Snowflake Eel

[Zachary S.]

Hello,

I started my second tank today, a 20g long saltwater tank, and want to dedicate it to a snowflake eel. A lfs has a 4”-6” snowflake eel and was wondering if this sized aquarium would be an okay sized for the eel for about 6 months tops. Gonna be putting up our 90g in the summer sometime and then it would be transferred to that tank.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[El_Guapo13]

I know nothing about saltwater eels, but I have always liked eels and would one day like to have one, so let's what [HASH=1]#reefsquad[/HASH] has to say on this for all our references lol

 

[tehmadreefer]

why not just wait until the 90g is up, snowflakes are easily attainable at any lfs or petsmart. That way no need to worry about stuffing it in a lil 20g?

 

[Phildago]

Hello,

I started my second tank today, a 20g long saltwater tank, and want to dedicate it to a snowflake eel. A lfs has a 4”-6” snowflake eel and was wondering if this sized aquarium would be an okay sized for the eel for about 6 months tops. Gonna be putting up our 90g in the summer sometime and then it would be transferred to that tank.

Thanks for any advice!

That's fine for him for a few months. I had a larger one in a 32 biocube and he was great in there. He really likes moving through the rock work and really only did any free swimming when looking for food

 

[Zachary S.]

That's fine for him for a few months. I had a larger one in a 32 biocube and he was great in there. He really likes moving through the rock work and really only did any free swimming when looking for food

Great! How big was yours?

 

[Phildago]

Great! How big was yours?

7 or 8 inches I'd say. I did end up giving him to a friend because I wanted to start keeping some clownfish, and I was afraid he'd eat them. He was pretty darn cool though, I would feed him by hand (with tongs of course).

I think he's worth the shot as long as you have decent rock work for him to move around in. Without the rock work I'd imagine it could be very stressful for an eel in a small tank.

 

[tehmadreefer]

So much wrong here. First off an eel in a 20 g is wrong.

secondly it wouldn’t have eaten your clowns..

obviously it’s an eel and needs rock to hide in as that is their natural habitat...

 

[sp1187]

back in the 80's I kept three 8"-10" snowflakes in a 29 gallon.
they did fine. at 8" they would eat clownfish or any other fish the size of a goldfish. mine would eat 3 or 4 each per feeding.

also, keep a tight lid. they will get out.

 

[tehmadreefer]

back in the 80's I kept three 8"-10" snowflakes in a 29 gallon.
they did fine. at 8" they would eat clownfish or any other fish the size of a goldfish. mine would eat 3 or 4 each per feeding.

also, keep a tight lid. they will get out.

Lol ok, exactly back in the 80’s. Heck my uncle kept a shark in a 100g because nobody knew any better in the old days...

 

[sp1187]

ok..... you're the expert.

 

[Phildago]

So much wrong here. First off an eel in a 20 g is wrong.

secondly it wouldn’t have eaten your clowns..

obviously it’s an eel and needs rock to hide in as that is their natural habitat...

Okay. I've literally watched a 6 inch eel consume a clown whole. What do you think eels eat? They eat fish, and whatever else they can fit in their mouths. If you get the tongs to them before they get the fish in their mouth, you win. If not the fish gets eaten. Plain and simple as that.

Second off, explain what's wrong about keeping an eel in a 20 gal!on? I mean, other than your conjecture. There's either a stress response in fish or not. If you cause a stress reponse in them, they stop eating, get sick and die. If not, they're fine. So, as far as anyone can tell, if you can spot the signs of stress, you can successfully keep a fish of any kind until that point is reached. With that said, you need to also have a plan of what to do when that point is reached and understand that some fish will get there quicker than others.

Happy new years guys!

 

[Phildago]

back in the 80's I kept three 8"-10" snowflakes in a 29 gallon.
they did fine. at 8" they would eat clownfish or any other fish the size of a goldfish. mine would eat 3 or 4 each per feeding.

also, keep a tight lid. they will get out.

Second on this. They will get out for sure. Luckily I had a lid, but mine got out during a feeding lol He was quite hard to get back in there too, very slippery little fellas

 

[vetteguy53081]

One of the easiest to care for and feed. They will eat from your hand although I recommend forceps with squid, krill, silversides. Very colorful and also a GREAT ESCAPE artist so assure tank is well covered !

 

[albano]

Okay. I've literally watched a 6 inch eel consume a clown whole.

Not a 6” snowflake!

 

[Phildago]

Not a 6” snowflake!

Yes a 6 inch snowflake. It was a small eel. Granted the clown was very small as well. Surely I thought the clown was too big for it, but I was sitting on my friends couch watching him feed the snowflake and he took that clownfish down. It was quite scary actually, and pretty sad as well. He got him on the side of the head and repositioned to swallow him whole.

Never saw it before, but it made me reconsider what is appropriate to keep together.. And is the main reason I don't have a snowflake myself.

 

[sp1187]

Not a 6” snowflake!

possible, would depend on the size of the clown.

 

[Phildago]

possible, would depend on the size of the clown.

Its hard to estimate the size of small fish like that, but maybe 1.5 centimeters/a half inch or so...

 

[sfin52]

Snowflakes are a pebble toothed eel. They are less likely to go after fish if well feed. A good viriety diet is good. Raw shrimp, clam,squid octopus are good options. A local fish market would be ideal. I would stay away from siliver sides.
20 is a bit small but a temp tank is ok. They like caves or tunnels with multiple entrances and exits. Pvc is a good way to make these.
I would look at a 55 as a minimum. They produce larges amount of waste.

If can wait till the 90 set up that would be best.

 

[sp1187]

Zach,
really think about this for your 90 build. having a predator will limit what else you can have in that tank. no shrimp, crabs or small fish. unless you are thinking about an all predator tank.... eel, triggers, groupers, lions....

 

[Phildago]

Zach,
really think about this for your 90 build. having a predator will limit what else you can have in that tank. no shrimp, crabs or small fish. unless you are thinking about an all predator tank.... eel, triggers, groupers, lions....

And maybe a neon dottyback if he's crazy enough lol