The Dragon is finally in his lair!!!!!!!! - Aquarium Advice

myerst22 · 08-01-2008, 06:14 PM

After an exhaustive search to find the fish I wanted, my patience shows great results. I have been looking for this fish for several months. I was able to find large specimens pretty easily, but a small one was no where to be found. I decided about a month and half ago to pre-order and pay for one that never came to fruition. This was very frustrating because my delivery date kept being pushed further and further back. I began to realize I would most likely not be getting my fish from this retailer. It's understandable, these fish are extremely difficult to get at this size. A diver spotting one is the easy some what of the easy part, catching the little guy is another story. Thankfully in the end I got the fish directly from a diver I know so I know he was caught with proper care.

The fish was to arrive in JFK airport in NY at 9:00pm est. I live all the way on the eastern end of long island and the trip by car is 3 hours with no traffic. Luckily I called the airline and the plane was delayed. I was a bit concerned about the fish I know he was packed properly and the plane was only 3 hours late. Well I got to the airport and after searching high and low for the cargo area which was as hard as finding the fish in the first, I finally had my fish alive and well in my hands at 1:00am est. Now I drive home doing about 80. I finally get home exhausted at 3:45am and have to acclimate the eel. Mind you I had to go to work in 3 hours. Oh how I wanted to rush the acclimation but after all of work and patience to get the fish, how ridiculous it would be to rush acclimation. I acclimated the fish for about 2 1/2 hours. Maybe a little excessive, but not to me. I finally put him a critter pen for the night as I want to set up a cover so he doesn't jump out as well as some pvc tunnels to make him feel more secure.

So on to the pictures. These are the first shots I have taken and aren't great, but you can get the idea. He is only about 13"-14". Never have seen one this small. Know I can look at him everyday for a long time if all goes well. Okay, on to the pics, more to come soon, as I am sure I will be taking hundreds of pictures of this guy. Regards, Tim

Tifta · 08-01-2008, 06:20 PM

very cool! scares me though eehee,

new2betas · 08-01-2008, 06:23 PM

How cool. Is this an eel of some type? I love the "horns" on his head....

**melosu58** · 08-01-2008, 06:26 PM

Very nice Tim. I have a snowflake and I love it. Nice pick up. I`m also moving this to the New aquisitions forum where it belongs. That way the freshies can see it also.

myerst22 · 08-01-2008, 06:52 PM

Thank you for the kind remarks. A little information about the eel. Scientific name is Enchelycore Pardalis, common name used by most people is the dragon moray. They are usually collected in Japan and in Hawaii. My friend in Hawaii who is diver caught this beauty for me. He is a little crazy and goes down 300 feet to catch some of these fish. Not me, I won't go deeper than 100'. Considered the one of the holy grails of morays, along with the Kidako moray, yellow mouth and banana eels to name a few. There are two other eels in the display that have not met him up close and personal. I have a G. Millaris.

I also have a snowflake which I think everyone knows what they look like. Hopefully they will get along. It has been seen when a dragon moray is entered into a tank with pre-existing morays, the dragon will scare the other eels so much that they will hide in the upper corner of the tank. Hopefully this will not be the case as the tank has many caves and holes for them all to have their own spot. The snowflake is being removed soon anyway and the millaris as well if they don't get along. Regards, Tim

ryshark · 08-01-2008, 06:52 PM

That thing is awesome looking. Maybe I should get one of those to cure my problem of putting my hands in my aquarium too much. If I knew one of those was in my tank I wouldn't mess around in there nearly as much as I do now.

ccCapt · 08-01-2008, 06:55 PM

WOW Very nice. Some big $$$ there....but so are lot of your other fish.

Quote:

How cool. Is this an eel of some type? I love the "horns" on his head....

It's a Hawaiian Dragon Moray Eel.

ryshark · 08-01-2008, 07:09 PM

Cccapt you werent kidding about big $$$. I was figuring in my head about $350 but after finding this Hawaiian Dragon Eel
I realized I was just a bit off.

myerst22 · 08-01-2008, 07:55 PM

Hey Reyshark, One of the biggest lessons I learned in all of my years of keeping fish is to keep your hands out off the tank at all costs regardless of a dragon lurking. I do anything I can to not put my hands in the tank. Magnet algae scrubbers, and if I do have to go in I wash my hands and arms and rinse several times and rinse one more time. Especially in a smaller display, the residue you collect on your hands comes right off especially when it comes in contact with saltwater.

Thought I would show you some of the other fish in the display. I will get some better pics of the dragon hopefully tonight. Regards, Tim

Tinker's Butterfly

Crosshatch Trigger

Black Tang

Borbonius Anthias which is sold and leaving soon

X-mas island emperor

**melosu58** · 08-01-2008, 07:58 PM

Very nice looking fish also. I added to your reputation points due to the info post you had on the dragon eel. That was very informative. Thanks alot.

