Freshwater Moray Owners Pls read!

S

slinkymike

AC Members
Nov 1, 2004
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Well after searching this and other forums on this topic there appears to be *no* definitive answer to the question of freshwater vs saltwater vs brackish.
So I hope to learn from the experience of those who have successfully kept freshwater morays with other freshwater fish.

This is my setup:
2 Tiger Oscars (juvenile – about 4”)
1 Synodontis (juvenile – about 3”)

I want to keep a freshwater Moray in this tank and I want to know from those who have done it what suggestions they have.

These are my questions:
Will adding a handful of salt annoy the other fish in the tank and will it do any good for the Moray?
What do I feed him?
How big are is your Moray and how long did it take to get him to that size? (length/diameter)
How long after getting him did he start eating and what method of feeding did/do you use?
Did you moray eventually die , if so at what age?

I hope that with these answers there will be some kind of closure on the subject.

Thanks in advance!
M
 
Will adding a handful of salt annoy the other fish in the tank and will it do any good for the Moray? Depends on what type of salt--marine mix will help him, but it will not be favorable for the other fish. A 'handful' isn't sufficient to judge what conditions will result.

What do I feed him? Morays eat grunchies--shrimp, grabs, ect. They'll grab fish if they can, but keep him well fed on a diet of mussels, cockles, shrimp, ect and he'll be happier.

There are not any FW moray eels. The snowflakes that are often sold as FW are juveniles--they hatch and grow in brackish/FW, then migrate into brackish-marine conditions. Without high salt content, they tend to be prone to eye and skin ailments, or die outright. The oscar and syno will not tolerate the salt levels needed to make the moray happy.
 
Hi there...
I'm not knowledgeable on the subject, but are you sure of what sort of eel you have? As orion says, there is no such thing, technically, as a FW morray, but there are a few different freshwater eels. To me, the elipsifers from the rift valley look the most like a morray.

did you find this thread when you searched the forum?
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10115&highlight=elipsifer

Hope that might help a bit...

Keegan
 
Ok, first thanks for your responses. I do appreciate that you took the time to read and offer your opinion.
What I was asking however is not for opinions.

The internet seems to be filled with opinions on the subject ...all of them conflicting, what is evident though is that some people HAVE successfully kept these animals in a freshwater habitat for many years.
What I really need is input from some such individuals sharing their experiences and any advice they may have.

I know there are a few members on the forum who fall into this category, I think maybe I should PM a few of em...

Thanks again guys but I really need to hear from someone who has experience.
 
There is a definitive answer, the freshwater Moray eel is not a freshwater fish. What size tank are they in? The tank needs to be at least a 90 gallon just for the oscars, I'm sure the eel will need a tank at least that large also. the salt will not hurt the other fish in the short run but for long term it will. Likewise the eel will do ok in freshwater but will not thrive in freshwater long term.
 
Pls read the title of the original post guys

N8DOGG: I disagree, there is no definitive answer - there are many opinions/theories that align with yours but also many individuals whose *personal experience* debunks those opinions/theories.

I see that you are well experienced with agressive Cichlids, as am I - I have been keeping Oscars and other freshwater tropicals for the last decade. Sermons about tank size etc. not required.

Do you have any experince with freshwater Morays or are you merely relaying what you have read/heard elsewhere?
If you do have your own experience of these animals (even by proxy ie: a friend has one)then pls would you relate some of those experiences as I feel it would be of great value both to me and my new pet.

P.S.: I dont mean any offence. I simply want to be as clear as possible as I do need information.
 
My advice is based on specific, personal experience with the snowflake moray eel.
 
no offence taken.

There might be personal experience of fish kept out of their own water type/ overstocking tanks/ not doing water changes for years/ just not caring for the fish properly. All of these people may had some luck with keeping fish for a while but not having the fish thrive and live the 10+ years that it should live. (I've been there, done that, when I first started)

No I haven't kept any FW Morray Eel's but as a avid fish owner with a lot of time at work, I've been to a lot of forums, I like to learn about all types of fish, and I also have a good relationship with my LFS, I talk with the owner every time I go in and we exchange info. But as you stated when you asked about adding salt then you at least might think that it needs salt? Brackish at a minimum then? But then the oscars are out of their water conditions. Like you said they might be able to be kept in FW all of their lives but then would you want it to live its full life and not just a fraction.

I would also ask your question in the saltwater section to ask how/when/why they put their eel in to saltwater. This would give you the "correct" (how they see it, maybe not how everyone sees it )housing for a FW morray eel.
 
mmm.. yea, the question about the salt is more because I have been told that Oscars appreciate a handful of salt (not a measeurement ...just an expression) to help avoid parasites so I have considered trying that in the past but never had any parasites to mention so 'dont fix it if it aint broke'. I just wondered if that tied in with the freshwater morey at all.

I have also seen a post where the chap stated that his one went on a hunger strike and nearly died when he tried to acclimatise it to saltwater.
Its quite frustrating to have so much conflicting information.

I dont even know the exact species that I have:( but I suspect its Echidna Rhodochilus.
 
Orion

Hi, I have checked out the Snowflake and thats definitely not the one I have.
The Snowflake looks very much like a marine animal - I'd never believe that it could be freshwater... beautiful creature tho!
 
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