial features such as a full row of sharp teeth instead of the small cluster found in the center of the jaws of many other moreys. That and the two hornlike features on thier head really made them appear like dragons!

 

[Phil]

What a stunning animal, and how very unusual. Please keep us updated on this one even though it's not a ceph. Best of luck in looking after it!