Eel stocking for a 112 gallon

[AstroZombie]

I've got a 112 gallon IM reef system sitting in a crate in my living room ready to be set up, 3x3 footprint, and I'm wanting some advice on how many pebbletooth eels I can keep in it realistically. I would ideally like one each of snowflake, skeletor, banded, and chainlink, but I am slightly concerned that may be too much.

 

[lion king]

Look into engineer gobies, they are very social and will happy in a trio in that size tank. The tank has too small of a footprint for the morays, adult engineer gobies look just like eels and are very attractive.

 

[E.R.A.]

Look into engineer gobies, they are very social and will happy in a trio in that size tank. The tank has too small of a footprint for the morays, adult engineer gobies look just like eels and are very attractive.

Can you explain the reasoning behind this? For example snowflakes and most eels from what I am seeing will hang out in a small area. They may explore at night but they will generally find a nice hole for them and chill. I believe I am missing some sort of experience or knowledge you have here. Thanks in advance.

 

[lion king]

Can you explain the reasoning behind this? For example snowflakes and most eels from what I am seeing will hang out in a small area. They may explore at night but they will generally find a nice hole for them and chill. I believe I am missing some sort of experience or knowledge you have here. Thanks in advance.

The reason they find a hole and just chill, is because humans put them in small glass cages. A snowflake eel lives around 20 years in the wild, and can live in captivity into the teens if cared for properly. But sadly most die pretty quickly, literally within weeks to months; and at the high end, most hobbyist will not keep them even 2 years. Eels are curious and will swim and explore if giving the proper environment. And a glass cage barely longer than their body, is not a proper environment.

 

[E.R.A.]

The reason they find a hole and just chill, is because humans put them in small glass cages. A snowflake eel lives around 20 years in the wild, and can live in captivity into the teens if cared for properly. But sadly most die pretty quickly, literally within weeks to months; and at the high end, most hobbyist will not keep them even 2 years. Eels are curious and will swim and explore if giving the proper environment. And a glass cage barely longer than their body, is not a proper environment.

Understood, seems similar to the octopus issue. I understood that even in the wild they chose holes to be in to ambush prey. Interesting stuff, do you have any references I can read up on? Also, is there a size tank that yall would recommend for doing eels? I have seen a few on here.

 

[Slocke]

Long tanks work far better for most fish eels included. It adds a lot more exploration room/ territory area than cubic tanks do.

I’ll also add that echidna’s (pebbletooth eels) don’t always get along and to have multiple you’d definitely want a longer tank.

 

[lion king]

Understood, seems similar to the octopus issue. I understood that even in the wild they chose holes to be in to ambush prey. Interesting stuff, do you have any references I can read up on? Also, is there a size tank that yall would recommend for doing eels? I have seen a few on here.

If you want something in print, you will have to search for your references. A home hobbyist really should consider nothing short of a 6' tank for an eel. Any resource that sells fish or are funded by people that do, should be very carefully examined. No recommendations of tank sizes from a supplier should be seriously considered without serious research on your part.

 

[E.R.A.]

If you want something in print, you will have to search for your references. A home hobbyist really should consider nothing short of a 6' tank for an eel. Any resource that sells fish or are funded by people that do, should be very carefully examined. No recommendations of tank sizes from a supplier should be seriously considered without serious research on your part.

That's exactly what I am doing and asking for wisdom from people that have had eels. Wasn't sure if you had a youtube channel or study to reference. I love learning. Thanks for the information.

 

[lion king]

That's exactly what I am doing and asking for wisdom from people that have had eels. Wasn't sure if you had a youtube channel or study to reference. I love learning. Thanks for the information.

I know it is strange in this day and age, that this is the only board I engage, I do not post to YouTube or any other social sites at all. Here on this board, you can click my name and "find all threads" to see a ton of info I have written about predatory fish, including eels. You will find pics of my tanks; mostly lions but some eels as well, going back years. I do have a few threads dedicated to eels, and important information on nutrition to establish a foundation for long term success.

