Snowflake Eel

[supervdl]

Can you keep this fish in a mixed reef? Anybody with experience?

I have urchins, crabs and brittle stars in my tank - are they in any danger?

[brccoins]

You'll probably be ok as long as you don't have any fish small enough for him to snatch.

[supervdl]

What size fish do you think would be ok once it is fully grown?

[LowJam]

I would second that. I have had one for about 2 months now with no problem. He's about 6"-8" long and doesn't bother my damsels, keyhole angel, snail, or crabs. I feed him krill shrimp twice a week and for the most part he keeps to himself.

I also have a friend who has one and it leaves his soft corals alone and his cleaner shrimp (which we both thought would be toast).

When the eel is 12" or more long, my damsels may be in trouble, but I'm ok with that.

[salty joe]

A snowflake can/will squeeze through a surprisingly small opening in the hood.

[HoopsGuru]

Snowflake eels have teeth for grinding (snails, etc.) and not for catching fish, this and their size make them pretty good for reef tanks. As mentioned though, they will actively roam the tank at night and easily escape out of any opening.

Great article: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/fm/index.php

[TitansFan]

They are messy. Make sure you have good filtration so your corals don't suffer. As long as he is kept fed well he should leave your fish and such alone. Another thing to consider is make sure any frags are glued down well because he will knock them off your rocks.

[saltyfishdude]

He will eat your crabs, without any doubt, regardless of whether you feed him well. Even if your crabs are large, he will eat their legs and claws, one by one. And you need to be very cautious with your small fish. They aren't as much of a target as the crabs, but if he should come across a small wrasse or clownfish (perhaps) while it is sleeping, sometimes it is too easy of a target and a meal for the snowflake, or any crustacean eating eel for that matter, to pass up. I am not an expert, but I have done much research and opinion seeking, and have tried 2 on different occasions in my reef in the first year I have been in this great hobby. I am only sharing my personal experience. Best of luck to you either way.

[Rock Anemone]

LowJam,

To Reef Central

[supervdl]

When you say crabs do you say any crab like hermits and emerald crabs? What about my tiger tail cucumber?

[supervdl]

>

[DouglasTiede]

Eels of all kinds, can and eventually will grow... once they are of a size where they see that fish as food, or that crab as a tasty treat, nothing is safe.. Eels are just being eels, they are hunters by nature.

[tigerstripes]

I've had mine for about 4 months now. He's a pretty good size... about 18" or so. He has left alone all my fish/inverts. I feed him silversides about every other day and it seems to keep him happy.

During feeding time he does seem to get a bit in the 'frenzy' mode... he'll swim around when all the other fish are eating and chases them... but not once has ever tried to take a bite out of any of them. My little Flame Angel just loves him and will brush up against him from time to time and he won't do anything (I'm assuming it's because the angel is quite large compared to his mouth) ;o) And I have a couple Green Chromis that he never seems interested in.

I know I'm probably asking for it but I keep my tank open and uncovered and not once has he tried to jump out... he will swim around the top of the tank during feeding but other than that he stays mostly at the bottom or around the rocks.

Anyway, I'd go for one, but be cautious... I've heard it depends on the eel really, some will go bonkers on your tank and pick on the fish, the inverts and whatever it can, yet you can find some that are pretty docile.

[bgcook]

i have an 18" snowflake in a mixed reef. no real problems expect for the occassion that he knocks a coral off. i use epoxy to take care of this. personally, i like the addition of the eel. he is very entertaining and seems to be a focal spot when people see the tank. i originally got him when he was the size of a pen. i set the rocks up so that there is room between them at the base of the pile. some of the rocks that are not weighted as well, he will squeeze between them and shimmy them open more. though this could be a problem in the future, it hasn't as of now. the eel seems to have found the places he likes to rest and protrude his head out. he is fed silverslides, squid and shrimp from a prong. as far as eating his inhabitants, not really sure. i still seem to have crabs, snails, cucumbers and star fish without a problem. the only small fish i have are two small neon gobies, added two weeks ago, and they are doing ok. they do however, sleep at the top of the tank at night. you probably couldn't have little percs, dottybacks, etc. the snowflake is a crustatcean eater and not a very good hunter (poor vision, hunts most by smell), but if he comes upon a sleeping small bit size fish, i would assume it is goner.

just my experience.

[Rays]

My experience was the same as bgcook and tigerstripes. I had mine for four years and he was twenty inches long. He was kept well fed on raw cocktail shrimp, and that is the secret. He never bothered snails, hermits or shrimp. If you don't keep it well fed, there is more of a chance of him slipping over the side at night. When he gets real active roaming the tank, it's a sure sign he's getting hungry.

[TonyTheTiger]

I ahd a 12" snowflake for a while. he never ate my crabs or snails but did desimate a very large 4+inch clown fish and a rusty angel and a chromis. He also loved to jump out of the tank. It was always an adventure for her going downstairs because she is the one that always found the eel on the floor with the cat hoovering over it! She would pick it up put it back in and it was fine. Good luck with this. It was one of my favorite fish!

[supervdl]

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[supervdl]

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[supervdl]

any other opinions?