Snowflake Eel (Echidna rhodochilis) eats Dragon Goby (Gobioides broussonetti)

[ponch]

I came home yesteday to find my 9-inch "freshwater" snowflake moray eel (Echidna rhodochilis) had eaten my 7-inch dragon goby (Gobioides broussonetti). While I suppose I should not be completely shocked given the eel is a predator, I am a bit surprised as the eel and goby seemed compatable, and the goby was actually thicker than the eel. They often huddled together under wood and slate, ate bloodworms together w/o issue, and the eel never even nipped at the goby. Just the night before I had hand-fed the eel 4-5 pieces of frozen krill. There were even a half dozen ghost shrimp scurrying around the bottom that I always keep in case the eel wanted a snack. BUT.....I came home last night, turned on the light, saw the eel's head bobbing out from under some slate, but could not locate the goby. When I moved some slate around to see if he was hiding somehwere that I couldn't see, the eel scurried out and I noticed a huge bulge in his mid-section.
I still can't believe it, again only because they seemed to get along and the eel was never starving for food. If there had been a greater size difference, I never would have put them together. I really thought the goby was big enough to not be considered a meal, especially when I fed the eel so often. I guess predatory instincts come first. The goby had to be as surprised as I was...talk about being stabbed in the back by your buddy.
Another in a long list of hard lessons learned over 30 years of fishkeeping.

 

[Daeorn]

Wow thats very odd.

I've never heard that happen before.

My eel is now almost a 15" and my goby is about 9".

They've never so much as squabbled and will readily share crevices in caves.

I'm sorry for your loss, that stinks.

I'm just trying to go over what made him do it. Perhaps just a territory dispute gone wrong?

 

[niblit]

thats crazy

 

[ponch]

Good to hear that no one (yet, at least) thinks I'm an idiot for putting the two together in the first place.

Daeorn - Sounds like your two behave the same as mine did....huddle together and never any aggression. They're in a 40L, with many chunks of wood and slate piled everywhere, so they had plenty of room. But even with many dark areas in the set up, they still were together probably 33% of the time. Now I'm worried about my knight goby and if the eel will go after him next!

 

[Daeorn]

See, I'd be much more worried about the Knight goby than I ever would have been for a dragon goby.

I just fed my eel a live crayfish so I know what he can do to even armored pray ... but I still would still have put money on them not fighting.

Maybe some freak thing? Maybe not enough room? Dunno.

 

[Jesse]

Chances are your moray is Gymnothorax tile, commonly sold as "FW moray" or "FW snowflake moray." Echidna rhodochilus is another BW species that is sold as "white cheeked moray."

 

[AttackFish]

Quick Q:
How big of a tank do Snowflake eels require?
I've never done a BW tank before, but I really want to turn a spare 55gal I have into BW and was thinking of adding a Snowflake and a GSP.

 

[Daeorn]

Yeah it probably is a G. Tile. I would say at least a 55 for a G. Tile.

Honestly, I wouldn't do a GSP and the Eel, as the GSP requires full marine as an adult, and will probably pick on if not kill the eel.

G. tiles can reach about 2-3 feet, so while they will hide, they still need room to move about.

I would say a 55 will house a Dragon Goby and Eel for awhile, however a bigger tank may be necessary when they both grow out.

 

[AttackFish]

Yeah it probably is a G. Tile. I would say at least a 55 for a G. Tile.

Honestly, I wouldn't do a GSP and the Eel, as the GSP requires full marine as an adult, and will probably pick on if not kill the eel.

G. tiles can reach about 2-3 feet, so while they will hide, they still need room to move about.

I would say a 55 will house a Dragon Goby and Eel for awhile, however a bigger tank may be necessary when they both grow out.

Thanks alot for the info!
Thats what I'm worried about with the GSP, needing full marine as an adult. I've never done a brackish tank before, so I'm a little afraid to try a full SW.

I really like the look of a big Dragon Goby, and I can aquire them quite easily. I've been considering rescueing one from Wally World, they have them crammed in 10 gallon tanks with Polypterus senegalus.

But, I'd really like to set-up a brackish tank, with a G. Tile and a Dragon Goby. What else would do well with them? Are archers a possibility? I want to do alot of reasearch and pick out some really nice looking BW plants to do in the tank, make some good hiding spots for the Eel and Goby.

 

[Jeox]

Thanks alot for the info!
Thats what I'm worried about with the GSP, needing full marine as an adult. I've never done a brackish tank before, so I'm a little afraid to try a full SW.

I really like the look of a big Dragon Goby, and I can aquire them quite easily. I've been considering rescueing one from Wally World, they have them crammed in 10 gallon tanks with Polypterus senegalus.

But, I'd really like to set-up a brackish tank, with a G. Tile and a Dragon Goby. What else would do well with them? Are archers a possibility? I want to do alot of reasearch and pick out some really nice looking BW plants to do in the tank, make some good hiding spots for the Eel and Goby.

Well, G tiles do way better in full salt, and DO get up to 3 feet....Not very thick in comparison to other morays though. It probibly depends on the individual fish, but my 3 footer would kill a big dragon goby.