Eel question

[tripleshot]

After looking at some of your guys Eels here the Tessalata Eel is really cool looking. It got me to thinking would a 125gal tank be big enough to keep one or two Eels in?? And if so what type of lighting would a person need? Pc, Mh,Vho, also how much live rock?

 

[dave_15]

i think you could put a tesse in a 125 (look at docholidays he has a tesse-great specie that grows upto 5.9 feet and is mean)...you could probably put another one (like zebra, dragon, fimbrated ect nothin to bigg like a green)...there is no special lighning for these guys and you should have plenty of hiding places for these. Im considering this specie for myself (woth a zebra)

 

[dave_15]

for the other morays dont get anything too small because the tesse would most likely rip it into pieces...also nothing too big anything bigger would need a bigger tank IMO

 

[tripleshot]

Any one else have input on this??

 

[escape2thewater]

I currently have a 30" tesse in a 75g and he is just fine. I do plan to upgrade him to a 125 long next year though so he is comfortable for the long run. So I think a 125 would be fine.
Escape
:happyfish

 

[tripleshot]

Originally Posted by escape2thewater
I currently have a 30" tesse in a 75g and he is just fine. I do plan to upgrade him to a 125 long next year though so he is comfortable for the long run. So I think a 125 would be fine.
Escape
:happyfish
Could you please post a pic of your tank for me? How many pounds of live rock do you have? and what kind of lighting are you useing? Thanks

 

[escape2thewater]

Heres a crappy pic of the tank, my tesse likes to move the sand all over the rocks and everything else too, so its hard to get a good pic. Id say theres about 90#'s of LR in there give or take a couple. I just have NO flourescent lighting, 2 - 48" strips, one 10k, 1 actininc, nothing fancy. The eel doesnt need any fancy lighting, I just make it look how I like it to be. I have a mag9.5 for a return from the sump and berlin trubo skimmer. There is also a HOB filter that I had laying around so I installed it just for good measure. Its a millenium 300 I think? Anyway thats the setup, its been running about 8 or 9 months- ish with good luck. I will warn you, the tesse eel is a swimming dumpster! It will never stop eating! It will eat anything! Well mine does anyway.....
EScape
:happyfish

 

[tripleshot]

Nice pics!! I have read they will eat alot and just about anything.. Would a maxi reef wet/dry mr200 be enough filtration for a 125? How offten do you feed the eating machine and how much??? Are they a shy eel? like only come out when its feeding time? Or are they out and about alot of the time?

 

[escape2thewater]

Im not familure with that system but as long as you have 10x turnover + it should be fine IMO. I feed mine a couple times a week. I feed him whatever I have around, sometimes I go castnet him some live pinfish, greenbacks, or other baitfish from the canals around my house or if im lazy he gets frozen silversides. Also every time I go fishing, He gets all the leftover bait, shrimp, pinfish, anything that moves he eats. One time he ate a sugar trout that was bigger around then him! It would be nice if I could put something in the tank besides him. I was thinking about putting a porkfisk in there to see if it works out, I can catch them locally so if he eats it then im not out the $money$ from a lfs fish. Porkfish are kinda cool too....
Escape

 

[escape2thewater]

Also I forgot to answer one of your questions, my tesse is definately NOT SHY! He comes out of the rocks when ever someone comes home, almost like a dog comes to greet you at the front door. He loves to be out in the open. And when its feeding time, dont even think about putting your hand in the water!
Escape

 

[tripleshot]

The silversides you are talking about my lfs dont carry them. Or at least they dont show them in the catalog. Would feeder gold fish work???

 

[escape2thewater]

Your not supposed to use FW feeder fish b/c they lack the nutrition your swf needs. You can feed the eel anything from the ocean though. You can try frozen squidd, shrimp, etc.
Escape

 

[tripleshot]

OK you kinda lost me about the lighting. When you said "you just have NO flourescent lighting just 2-48" strips 1-10,000k 1 actininc nothing fancy." Is the

"NO sapose to be the word on?

 

[tripleshot]

At what size was the tessa when you got it? and how long has it been in your 75?

 

[d0ch0liday]

dude i own a tessa, a zebra...a green moray,and a reticulated moray...they are all monsters........what do u need to know......oh tessa's are not as meen as people say they are...personally i think they have the most character out of all the eels i have seen......they seem to be smarter....even though many may disagree.....but my tassmo...the tessa .........is my baby he curls around my arm...and lets me pet his nose :joy:

 

[tripleshot]

Originally Posted by D0cH0liday
dude i own a tessa, a zebra...a green moray,and a reticulated moray...they are all monsters........what do u need to know......oh tessa's are not as meen as people say they are...personally i think they have the most character out of all the eels i have seen......they seem to be smarter....even though many may disagree.....but my tassmo...the tessa .........is my baby he curls around my arm...and lets me pet his nose :joy:
I just replied to a post you posted some pics in." Putting eels togather" Im probley gonna set up a 125 soon and would like to have as much info as possible. Anything you feel a person should need to know. right now i have a 75 gal reef. If a 75 will hold a tessa for about 6 months to 8 months might consider useing that and putting my corals and fish in a smaller tank. than useing the 75 for now than slowly set up the 125 over six months. So i need to find out as much as i can for what im gonna need to set this 125 up.. lights, how much sand, live rock.

 

[tripleshot]

Would 4 48" flourescent 50/50 bulbs be enough light? that would be 160 watts?

 

[d0ch0liday]

yeah you could have no light and it would be fine

 

[pitbull01]

Originally Posted by tripleshot
OK you kinda lost me about the lighting. When you said "you just have NO flourescent lighting just 2-48" strips 1-10,000k 1 actininc nothing fancy." Is the

"NO sapose to be the word on?
lol!

Me being a reefer, I know all about lights-NO means normal output.

 

[d0ch0liday]

Originally Posted by escape2thewater
And when its feeding time, dont even think about putting your hand in the water!
Escape

well what do you think about this