Dwarf Golden Moray vs Snowflake Moray

[Nolan Shinn]

I'm considering adding an eel to my 155gal mixed reef. I feed somewhat heavily, and am mostly interested in a golden moray or a snowflake (though I'd entertain a zebra if it could fit in a tank my size).

Anyone with experience with these eels have any suggestions? Is one generally more fish safe than others? I've heard DGM's are really shy and are almost never seen... true? How aggressive are they generally?

I have a laser cutter, so I can make an extremely tight lid, so I'm not overly worried about escapement.

Any info is appreciated (as well as any recommendations forgood eel research resources would be amazing)!

Current livestock:
2 ocellaris clowns
1 Tomini tang
1 yellow tang
1 scopas tang
7 green chromis
1 rainfords goby
1 green mandarin
1 randals goby
2 banggai cardinals
1 cleaner shrimp
2 cc pistol shrimp

 

[eatbreakfast]

The dwarf golden moray is smaller and less outgoing. But once they get used to the tank are usually visible.

Snowflakes are much bolder.

The cleaner shrimp will definitely be on the menu for the snowflake and possibly the dwarf golden.

 

[lion king]

Your DGM is definitely the safer choice, they are smaller and less likely to be destructive to corals. The shrimp could possibly be in danger, but not necessarily. The snowflake being a bit larger and more active could ruff up some coral swimming around and pose more threat to the shrimps and possibly your gobys, although unlikely. Between the two I think the snowflake is more commonly beautiful, while the DGM vary wildly from magnificent to pale and really not attractive.

I wouldn't entertain a zebra, they get much larger and the threat to the shrimp and gobys would increase dramatically. They can very ruff on corals placed in their swim paths.

 

[Mistborn]

I have both a golden and snowflake. My snowflake didn't even eat my coral banded, but are more likely to eat things, but still pretty unlikely unless yours is very aggressive.
Golden dwarf aren't a threat to anything but the TINIEST of things, but are pretty skitish till they get used to your tank

 

[Nolan Shinn]

I have both a golden and snowflake. My snowflake didn't even eat my coral banded, but are more likely to eat things, but still pretty unlikely unless yours is very aggressive.
Golden dwarf aren't a threat to anything but the TINIEST of things, but are pretty skitish till they get used to your tank

Thanks for the advice! How long have you had your eels? Do you feed your eels heavily and regularly to reduce aggression?

 

[Mistborn]

Snowflake for like 6-7 years. I sold the golden. When younger I fed the snowflake often as it was hungry more often. Now it eats maybe twice a week and is super chill. The golden ate like once a week. Neither was aggressive at all

 

[Bloody.Knuckles]

My snowflake would eat/try to eat half your tank, lol.

DGM has to be a safer bet if you want an eel, but I have an engineer goby that's eel-like at about 10 inches in my reef tank. That might give you the look you want and he loves to show up at feeding time and dig around.

 

[Mako_SnowflakeEel]

I have a snowflake that is pretty tame but it ate my peppermint shrimp but not my coral banded shrimp but I love jr

 

[thatsaltydogchris]

Have you thought about a ribbon eel?

 

[SeahorseAddict]

I have a golden dwarf eel in my 180 gallon reef tank. I was wanting to add another eel, and was deciding between adding another dwarf or a zebra (possibly both) would thst be possible or would my dwarfs be on the menu for the zebra

 

[lion king]

You never know what might happen in a small enclosed environment, compared to the ocean of course; in nature the golden wouldn't be on the menu. Others may have some negative experiences with the zebra, my experience has been as long as they are in a tank your size they have mostly always played well with others. I've never known anyone combine those two and there will be a huge size difference, for me I think I would enjoy a pair of goldens, A pair will also be apt to encourage them to be more outgoing as well.