 

[AstroZombie]

Look into engineer gobies, they are very social and will happy in a trio in that size tank. The tank has too small of a footprint for the morays, adult engineer gobies look just like eels and are very attractive.

This is a big downer, I figured that 3 x 3 would be better than the usual 4+ x >2 footpring for larger tanks since they can actually stretch out in any direction and swim around the central rock structure instead of being made to pace back and forth.

I am quite entirely married to the idea of morays, their charm is all in the face and the engineer gobies lack that. Do you think one of the smaller ones (Skeletor, Banded) would be okay? Sizewise They leave about as much overhead so to speak in "both" directions that a snowflake gets in a 4 foot long tank in just the one direction (I've seen you recommend that as a minimum before too for the snowflake specifically).

 

[littlefoxx]

Can you explain the reasoning behind this? For example snowflakes and most eels from what I am seeing will hang out in a small area. They may explore at night but they will generally find a nice hole for them and chill. I believe I am missing some sort of experience or knowledge you have here. Thanks in advance.

I have a jeweled and a snowflake in a six foot. They love to cruise around the tank for a nightly swim. Smallest morays are around 24 inches, in a 3 foot tank they would be so cramped stretching out

 

[littlefoxx]

This is a big downer, I figured that 3 x 3 would be better than the usual 4+ x >2 footpring for larger tanks since they can actually stretch out in any direction and swim around the central rock structure instead of being made to pace back and forth.

I am quite entirely married to the idea of morays, their charm is all in the face and the engineer gobies lack that. Do you think one of the smaller ones (Skeletor, Banded) would be okay? Sizewise They leave about as much overhead so to speak in "both" directions that a snowflake gets in a 4 foot long tank in just the one direction (I've seen you recommend that as a minimum before too for the snowflake specifically).

Yes 4 minimum but ideally 6 feet is the usual size you will see the smaller morays in. One would be very cramped in a tank that size. Not just length but also thickness is something to look at too.

 

[lion king]

This is a big downer, I figured that 3 x 3 would be better than the usual 4+ x >2 footpring for larger tanks since they can actually stretch out in any direction and swim around the central rock structure instead of being made to pace back and forth.

I am quite entirely married to the idea of morays, their charm is all in the face and the engineer gobies lack that. Do you think one of the smaller ones (Skeletor, Banded) would be okay? Sizewise They leave about as much overhead so to speak in "both" directions that a snowflake gets in a 4 foot long tank in just the one direction (I've seen you recommend that as a minimum before too for the snowflake specifically).

There was a time I used to co-sign hobbyist plans as I know, people are going to do what people are going to do. Knowing this I would give the best information I could to help them achieve success. The 4 foot tank recommendation was a compromise to at least discourage people from putting them in even smaller tanks. Most eels are going to be dead in less than 2 years anyway, so you may as well get them.

 

[AstroZombie]

There was a time I used to co-sign hobbyist plans as I know, people are going to do what people are going to do. Knowing this I would give the best information I could to help them achieve success. The 4 foot tank recommendation was a compromise to at least discourage people from putting them in even smaller tanks. Most eels are going to be dead in less than 2 years anyway, so you may as well get them.

That's actually really depressing to hear (the co-sign, not the 2 years thing, I've read a lot of your posts and that's not new info). I guess I'm going re-adjust my future plans for tank sizes and do something different with this one.

There are some real little guys at a local shop (a banded and some snowflakes in the like 6-8 inches) that I think I can do better for than the average eel tragedy. I already read your feeding recommendations, on that diet and at those sizes do you think I'd have at least a year before a pair of those outgrow the 3x3 so I can set up a longer tank in the other room to move them to?

 

[lion king]

That's actually really depressing to hear (the co-sign, not the 2 years thing, I've read a lot of your posts and that's not new info). I guess I'm going re-adjust my future plans for tank sizes and do something different with this one.

There are some real little guys at a local shop (a banded and some snowflakes in the like 6-8 inches) that I think I can do better for than the average eel tragedy. I already read your feeding recommendations, on that diet and at those sizes do you think I'd have at least a year before a pair of those outgrow the 3x3 so I can set up a longer tank in the other room to move them to?

