gymnothorax tile/polyuranodon or puffer?

[noradrenaline]

hi idk how to post on a forum even tho I've been lurking for years but I think I'm doing this right lol. I was wondering if anyone had any advice about stockign my 20g long? Its a long story but I basically bought it bc it fits on my metal shelving unit perfectly so there will be no bowing. It is running with my 5-10 year old filters that have been hidden in the basement for 4 years or so. A PF-11 (paludarium 20 by zoomed) and a QuietFlow LED Power Filter 75. I also have another quiet flow that is rated for less than a 55g but it's runnign in a smaller tank.

my question is is it reasonable for me to think about a small puffer or a gymnothorax eel? I am used to saltwater I had my 75g reef for 5 years so brackish is not a problem and neither is upgrading in the future to a really nice 260g indoor pond -- until I can get a custom tank built for the eel if I do get one.

I am only 19 so feel free to impart your wisdom if u r more experienced than me! I had a fahaka from a chain pet Store but he passed away immediately before I could treat him for IPs. Feel free to be harsh. I just want to know which one I should focus on. I am not really wanting to be trimming beaks but I love them both equally. I don't want to give a fish a bad life at all. Are they THAT hard if I keep them in brackish?

 

[Deadeye]

Welcome to the forum!
Any eel will quickly outgrow a 20 so I’d pass on them. Tile gets 2 feet, poly gets at least 3 (I think). If you have the upgrade plant, I’d go straight to that for an eel.
So I’d go for a puffer in this case. In a 20, I’d look into figure 8. They are pretty small and full of personality. One of my favorite puffers, I would have one if I had a brackish tank. Salinity is best around 1.005 for them. Lots of hard foods like shrimp and snails are a must to keep their constantly growing beak trimmed.
Amazons (and I think avocados) are the only puffers that will absolutely need manual teeth trimming due to fast growing beaks. The rest can be kept down with hard foods.
You could also go freshwater and do any of the (carinotetradon species puffers (dwarf, redeye, etc.)

 

[Rocksor]

G. polyuranodon is primarily a freshwater eel. Quite the opposite of G. tile, which is primarily brakish.

 

[noradrenaline]

I am looking into figure 8s the most! They are so cute and I've always wanted one! im worried the water flow would be too strong for one tho ( there is quite a lot of flow even without my old power head. And the internal filter that doesn't produce as much of a current is weaker and not really good enough filtration for what I'm comfortable with. Any recommendations on a filter that's ACTUALLY low-flow or would one of my quietflows be ok? Thank you so much for your time!!

 

[Deadeye]

Quietflow would probably be sufficient, I’m most sure on what their natural flow is like though. Something rated for higher than the tank (but a 75 would probably be too powerful).

 

[tlindsey]

hi idk how to post on a forum even tho I've been lurking for years but I think I'm doing this right lol. I was wondering if anyone had any advice about stockign my 20g long? Its a long story but I basically bought it bc it fits on my metal shelving unit perfectly so there will be no bowing. It is running with my 5-10 year old filters that have been hidden in the basement for 4 years or so. A PF-11 (paludarium 20 by zoomed) and a QuietFlow LED Power Filter 75. I also have another quiet flow that is rated for less than a 55g but it's runnign in a smaller tank.

my question is is it reasonable for me to think about a small puffer or a gymnothorax eel? I am used to saltwater I had my 75g reef for 5 years so brackish is not a problem and neither is upgrading in the future to a really nice 260g indoor pond -- until I can get a custom tank built for the eel if I do get one.

I am only 19 so feel free to impart your wisdom if u r more experienced than me! I had a fahaka from a chain pet Store but he passed away immediately before I could treat him for IPs. Feel free to be harsh. I just want to know which one I should focus on. I am not really wanting to be trimming beaks but I love them both equally. I don't want to give a fish a bad life at all. Are they THAT hard if I keep them in brackish?

Welcome aboard

 

[noradrenaline]

Ok so this is kinda funny/not funny.....heh heh.... I just remembered that the way my idiot self built the metal rack it can't really be dismantled easily and the 75g filter is kinda stuck on the 20 long. due to the way it's wedged in there under the next shelf above it. no weight resting on it it's just wedged. I might be able to take it off but putting it on was very difficult. weird I know lol. But I guess I will just have to buy another 20g for the other empty shelf below it which will fit the <55g quietflow with room to spare.

tl;dr that filter ain't goin nowhere anytime soon lmao

 

[noradrenaline]

lol ok so the guy at my life says the 75 is way too much flow for a 20L so i'm gonna try to lower the intake in hopes that the output will slow down. but if that doesn't work i guess i will have to dismantle the shelves again lmao wish me luck ?

 

[Deadeye]

There are some ways to lower the direct flow.
F FJB has a soda bottle method.

 

[spotfin]

I have a brackish 54 gal corner tank housing a gymnothorax tile and 6 figure 8 puffers. The puffers are all about 2.5" and the eel is about 14". As with any eel, it's aggressive at feeding time. Occasionally while feeding the puffers the eel will grab one. The puffer quickly inflates and the eel will drop it. I've tried other tank mates (mollies, knight goby) but none lasted long due to the eel.
You're current 20 gal tank is too small for long term eel care. You could keep a couple puffers for awhile in it. Start with the tank now, but plan to upgrade before long.