Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

[Peace River]

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

Eels aren’t for everyone, but they are truly amazing creatures! Having enough tank space, a secure lid, good water quality, and appropriate hiding places are all important elements to consider when considering adding an eel to your life. Some of the common species of eels for the home aquarium include Snowflake Eels, Zebra Moray Eels, and Ribbon Eels. While it is important to avoid handling these creatures if possible and to pay attention to behavioral changes, an eel’s activity, curiosity and feeding response makes observing and engaging with them a pleasure. Have you ever kept an eel? Is it something on your bucket list? Please tell us about your experience with keeping an eel and feel free to share any tips and recommendations in the related discussion thread!

Photo by @Epic Aquaculture; March 2024 Reef of the Month


This QOTD is sponsored by Nutramar: https://www.qualitymarine.com/nutramar/

“Nutramar’s 100% natural food products are used by public aquaria and breeders around the world. They offer superior nutrition to your most finicky and delicate fish and invertebrates.

 

[Dmmz]

I had a snowflake eel and the only way I got it out was to cut a 20oz pop bottle put some food in it and turn the top around so the eel went in and could not get back out

 

[Slocke]

 

[Sharkbait19]

100% a dream fish, just don’t have the salt tank big enough for one.
I’ve kept some eel-like fish (spiny eels, bichirs, blennies if you count them), but nothing like a true eel.
Almost pulled the trigger on a G. Polyuranodon (freshwater moray) at the lfs a couple weeks ago but I don’t think it would play nice with its tankmates.

I’d love to get a snowflake, and one day a tank big enough for a green or a Tess.

 

[exnisstech]

Had a zebra moray about 30 inches long. It was going great until a little 3" Picasso trigger started picking on the eel and it stopped eating

 

[Marquarium]

Ed and Eduardo

Edit: some more of them, yes they both managed to get in squidwards house

 

[shakacuz]

would love an eel tank! don’t have the space

 

[JAS927]

I currently have a snowflake eel. In the past I’ve had both snowflakes and blue ribbon eels.

 

[EliMelly]

I have a banded snake eel.

 

[Fred A.]

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

Eels aren’t for everyone, but they are truly amazing creatures! Having enough tank space, a secure lid, good water quality, and appropriate hiding places are all important elements to consider when considering adding an eel to your life. Some of the common species of eels for the home aquarium include Snowflake Eels, Zebra Moray Eels, and Ribbon Eels. While it is important to avoid handling these creatures if possible and to pay attention to behavioral changes, an eel’s activity, curiosity and feeding response makes observing and engaging with them a pleasure. Have you ever kept an eel? Is it something on your bucket list? Please tell us about your experience with keeping an eel and feel free to share any tips and recommendations in the related discussion thread!

Photo by @Epic Aquaculture; March 2024 Reef of the Month


This QOTD is sponsored by Nutramar: https://www.qualitymarine.com/nutramar/

“Nutramar’s 100% natural food products are used by public aquaria and breeders around the world. They offer superior nutrition to your most finicky and delicate fish and invertebrates.

I've had one eel or another for 20 years. Snowflakes, green, zebra, and maybe another. They are great tankmates and are fun to feed. Just make sure you have a tight lid, and make sure they can't go over your overflow box into your sump! My recent snowflake, now way too big, kept going over the overflow box down into the filter box/sump. I had to fish her out 3 or 4 times! Finally figured out how to block her access, and then eventually she got so big she probably couldn't sliver through our front door at this point. Snowflakes grow really fast. Lots of fun!

 

[AtlantiCat]

If they came in smaller sizes, I would love to have one, but I just don't have the space or anywhere to put a larger tank.

 

[philippe scuba]

my Zebra moray eel

 

[Lemons]

I kept a zebra eel a few years ago, their name was pickles on the account that i glued rocks to a 64oz pickle jar I found LOL

And they lived in it for as long as i had em!

 

[q8cyu]

I currently have a banded snake eel (Echidna polyzona)

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I have never kept one but maybe in the future I would like to try my hands at keeping one

 

[JC1977]

I’ve had a zebra moray going on 3 years. I probably wouldn’t get another one. Really boring fish if I’m being honest lol.

 

[q8cyu]

I currently have a banded snake eel (Echidna polyzona)

Sorry just realized barred/banded moray not snake eel, it’s a moray

 

[Slocke]

Ed and Eduardo

Edit: some more of them, yes they both managed to get in squidwards house

I have a squidward myself

 

[Miniblade]

Gymnothorax Tile and Echidna Nebulosa (Snowflake Eel)

 

[Gman83]

I dont have an eel, but would love to one day with a bigger tank. I'd also need to do more reading up on them.