Eel escape tricks

[offshored]

I've been banging my head about how to secure my tank for either a Chainlink or Golden Dwarf Moray...

My main question, is it mainly a concern of jumping or "climbing" out?

It would be pretty easy to stop a jumper, but if they can slither through a hole it might be harder to stop.

The main problem is the HOB Skimmer setup.

Any suggestions / thoughts?

I thought about using screen/velcro but it seems sort of ghetto.

 

[namxas]

Plastic "eggcrate" is really easy to work with, and it's simple to take a pair of "dikes" to make cutouts for HOB equipment. That's assuming the eel in question can't fit thru a 1/2" square.

You could also get a sheet of acrylic and cut it to size, including any cutouts you need, then take a 3/16" drill to it and perforate it (I did this with a small eel once). Go postal on the acrylic and put lots of holes in it.

 

[offshored]

Thanks Greg,

I'll look into those ideas, here is a shot of the side of the tank with the equipment.

What do you think?

 

[namxas]

An acrylic strip might look the best...since no light has to pass thru it, you could even go with a piece of black acrylic to blend in with the lid of the tank.

 

[DoubleM 10]

if i were you i would buy some sponge and cut the sponge to fit the open spaces. the sponge will be soft so it will contour to all the smaller holes.

i have this on my 14BC to keep the black ribbon eel i have in it lol just make sure the sponge is not in the water at all. if it is you might have to replace it everyonce and a while

 

[offshored]

Sponge might be a quick way to fix it

Was thinking some black flexible plastic like from a folder might work... unless it'll warp.

Where could I get black acrylic that I could bend and cut easily?

 

[namxas]

since you're not making an entire lid, you can use 1/8" acrylic which can be easily cut using one of those "acrylic scoring knives" (similar to a glass cutter). I've gotten black acrylic from plastics stores and even Osh, IIRC.

The sponge is a great idea, esp if you have any microbubbles from the skimmer. I think it might be tuff to keep it dry tho.

 

[offshored]

Thanks for the ideas so far guys, looking forward to trying something this weekend

 

[helicoprion]

I know this goes without saying, but you have to make sure every centimeter is covered... it just sucks losing awesome eels that way.

 

[offshored]

I know this goes without saying, but you have to make sure every centimeter is covered... it just sucks losing awesome eels that way.

Yeah might have to use some sort of tape to cover the gaps and holes

 

[helicoprion]

Whatever it takes!

 

[offshored]

I'm really starting to think that now...

How much force can a Golden Dwarf put on a lid? Is it more a nudging, or can it really push?

 

[offshored]

Here is the first step in sealing the tank. Used the top of a plastic storage bin and cut it out based on a paper stencil I made. Just glued it on with some plastic bonder, seems pretty good and matched the bend in the hood.

Next step is to use some strong black tape and fine mesh to close up the tiny gaps around the equipment and to make a "hinge" with tape and mesh on the back, so I can still open it.

Seems pretty good so far

 

[JSeymour]

Your mod should work well. Thought I'd give another option though for anyone else who might read this.

One material that I like using for projects like this, is this black rain gutter screening. I get it at Ace Hardware for about $5.

 

[offshored]

Just scared with it being such a tiny eel, that it could slip through mesh.

I might be going a little overboard... but hey better safe than sorry

 

[JSeymour]

Just scared with it being such a tiny eel, that it could slip through mesh.

I might be going a little overboard... but hey better safe than sorry

I hear you. That said it works great for keeping the pencil sized snowflakes out of the overflows at my store.

BTW, those are six inch tiles on the floor. I'd have to measure the holes, but guessing, 3/16". I'll check in a few.

 

[offshored]

I hear you. That said it works great for keeping the pencil sized snowflakes out of the overflows at my store.

BTW, those are six inch tiles on the floor. I'd have to measure the holes, but guessing, 3/16". I'll check in a few.

JSeymour,

Do I need to worry much about a Golden Dwarf opening (lifting) the front of the hood? Or do that not have that sort of strength?

 

[JSeymour]

Probably not. An easy way to make the lid harder to open would be to put a smear of silicone(not too thick) on the front edge of the lid. Once dry, the silicone will create a pressure "seal" The closer you get to perfect thickness of silicone, the harder it will be to open. Another option would be to build a latch. This would be more work, but would create a locking lid. I'd do this by getting a nylon screw, two nylon nuts, a nylon wingnut, and a small peice of durable plastic(acrylic maybe, atleast 1/2"x1/4"x1/8"(LxWxH)).

Drill a hole in the plastic for the screw to slip through. Secure the screw, plastic piece, and one nut tightly together with superglue, as in the picture. Drill a hole near the front edge of the lid, slightly bigger than the screw. This needs to be close enough to the edge for the plastic piece to act as a latch on the framing of the opening. Secure the latch to the lid with the second nut under the lid and wing nut on top. Keep these loose enough you can spin the latch. Secure them in place on the screw with super glue. You could make it more secure by putting one on each of the front corners, but one should be fine.

 

[JSeymour]

I'd have to measure the holes, but guessing, 3/16". I'll check in a few.

They are 1/4" holes in the mesh. A standard bic pen does not fit through them.

 

[offshored]

Thanks Jason,

Had thought about making some sort of latch

Have you though about magnets as well?