Garden Eels in Reef Tank?

[WanderingAlbatross]

Good evening all!

I've read that garden eels are rather difficult to keep, mostly due to them fearing everything including their food and their shadows, causing starvation. Many people have said that they need to be in a species only tank for any chance at surviving. Deep sand, open space, gentle flow, and passive tankmates if any.

What would be the best way to try adding them to a reef tank? Add them first and let them settle before any other fish/inverts, save maybe corals, sponges, and nems? Could I do 2-3 in a 200-250g reef, or would 5-6 be better? I've heard they're quite social with their own. The reef would be a largely passive community. Would I have to worry about a rogue nem wandering into the sand and stinging them to death? Do any other small fish tend to bother them? (ie spawning clowns, dottybacks, gobies) Keep in mind there would be certain areas of the tank that would be left more 'open' with piled sand to offer places to burrow.

Blessings all

 

[littlefoxx]

@Fishfreak2009 has garden eels! Not sure if they are in a reef though

 

[JoJosReef]

Second @Fishfreak2009 . Amazing tank. Sea horses, garden eels and jawfish! I'd also be interested in knowing the order of stocking. I plan on replicating that tank one day!

 

[WanderingAlbatross]

Anyone else have an opinion/experience?

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Good evening all!

I've read that garden eels are rather difficult to keep, mostly due to them fearing everything including their food and their shadows, causing starvation. Many people have said that they need to be in a species only tank for any chance at surviving. Deep sand, open space, gentle flow, and passive tankmates if any.

What would be the best way to try adding them to a reef tank? Add them first and let them settle before any other fish/inverts, save maybe corals, sponges, and nems? Could I do 2-3 in a 200-250g reef, or would 5-6 be better? I've heard they're quite social with their own. The reef would be a largely passive community. Would I have to worry about a rogue nem wandering into the sand and stinging them to death? Do any other small fish tend to bother them? (ie spawning clowns, dottybacks, gobies) Keep in mind there would be certain areas of the tank that would be left more 'open' with piled sand to offer places to burrow.

Blessings all

I definitely wouldn't keep them with larger fish. Very passive only. I keep mine with seahorses, mandarins, ocellaris clowns, a few different gobies, a tailspot blenny, and a couple flasher wrasses. They need a deep sand bed, ideally 6" or more. They do better in groups, and need frequent 2-3x minimum daily feedings of frozen foods.

They do fine with most inverts that won't bother them, but I wouldn't trust larger shrimp, anemones, etc with them, as they would either harass or kill the eels.

 

[WanderingAlbatross]

I definitely wouldn't keep them with larger fish. Very passive only. I keep mine with seahorses, mandarins, ocellaris clowns, a few different gobies, a tailspot blenny, and a couple flasher wrasses. They need a deep sand bed, ideally 6" or more. They do better in groups, and need frequent 2-3x minimum daily feedings of frozen foods.

They do fine with most inverts that won't bother them, but I wouldn't trust larger shrimp, anemones, etc with them, as they would either harass or kill the eels.

Thank you for the potential stocking options.

I was planning a small, passive fish/invert reef community and most of those fish were already part of the intended list so that’s awesome. I was thinking some Penderson cleaner shrimp, maybe an emerald or porcelain crab, a couple urchins, a starfish, 1-2 sebae anemones for clownfish, couple snails, and a clam or scallop. A slug of some kind would be cool too, though I’ve heard they’re hard to care for. Would the cleaner count as large in this case? The intent would be to add the eels first, save for maybe the nems, to give them time to get settled. Would I not be able to have the nems at all then? It’s not worth it to lose the clowns and nems if it comes down to it.

Blessings

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Thank you for the potential stocking options.

I was planning a small, passive fish/invert reef community and most of those fish were already part of the intended list so that’s awesome. I was thinking some Penderson cleaner shrimp, maybe an emerald or porcelain crab, a couple urchins, a starfish, 1-2 sebae anemones for clownfish, couple snails, and a clam or scallop. A slug of some kind would be cool too, though I’ve heard they’re hard to care for. Would the cleaner count as large in this case? The intent would be to add the eels first, save for maybe the nems, to give them time to get settled. Would I not be able to have the nems at all then? It’s not worth it to lose the clowns and nems if it comes down to it.

Blessings

I personally wouldn't keep nems with garden eels, but that's just me. They're pretty clumsy when they do come out of the substrate and wander around looking to re-bury themselves. I could easily see one being eaten by a sebae, or even a bubbletip.

 

[WanderingAlbatross]

I personally wouldn't keep nems with garden eels, but that's just me. They're pretty clumsy when they do come out of the substrate and wander around looking to re-bury themselves. I could easily see one being eaten by a sebae, or even a bubbletip.

That's a shame, the nems and their clownfish were meant to be focal points in my tank. I figured it was a long shot considering how delicate the eels seem to be, but I'm trying to maximize species diversity for this tank in particular. So eels are most likely out then, what about the pistol shrimp/goby pairs? I've heard they tunnel up under the rock and destabilize it, and people have said they carry their frags around and bury corals near their dens. Cool to look at but generally a menace. Would they be worth it in a reef environment, or just skip the heartache and get gobies alone? I don't think they'd work in any of my planned FOWLRs, those guys or the eels.

Thanks for the information and your time!

Blessings

 

[BristleWormHater]

That's a shame, the nems and their clownfish were meant to be focal points in my tank. I figured it was a long shot considering how delicate the eels seem to be, but I'm trying to maximize species diversity for this tank in particular. So eels are most likely out then, what about the pistol shrimp/goby pairs? I've heard they tunnel up under the rock and destabilize it, and people have said they carry their frags around and bury corals near their dens. Cool to look at but generally a menace. Would they be worth it in a reef environment, or just skip the heartache and get gobies alone? I don't think they'd work in any of my planned FOWLRs, those guys or the eels.

Thanks for the information and your time!

Blessings

Wow, nems over eels? I would just get some elegance corals they look extremely similar to nems just without the bad stuff.

 

[WanderingAlbatross]

Wow, nems over eels? I would just get some elegance corals they look extremely similar to nems just without the bad stuff.

For garden eels, yes. I haven't raised them, but I've heard they are quite difficult to keep in anything other than a species tank. I just wanted to see if they were possible to add to a reef, if done carefully. Sounds like it will be more risk than reward. I want this to be a peaceful tank, save for the clowns having attitude. I've heard clowns hosted by toadstools and some corals, leather cups and such, how often does that happen? The eels were iffy, I don't want to lose too many other species just to get one.

Blessings

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Wow, nems over eels? I would just get some elegance corals they look extremely similar to nems just without the bad stuff.

Elegance will do the same thing as a nem. It will kill and eat them.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

That's a shame, the nems and their clownfish were meant to be focal points in my tank. I figured it was a long shot considering how delicate the eels seem to be, but I'm trying to maximize species diversity for this tank in particular. So eels are most likely out then, what about the pistol shrimp/goby pairs? I've heard they tunnel up under the rock and destabilize it, and people have said they carry their frags around and bury corals near their dens. Cool to look at but generally a menace. Would they be worth it in a reef environment, or just skip the heartache and get gobies alone? I don't think they'd work in any of my planned FOWLRs, those guys or the eels.

Thanks for the information and your time!

Blessings

Pistol shrimp/goby combo should work perfectly!