Clean up crew with eel.

aviationreef · Sep 24, 2015

Sum up i am fairly new to reef keeping and have a 60 cube but have been enjoying it and plan to upgrade when i have a full time job/steady living conditions. I am doing early planning on what i will keep in my larger system so i can have it fully and perfectly designed and planned.

Looking at either a snowflake or Zebra eel. If i got one what clean up crew could i use? all of my hermits and my cleaner shrimp would not last i imagine. Would i have to get urchins? sea hares?

joshbbert · Sep 24, 2015

I keep mine with snails a skunk cleaner 2pom poms a conch and a Halloween hermit so far no casualties however I keep her very well fed she gets LRS chunky 2 times a day. She nipped at a clown once that got too close at feeding time but missed other than that a model citizen.

joshbbert · Sep 24, 2015

Also that's not to say that all eels are the same and mine very well may kill something down the road but for the last 6 months or so she's behaved

ice fish · Sep 24, 2015

Not really a fan of snowflake eel's as they get pretty aggressive as they get older. Ive had my zebra for a year now and he is nothing but a model citizen (Except for my trachy that he loves to tick off and slither over) Ive never had issues with him eating smaller inverts or larger ones. Unless the eel isnt fed and satisfied i dont see them wasting time on eating any of your inverts. Granted you'll have to train them off live foods but after that it should be no worries.

aviationreef · Sep 25, 2015

Hmm i currently have 2 clowns, a firefish, a diamond back goby, a cleaner shrimp, emerald crab, several snails and hermits.

Would prefer to be able to keep everything when i upgraded, would any of these be an issue with a zebra?

ice fish · Sep 25, 2015

It shouldnt. There is no promise with fish as each has there own personality. I would say no it wont but you could get one that loves to eat them all.

joshbbert · Sep 25, 2015

I'd get a juvenile that way it will be too small to eat most of your livestock and hopefully through frequent feedings she'll find her place in the aquarium. Why bugger around eating snails when someone is bringing you yummy scallops

ice fish · Sep 25, 2015

Or as my zebra likes. Giant uncooked prawns. Two of them a feeding....

aviationreef · Sep 26, 2015

I hear good that they love to eat shrimp and then i hear that they will let shrimp eat from there mouths.

joshbbert · Sep 26, 2015

Just depends on the eel really everything has its own personality and nothing is 100% in this hobby except that animals are unpredictable. The way I see it every time I add something new to the tank its a roll of the dice

Scorson · Oct 17, 2015

Your firefish would be gone, goby too. Their shape is an issue. The more aggressive the better as far as tank mates. I have a 2 inch damsel that my 1.5 ft snowflake doesn't touch. If anything, the damsel is more territorial and shows the MUCH bigger eel who's boss.

aviationreef · Oct 17, 2015

I have been planning my "dream" tank just trying to decide what I would want when I have a house/job.

ice fish · Oct 18, 2015

Get a smaller invert eating Eel. Most wont go after your CUC or fish unless you starve them. You should be fine

saltysilverado · Oct 18, 2015

I had my snowflake get over 2' and I spoiled him but he was getting fed live shrimp that I used as live bait for when I was snook fishing out on the bait lol they were bout 5 to 6" long and they'd burry in my sand bed until he found them. He had options of emeralds, snails, and peppermint shrimp but he was so well maintained I never once saw him try to topple any rocks or mess with any of my fish.

Scorson · Dec 14, 2015

My snowflake was far from starving. At about a foot and a half long he'd get about 4-5 silversides or similarly sized pieces of clam meat every 3-4 days. I'd feed him basically until he retreated to his cave. You just have to keep in mind that they can be opportunistic like most wildlife.

angelo14 · Dec 14, 2015

I have a zebra eel for over a year now. First I had her in fowlr and now for about 3 months in a reef( I converted to a reef) No issue with any of the fish/ inverts.

All animals have different personalities but I would definitely recommend a zebra eel.