08-01-2008, 06:14 PM	#1
myerst22 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sag Harbor, NY Posts: 52	The Dragon is finally in his lair!!!!!!!! After an exhaustive search to find the fish I wanted, my patience shows great results. I have been looking for this fish for several months. I was able to find large specimens pretty easily, but a small one was no where to be found. I decided about a month and half ago to pre-order and pay for one that never came to fruition. This was very frustrating because my delivery date kept being pushed further and further back. I began to realize I would most likely not be getting my fish from this retailer. It's understandable, these fish are extremely difficult to get at this size. A diver spotting one is the easy some what of the easy part, catching the little guy is another story. Thankfully in the end I got the fish directly from a diver I know so I know he was caught with proper care. The fish was to arrive in JFK airport in NY at 9:00pm est. I live all the way on the eastern end of long island and the trip by car is 3 hours with no traffic. Luckily I called the airline and the plane was delayed. I was a bit concerned about the fish I know he was packed properly and the plane was only 3 hours late. Well I got to the airport and after searching high and low for the cargo area which was as hard as finding the fish in the first, I finally had my fish alive and well in my hands at 1:00am est. Now I drive home doing about 80. I finally get home exhausted at 3:45am and have to acclimate the eel. Mind you I had to go to work in 3 hours. Oh how I wanted to rush the acclimation but after all of work and patience to get the fish, how ridiculous it would be to rush acclimation. I acclimated the fish for about 2 1/2 hours. Maybe a little excessive, but not to me. I finally put him a critter pen for the night as I want to set up a cover so he doesn't jump out as well as some pvc tunnels to make him feel more secure. So on to the pictures. These are the first shots I have taken and aren't great, but you can get the idea. He is only about 13"-14". Never have seen one this small. Know I can look at him everyday for a long time if all goes well. Okay, on to the pics, more to come soon, as I am sure I will be taking hundreds of pictures of this guy. Regards, Tim

08-01-2008, 06:20 PM	#2
Tifta Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 242	very cool! scares me though eehee, __________________ 5 gallon (soon to be shrimp tank), 10 gallon Planted tank, 55 gallon tank Tifta's Aquarium blog

08-01-2008, 06:23 PM	#3
new2betas Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2008 Location: North Carolina Posts: 943	How cool. Is this an eel of some type? I love the "horns" on his head.... __________________ Dottie - I'm Pisces - that explains EVERYTHING!

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08-01-2008, 06:52 PM	#5
myerst22 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sag Harbor, NY Posts: 52	Thank you for the kind remarks. A little information about the eel. Scientific name is Enchelycore Pardalis, common name used by most people is the dragon moray. They are usually collected in Japan and in Hawaii. My friend in Hawaii who is diver caught this beauty for me. He is a little crazy and goes down 300 feet to catch some of these fish. Not me, I won't go deeper than 100'. Considered the one of the holy grails of morays, along with the Kidako moray, yellow mouth and banana eels to name a few. There are two other eels in the display that have not met him up close and personal. I have a G. Millaris. I also have a snowflake which I think everyone knows what they look like. Hopefully they will get along. It has been seen when a dragon moray is entered into a tank with pre-existing morays, the dragon will scare the other eels so much that they will hide in the upper corner of the tank. Hopefully this will not be the case as the tank has many caves and holes for them all to have their own spot. The snowflake is being removed soon anyway and the millaris as well if they don't get along. Regards, Tim

08-01-2008, 06:52 PM	#6
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 567	That thing is awesome looking. Maybe I should get one of those to cure my problem of putting my hands in my aquarium too much. If I knew one of those was in my tank I wouldn't mess around in there nearly as much as I do now.

08-01-2008, 07:09 PM	#8
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 567	Cccapt you werent kidding about big $$$. I was figuring in my head about $350 but after finding this Hawaiian Dragon Eel I realized I was just a bit off.

08-01-2008, 07:55 PM	#9
myerst22 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sag Harbor, NY Posts: 52	Hey Reyshark, One of the biggest lessons I learned in all of my years of keeping fish is to keep your hands out off the tank at all costs regardless of a dragon lurking. I do anything I can to not put my hands in the tank. Magnet algae scrubbers, and if I do have to go in I wash my hands and arms and rinse several times and rinse one more time. Especially in a smaller display, the residue you collect on your hands comes right off especially when it comes in contact with saltwater. Thought I would show you some of the other fish in the display. I will get some better pics of the dragon hopefully tonight. Regards, Tim Tinker's Butterfly Crosshatch Trigger Black Tang Borbonius Anthias which is sold and leaving soon X-mas island emperor