Here's the thing; hobbyist don't want to hear this, this hobby has an extremely high mortality rate. Most hobbyist are misled about the requirements and actual care it takes to give an honest chance for these captive animals. I have to consider what people are actually going to do, and give the best advise I can in that situation. Sometimes when it's just totally absurd, I'll shut it down, otherwise I'll offer the best advice in that situation.

In your case, what I would do. Build an intricate design of tunnels and caves, multiple pathways and multiple dens, and multiple openings. Have pathways as long as you can. You don't need pvc, just make sure to build the rock structures solid. These small eels will be 2' and close to 1.5" in diameter in a year and half, so build your structure accordingly. Check out some of my threads on nutrition and feeding schedule, for further enrichment I would occasionally offer them live ghost shrimp and small live fiddler crabs. I am honestly not opposed to grow out tanks, but don't expect a lfs to take in a eel, especially a larger one, they will usually not have a market for it. I have many times given certain species a life well beyond what they could have had from anyone else, even though I keep them in less than ideal conditions. Some of my 1st dwarf lions were kept in tanks too small, but I still kept them for years, while others were dying literally within weeks.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Perhaps a dwarf moray might be a better choice for your tank? Try the white ribbon eel (Pseudechidna brummeri)? Small fish like firefish would potentially be consumed, but it should do fine in a tank that size.

 

[lion king]

That's actually really depressing to hear (the co-sign, not the 2 years thing, I've read a lot of your posts and that's not new info). I guess I'm going re-adjust my future plans for tank sizes and do something different with this one.

There are some real little guys at a local shop (a banded and some snowflakes in the like 6-8 inches) that I think I can do better for than the average eel tragedy. I already read your feeding recommendations, on that diet and at those sizes do you think I'd have at least a year before a pair of those outgrow the 3x3 so I can set up a longer tank in the other room to move them to?

Trust me I get very discouraged! I see about 100 baby snowflakes a year collectively in the various lfs around town. People are keeping them in a 20g, and they are dead within the week. The ones that survive carpet surfing are dead soon after, so I thought at least a 55g and some more info might help.

 

[AstroZombie]

Here's the thing; hobbyist don't want to hear this, this hobby has an extremely high mortality rate. Most hobbyist are misled about the requirements and actual care it takes to give an honest chance for these captive animals. I have to consider what people are actually going to do, and give the best advise I can in that situation. Sometimes when it's just totally absurd, I'll shut it down, otherwise I'll offer the best advice in that situation.

In your case, what I would do. Build an intricate design of tunnels and caves, multiple pathways and multiple dens, and multiple openings. Have pathways as long as you can. You don't need pvc, just make sure to build the rock structures solid. These small eels will be 2' and close to 1.5" in diameter in a year and half, so build your structure accordingly. Check out some of my threads on nutrition and feeding schedule, for further enrichment I would occasionally offer them live ghost shrimp and small live fiddler crabs. I am honestly not opposed to grow out tanks, but don't expect a lfs to take in a eel, especially a larger one, they will usually not have a market for it. I have many times given certain species a life well beyond what they could have had from anyone else, even though I keep them in less than ideal conditions. Some of my 1st dwarf lions were kept in tanks too small, but I still kept them for years, while others were dying literally within weeks.

I actually read all of your care guide posts before even signing up for this forum, and since posting this thread up I've located a source of ghost shrimp near me for just that reason in addition to staking out the general availability of fresh shellfish and squid/octopus at the asian supermarket. I am ready for feeding!

The rockwork plan is also what I had in mind generally from the get-go, with a footprint that big I figure I can do some really nice caves across more than one rock structure.

Perhaps a dwarf moray might be a better choice for your tank? Try the white ribbon eel (Pseudechidna brummeri)? Small fish like firefish would potentially be consumed, but it should do fine in a tank that size.

The availability on the dwarf morays is really spotty but that's a plan I already have for when I upgrade one of my existing tanks (was gonna be next year but it looks like next year is the big-long tank, and I wouldn't wanna put one in with eels that will grow to more than twice its size).