Eel compatibility?

JakeMallowFilms

JakeMallowFilms

New member
So I currently have a 75g mixed reef that's been running smoothly for a little over 3 months. I have a few corals, 2 clownfish, a yellow tang, a goby, pistol shrimp, cleaner shrimp, and a fairly large CUC.

So I've wanted a "WOW-factor" for my tank. It's already flourishing with life, but I'd like something that could be the centerpiece to this tank.

I was thinking... shark, rays, octopus; but none of them would successfully live in a 75 gallon tank.

So, I thought: Eel. The one that required the smallest amount of space, and seemed the most peaceful was the Snowflake Eel.

I'm just wondering, will I wake up to all my corals on the sand bed, my shrimp dead, and my clownfish in it's stomach if I get one of these?

Thank you for your potential help. :)
 
With a SFE whatever he feels like eating he will. I used to have one that lived peacefully with a cleaner shrimp for 4 yrs, guess what one morning he was gone. Each eel has a different personality but for the most part 99.99% of the time whatever can fit in their mouth is fair game.
 
Okay. Thank you for your input.

I'm hoping getting a RBTA will eliminate him being able to eat my clownfish (hopefully if they host it.) And I'll just have to chance it with the cleaner shrimp. Hopefully if I get the eel small, they'll be friends ;3

Anyways, do I have to worry about my corals being knocked down. I really don't wanna have to stick my hand in a tank to place corals with a hungry eel :c
 
Eels don't have the best eyesight so they bump into things a lot- think "drunk person" walking down a street. Their sense of smell is what really draws them in to their prey, also quick movements. As long as you keep his belly full the chances of fish disappearing starts to fall.
 
I had a snowflake eel for a few days. In that period of time, he ate my firefish, knocked over the majority of my corals, tortured my clowns, and jumped out of the tank. He was only about 9 inches at that time.
 
Ah. I don't know about that then.

Anyone know any alternatives (predator fish?) I'm looking for something that catches people's attention. My first choice would've been a catshark, but I wouldn't want to house it in something that would stunt it's growth.
 
JakeMallowFilms said:
Ah. I don't know about that then.

Anyone know any alternatives (predator fish?) I'm looking for something that catches people's attention. My first choice would've been a catshark, but I wouldn't want to house it in something that would stunt it's growth.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go with any predator fish. How about a blenny? I have a midas blenny and everyone seems to love him.
 
None of the puffers seem to be reef compatible. I don't want to take the risk of them damaging hundreds of dollars of coral.

I really wanted a baby dogface puffer, but they aren't reef compatible ;( imo the smaller ones aren't that cool.
 
tonysi said:
Eels don't have the best eyesight so they bump into things a lot- think "drunk person" walking down a street. Their sense of smell is what really draws them in to their prey, also quick movements. As long as you keep his belly full the chances of fish disappearing starts to fall.
Click to expand...

+1 I have a Skeletor Eel in my 180 mixed reef. Has never shown aggression to any of my cleaner shrimp. He has stayed pretty small length and girth wise but he did manage to get into my overflow when I first got him.
 
I had a snowflake that was pretty cool...pretty much hid most of the time...never tried to escape...and I hand fed him...

However - he was tank mates with a grouper, a puffer and a big ole lion...
 
I have to agree about the blennies. I have a lawnmower blennie and he is so fun to watch and everyone that sees him can't stop watching him.
 
oh man... i want a SFE as well - so bad...

but my rocks are just sitting on top of each other - i havent "bound" them together with anything... and i fear it will just drop that stuff left and right.
 
I have a snowflake eel, hes escaped once. He ate a pretty large blue spine lobster(I should have known better) and dragged a picasso trigger under a rock after I threw a bunch of shrimp in the tank, he let the picasso go once he realized it wasn't the shrimp.

Other than that he's been really good and is my flame angels best friend haha. hides a lot, most people who see that tank don't see his head poking out of the rock. He only comes out if he's hungry.
 
I had a snowflake eel for about a year, he was about 18 inches long, spent 95% of his time hidden, not a fish I would consider a showpiece because he only came out to eat.
 
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