Eel Questions

[MLZ]

A question to all you eel keepers;
I have a 75 gallon and I'm thinking about stocking with a eel. From what I understand, eels are great escape artists and I will be able to get lids and such. I have a question about the species though, I've limited my eel purchase list to either; the snowflake eel, skeletor eel, dwarf golden, or jeweled moray. My question is, which of those species would be most reef friendly, most easily hand fed/interactive, and which one is best suited to a 75 gallon. (I also plan on housing a orbiculate puffer (also known as bird beak burrfish) in there with the eel).

Thanks,
MLZ

[MLZ]

anyone have any experience with any of the three? Just curious.

[luisagos]

I had the dwarf eel, it was super interactive.

Would follow me everywhere around my tank while I was cleaning.
When ever I came home it would swim out, meet me and do some weird dance, lol.
Loves to be touch and hand fed, but you must provide a environment that it feel safe.

Some people logic is to provide very little hiding spot, so they see their eels more often.
My experience says the opposite.
If the Eel feels that its in a safe area, it will interact with you more then a Eel that feels threaten.
Eels are very curious animals, they will venture everywhere and see what it is.
I had mp40, every time, I shut them down, the eel would go right inside the wet-side.

I got so stress from it, that I took them off, lol.
A lid is a must, and the overflows must be 100% cover.
Make sure any lids are weighted down, or make sure that they are heavy, they will try to move them.
Acrylic are not heavy enough and they will warp over time, the eel will find a spot to go through.
I use heavy glass, that I got made at a local glass shop.

Dwarf are the smallest on your list, so I vote the safest for a reef, but it still a moray Eel.
Feed small pieces of shrimp, I mean very small, cut a small shrimp in like 6 pieces.
Teach it, to eat small chunks, and often.

Again, some people like to feed about every 3 days. I always feed them small pieces and often, maybe twice a day or a least one time.

Eels get very exited when they eat, they will eat more then they need.
Slow it down, and see that they get full with less.

Some on Ebay for less then $100 now. They are not rare, so do not pay more then you have too.

I have a Banana eel now, it will get about twice as big as the dwarf, but it has the same personality. I have a thread going on, check it out.

If you have anymore questions, please let me know.

Have Fun !

[splateee]

On your list I would go with a dwarf golden eel. I have had dwarf golden and snowflakes before. I feel that a 75 gallon is too small for a snowflake, they can get to a nice size. Make sure all rock work is secure.

[MLZ]

I'm curious, how long did the eel get so friendly with you luisagos? And what is the eel in? (like tank size). And just one more question, how much was it? I might just go with it, but I'm also really curious about the jeweled eel, anyone got experience with them?

[luisagos]

Weeks, really depends on the eel.
Always watch him react to your movements.

First feed him with a SS tweezers, 10 inches are a good size.
I prefer them over the feed stick, your fingers looks more like a tweezer then a long stick.
Yes I am crazy, lol.

Try to feed him, not let him lunge at it. I see people tease the eel with food, not a good way to train them.
You want the eel to understand that your feeding him, not that he catching the food.
Once he eats off your tweezers gently, remember small pieces.

You have more times to train him, with small pieces.
Once he gets full, he will not accept the food anymore.

Now its a good time, to touch him with the food, very slowly. Once he lets you do this.

Your ready for the next step is hand feed him, once that happens, then you can try to touch him.
Remember very slow movements in the beginning. Never force the event to happen. You always have the next day to try again.

The key to everything, the Eel must feel secure. You'll know when that happens, when you see him about 40% off the rocks or laying on the sand bed just chilling out.

Check my thread out.

[MLZ]

Thanks for all the info. My other question was about the jeweled moray, has anyone kept one before? Or the skeletor eel? I was wondering how fish and reef compatible they are!
Oh and another question, how often do eels try to escape or jump ship?

[namxas]

Eels will escape any chance they get, so do cover the tank, or you'll find out first hand where the phrase "slippery as an eel" came from (assuming you find the eel on the floor before it dries out).

A jeweled is a piscivore, pure an simple, and SFEs tend to get nasty once they get some size on them (I had to keep mine on its own finally). I can't speak for the skeletor, as I've never kept one.

I'd go with the GDM, personally.

As for "hand-training" the eel, I'd stick feed it rather than using my hands. They have poor eyesight and if your fingers smell like food, or if they "miss" their strike, you'll end up with some scars. I've been bitten twice by an SFE (not while feeding it), and it's not pleasant.

Also, if you have a puffer, it will likely pick at the eel. I had an Arothron that really hurt my SFE, altho it did heal.

HTH

HTH

[freefallen4key]

My yellow head morey eel has been doing some weird shaking of his head, almost seziur looking..... Any idea what the deal may be there?

[Sohal Tang Tim]

the golden dwarf is the best out of the animal choices given for the reef in my opinion....

I had one...super...fed it with special plastic tweezers....small pieces
of shrimp ideal....I fed mine every day once a day. He was just a little guy but grew fairly fast ...never bothered a thing and YES they are curious and always watching.....

IF my wife was not so jumpy around them I would have one in my reef right now....had to get rid of it because it made her uncomfortable..and I thought not fair to her. I highly recommend them...I kept mine in a 50 gallon reef and he was very happy...but only had him about a year....I would have transferred him to bigger tank IF I had of kept him.

Tim

[Cu455]

Divers den had a skelator eel and golden dwarf in the past week. I am not sure if they are still available.

[Cu455]

I just realized the date of the post. Did the OP ever get anything(if you see this)?