Tessellate eel

[Wannabereefvet]

Hello!

I couldn’t resist getting possibly the most aggressive thing in the fish store about 6 months ago and I’m planning my Tesselate eel’s tank upgrade.

I want to give him a tank mate or two but make sure they all have plenty of space to limit conflict/eating each other. I understand that he can/potentially will kill anything I put him with, so I’m torn between getting him non-invert tank mates at all.

I was thinking larger flat/fast fish might be decent tank mates such as a clown tang, or something that could maybe hold its own might work like a puffer or trigger.

Curious what you guys think. His temperament earned him the name Diego “The nightmare” Sanchez because he’s impressively aggressive (especially if he’s hungry) so he might have to stay by himself in a new tank.

 

[nereefpat]

I'm like you, in that I'd be nervous keeping any other fish in there that I cared about. What's the tank size? I think a tess needs a big tank by itself.

One thing to try might be some damsels. They fastest, cheapest, smallest ones you can find.

@lion king , any thoughts.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

I'm like you, in that I'd be nervous keeping any other fish in there that I cared about. What's the tank size? I think a tess needs a big tank by itself.

One thing to try might be some damsels. They fastest, cheapest, smallest ones you can find.

@lion king , any thoughts.

Now why would you condem that poor eel to a life of hiding in the shadows scared for its life?

 

[nereefpat]

Now why would you condem that poor eel to a life of hiding in the shadows scared for its life?

Not sure what you mean.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

Joke about the damsels…

 

[lion king]

Even in very large tanks, 300g plus, no fish, and I mean no fish are safe. If you keep this eel long enough, they are a force. Any one I have ever known eventually keeps this eel alone.

 

[Wannabereefvet]

Even in very large tanks, 300g plus, no fish, and I mean no fish are safe. If you keep this eel long enough, they are a force. Any one I have ever known eventually keeps this eel alone.

Yea I’ve seen plenty of videos of them tearing apart lion fish and even eating puffers in the wild.

I have no intentions of getting rid of him so at 6ft long that’s a big mouth and a big appetite.

I thought about groupers or rooster snappers too, they’re cool and would not be very easy to eat.

 

[lion king]

Yea I’ve seen plenty of videos of them tearing apart lion fish and even eating puffers in the wild.

I have no intentions of getting rid of him so at 6ft long that’s a big mouth and a big appetite.

I thought about groupers or rooster snappers too, they’re cool and would not be very easy to eat.

The tessa has teeth and the jaw of a pitbull, they just grab a fish and roll it up and tear it apart. I don't have any example to give where a large mature tessa didn't kill everything in the tank. Don't be fooled by someone with a sub adult that they have had for a year, maybe 2, or less.