Zebra Moray (in a reef)

[silencer]

Ok I know I'm kinda crazy but I'm planning on setting up a 180g reef tank and am considering putting a Zebra Moray in it. I want something cool and exotic and the Zebra Moray seems like the most docile and least-insane thing to try (I'm very open to other suggestions). I've been doing lots of research but simply CANNOT find any good info about it's diet or behavior in a reef tank.
Some sites say it eats crabs and urchins. Other sites say they eat shrimp and small fish. Some places say they are fine with cleaner shrimp and I've seen a post of somebody who saw the cleaner shrimp go into the eels mouth to do their work without being eaten. Other sites don't mention cleaners at all, or anything else for that matter, so I'm really confused. EVERY SITE I VISIT HAS DIFFERENT INFORMATION!!! So, for all you people who have or have had Zebra Morays, what did it eat and did it ever select snacks from the variety of other creatures in the tank?
My best guess and gut reaction is that any non-hermit style crab like a hawaiian strawberry or emerald mithrax will be toast. I'm not sure about hermit style crabs like a scarlet reef crabs or snails and think either way would be equally plausible. I was planning on blood red fire shrimp for cleaners (possibly standard cleaners too) and think these would PROBABLY be ok. I also want a black longspine urchin and have no clue with this one. As far as fish go I'd be most worried about clown/citron gobies and a green mandarin as they don't get very big. Blue and Green Chromis worry me slightly but not nearly as much as the other stuff. I figure corals, anemones and everything else will be safe. It's mainly the cleaner crew I'm worried about and any exceptionally small or slow fish. Like I said though, every website tells me something different so I really don't have a clue. Do any of you have experience with any of these combos?

 

[innsmouth]

There are a few reasons I would advise against this. First, mine will eat any small crustacean that hits the water. Doesn't matter what it is, it's dead meat eventually. Second, mine goes nuts when he eats and if I didn't have VERY large pieces of LR in my tank he would just wreck it. They are big and not all that graceful so I would be worried about it toppling corals. As far as fish are concerned it probably be fine. Mine shows no interest when small fish like damsels are introduced into the tank as feeders for my lion. Just keep it well fed and fish SHOULD be okay. Never any guarantees though.......:thinking:

 

[austinreef]

Innsmouth,
Do you have any pics of your tank without the mantis and with the new eel? I think I will be joining the dark side very soooon!

 

[silencer]

I'm not worried about it causing landslides. I have a custom rock layout planned and will be using that cement/sand mix to make LARGE base rocks, then attach live rock on top of this (most likely by drilling small holes and using acrylic rods with some sort of glue or putty to hold it together). It's just the cleaner crew I'm worried about. If it will eat ALL the shrimp, crabs and snails than I don't see how I could keep the tank clean. If it'll only eat certain types than I should be able to adapt the cleaner crew to fit.
You say yours will eat any small crustacean. How small is small? Does it bother snails too? What do you use as your cleaner crew?

 

[innsmouth]

What do you use as your cleaner crew?
A long stick with a sponge on the end....$1.99 :yes:
About the destruction of your tank. He may not knock over the rocks but he could easily topple corals not to mention lay on them. Depends on the kind you keep I guess. If you plan on keeping SPS, clams and other light dependant corals he will probably never come out of hiding. Here's a pic for Austin.

 

[steel]

everything i have seen and with my eel SF but he is still about 2' and he slithers in and around my corals i see him bump in to my anemones everything just hangs on as for my fish after about the frist 2 weeks all the fish found out that they dont want to mess with him. all he did was snap at them and run them off and i know they dont eat cleaners well thats kinda a given i mean he let me put it like this if some one came in and cleaned your house and groomed you would you eat them no, But if you had not eatin in for ever and this plump little cleaner came on in would you not take him out. i guess mine is lazy cus he dosent eat any of my crabs or fish he did how ever eat a mantis when i first got him so. keep him feed keep him happy keep every one alive.
Travis

 

[stacyt]

I had a ghost ribbon eel in my old 80 gallon reef. He was a really cool eel. Out a lot durring the day, and never bothered anythin in the tank. They stay fairly small, and thin, so shouldn't knock anything over. Had him for about 1.5 years until I started to rework the canopy. Left the tank uncovered for 1 night, and he found hid way out. I've been debating on getting another 1 to put into my 240 reef.

 

[silencer]

I was looking at those too, but man do the Zebras look nice.
Innsmouth, does yours eat snails too or just shrimp and crab? Have you ever tried putting cleaner type shrimp in?

 

[fmarini]

there are a few sites w/ accurate info on these eels.
Bottomline, they don't eat fish, they have zero interest in fish. For a reeftank they will be fine as long as you accept a few things.
1) they are very clumsey/muscular and will topple over weakly placed corals, and lightweight rock structures.
2) they will eat crabs or at least break off their legs. I've seen them go after shrimp , but are too slow to catch them. Urchins, dunno. maybe, maybe not. Mine never ate snails, or hermit crabs. Lastly, cleane rshrimp are usuall Okay.
Zebras eels are pure invert eaters, and unlike SFE zebras are more predictable. They do get big (30-36") and thick like a bike tire, but are pretty docile, just clumsy. I had to stick feed these eels and they took uncooked gulfshrimp w/ shell on readily along w/ blue crab legs(crack crack).
frank

 

[lestregus]

in a reef situation i would have to recommend the snowflake...i would however save this fish for the last addition.. it may chase a fish or two in the first 2-3 days you have it.. if you can make it past this, you will have in my opinion the best reef compatible eel.
in my opinion, in a reef, the corals are more valued than the fish (that's why we only put reef compatible fish in them, and keep the fish bioload low). corals usually come attached to small rocks, or the coral is a small frag when it is obtained. with this being said, you don't want anything clumsy in a reef tank. especially nothing 30" long and the size of a bike tire..
i keep a snowflake in my 75 reef and have had very few problems.. as mentioned it may chase fish within the first few days of adding a new fish.. also it will eat any NON hermit crab. in my experience, it is has a much more difficult time with hermit crabs, and usually gives up very quickly. as for shrimp, i think this is a bad idea - although some have had luck with the cleaners (i wouldn't try it)
good luck!!