Just an update on these guys: Both are now fully acclimated and happily living in my marine tank. The one I thought might not make it ended up becoming just as healthy as "her" partner and they both have grown 2 inches since I got them! They each eat a whole silverside every other day and don't bother any tankmates as the other fish are too big to be eaten (for now). The one is still a lighter pinkish color than the other so it helps me tell them apart. I started shopping for a big tank to turn into an eel habitat, found a couple 180's and one 210, so when I get my tax return in the first week of February, I'll get it set up and cycling so I can eventually move them into it. These guys were one lucky save, I really enjoy having them. They are very bonded as well, they always stick together and peek out from their cave side-by-side...it's pretty cute. They come out about 2 minutes after the lights go off and I see them cruising around and exploring at night. Definitely a neat eel to have!
Gymnothorax tile - "snowflake eel" - kept in full salt?
- Thread starter PinkLady
- Start date
glad they have a good home 
)
i went to a LFS once and watched a snowflake swim up and over into the tank next to it and then back again a couple minutes later haha
)i went to a LFS once and watched a snowflake swim up and over into the tank next to it and then back again a couple minutes later haha
TheBlackPearl;3907068; said:
If I wasn't 2,000 miles away from you, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Try Craigslist?
Thought I would update since I haven't been on these forums in quite some time and finally found my way back. 
The weaker of these 2 Gymnothorax tile that I thought had pulled through ended up passing away unexpectedly about a month or so after my last update. She stopped eating and got very pale, and I found her floating one morning. However, the other one that had been at the store less time ended up doing VERY well. I've had him 2 years now and he's been in my main saltwater display tank the entire time, living happily with a flame angelfish, a bi-color angelfish, a yellow tang, my pair of gold-striped maroon clowns, various inverts, etc. He's just shy of 20" long and about 2" thick (including his dorsal fin). He loves silversides, kind of picky when it comes to anything else but will take different bits of squid, shrimp, etc. on occasion. I found out about thiaminase in common frozen feeders and the resulting prevalence of thiamine deficiency in aquatic predators, so I started injecting the fish with Vitamin B1 once a week to help offset any thiaminase content, and he has done well with it. He's a chunko and very content with himself.
A few months ago I added a Gymnothorax saxicola (ocellated moray) to the tank that is very close to his same size. He and the ocellated moray get along well with no territorialness nor competition over food (they are fed daily). Oddly enough they seem to like each other (or like the same cave opening despite there being many -- I have PVC pipe routed through/behind all the rock) and are often side-by-side, peeking out together. I recently added a juvenile Gymnothorax favagineus (tesselated moray) that is smaller than the G. saxicola, and the G. tile didn't seem to even notice. The tess ignores the other two in their little buddy-buddy cave, and claimed her own spot. Her presence is temporary, she will be moved to her own tank next month once I get it all pieced together. I saw her on LiveAquaria and she had the exact leopard pattern I've been waiting for, so I had to get her while I had the chance. I think most of you know that feeling. For now I keep them well-fed and they have lots of space to have their own territory, so they are doing well together.
I never thought this little G. tile would survive as long as he has and do as well as he has. He may not be the most outgoing moray or "impressive", but I absolutely adore him, simply for the fact that he survived a rough beginning and has been with me through all my learning curves the last 2 years. Plus he's cute. In talking with my local specialty aquarium store owner, of the various people he's known to try to keep these eels -- I'm the only one that's kept one longer than 6 months, and also the only one that kept one in full marine. So I feel good knowing I got this guy out of a crappy situation and that I must have done something right. If you want a nice eel that can actually live in a marine community and not eat everything in it (he's never eaten a single tankmate), this would be your species.
The weaker of these 2 Gymnothorax tile that I thought had pulled through ended up passing away unexpectedly about a month or so after my last update. She stopped eating and got very pale, and I found her floating one morning. However, the other one that had been at the store less time ended up doing VERY well. I've had him 2 years now and he's been in my main saltwater display tank the entire time, living happily with a flame angelfish, a bi-color angelfish, a yellow tang, my pair of gold-striped maroon clowns, various inverts, etc. He's just shy of 20" long and about 2" thick (including his dorsal fin). He loves silversides, kind of picky when it comes to anything else but will take different bits of squid, shrimp, etc. on occasion. I found out about thiaminase in common frozen feeders and the resulting prevalence of thiamine deficiency in aquatic predators, so I started injecting the fish with Vitamin B1 once a week to help offset any thiaminase content, and he has done well with it. He's a chunko and very content with himself.A few months ago I added a Gymnothorax saxicola (ocellated moray) to the tank that is very close to his same size. He and the ocellated moray get along well with no territorialness nor competition over food (they are fed daily). Oddly enough they seem to like each other (or like the same cave opening despite there being many -- I have PVC pipe routed through/behind all the rock) and are often side-by-side, peeking out together. I recently added a juvenile Gymnothorax favagineus (tesselated moray) that is smaller than the G. saxicola, and the G. tile didn't seem to even notice. The tess ignores the other two in their little buddy-buddy cave, and claimed her own spot. Her presence is temporary, she will be moved to her own tank next month once I get it all pieced together. I saw her on LiveAquaria and she had the exact leopard pattern I've been waiting for, so I had to get her while I had the chance. I think most of you know that feeling.
For now I keep them well-fed and they have lots of space to have their own territory, so they are doing well together.I never thought this little G. tile would survive as long as he has and do as well as he has. He may not be the most outgoing moray or "impressive", but I absolutely adore him, simply for the fact that he survived a rough beginning and has been with me through all my learning curves the last 2 years. Plus he's cute. In talking with my local specialty aquarium store owner, of the various people he's known to try to keep these eels -- I'm the only one that's kept one longer than 6 months, and also the only one that kept one in full marine. So I feel good knowing I got this guy out of a crappy situation and that I must have done something right.
If you want a nice eel that can actually live in a marine community and not eat everything in it (he's never eaten a single tankmate), this would be your species.i agree with your overall assessment of G. tile. Good to hear it is doing great in your marine setup. I had one in my marine tank for a few months until the guy on my avatar (G. fimbriatus) got a little too rough for it, and I took the G. tile back to the store.
