Eel Only Tank!

[toruk]

Hello All,

I just moved to a new place which means a bigger fish tank! I broke down my 12g nano FOWLR setup a few months ago and I am excited to be keeping something larger. It only had a pair of ocellaris clowns but I loved the tank and the setup. Anyway I have a 40B right now and I have always wanted to keep eels in it. I just want one with maybe some rock work and a black background and black sand. The species I was looking at are fimbriated, snowflake zebra, and Jeweled Moray eel's. I get a lot of different answers when it comes to tank size. I want to get a baby and grow it up. 40B is not the long term home for the eel but I wanted to start out in that for maybe a year. Long term I wanted to get a 48inx18inx13in 50 gallon tank. I don't like tall tanks which is why I don't want to do a 75. Would a shallower tank be ok? Could I keep any of the above eels like this?

Again I just want the eels in the tank nothing else. Once I decide if this is possible I will do further research on the eels. Do you think the eel would hide all the time kept like this. I know they don't swim out in the open but I was hoping they would be shy to the point that they never come out. Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[lifeoffaith]

You could potentially keep the snowflake or a jeweled in the 40 long term as long as he's the only one in there. Lots of hiding and a solid top (that he can't push off) and some good filtration (if you can run a sump with a solid skimmer that would be great). Fimbriated might be pushing it in that tank though as they get a bit bigger.

 

[toruk]

Thank you for the comment. Was not aware I could keep the snowflake long term in that size tank but I would probably upgrade anyway. I am kind of stick between the snowflake, zebra, and fimbriated eel. Which one has the post personality and are the least shy. I realize they will probably not swim all over the tank like other fish but which fish would be more likely to stick its head out the most?(still trying to narrow down which species to keep!)

Also for the setup I was thinking of having minimal rockwork and construct multiple tunnels using PVC. WOuld that be ok? I don't want to deal with tumbling rockwork and I feel like the less rockwork I have the more water circulation I will have as well. I was thinking max 20lb of live rock.

Lastly, do you think I could keep cleaner shrimp with either of these eels? If not that is fine but I thought I would ask.

 

[j_mazzy]

I had a beautiful snowflake eel that once asustomed always kept his head out surveying. That's my pick.

 

[toruk]

Thanks for the response. I think i'm am between the two pebble toothed eels. Either the Zebra or the snowflake I have heard good reviews from both. Can anyone address my other questions though?

 

[Cliving1]

Pvc is always a good idea. Eels will want their bodies covered up to feel safe. You could always design your Pvc, and glue rock to the top? As they get bigger they can shift rocks around.

 

[toruk]

Thanks for the response! I think I am going to go with snowflake I think it would be the best bet with a good personality. How much live rock would I need for efficient biological filtration? I don't want a ton since I will have the caves but enough to support the snowflake.

 

[lifeoffaith]

My understanding is that eels are messy eaters. The more liverock you can have in the system the better. Also, the zebra will most definitely require a larger tank. That's one I'd like to have down the road myself, but that would be in a 200 gallon plus tank!

 

[Steve C]

Also have a look at White eyed morays, mine is always moving around or sticking it's head out of the rocks

 

[toruk]

Yea I realized the zebra can get quite large quite quickly. So even a 48inx18in would be too small for a Zebra? It could be I have seen thier max size from 3-5ft I really do not know how big they get.

Regardless I think going with the smaller snowflake is better. BUT... after doing research I have looked at a couple of other Morays too . The Jeweled Moray apparently stays on the smaller size and is active as are the white-eyed(Thanks for the suggestion). I have also looked at Brazilian Dragon eel's? I think they get about the same size as snowflakes but finding one is almost impossible. The good thing is the setup will be the same no matter what I get.

Ok so I posted this question in another thread in the 'equipment' section and got no responses so I guess I will ask here.

I am trying to figure out how filteration and what not is going to work. Most people do not keep eel only tanks so I find myself in a very specific scenario. SO I am thinking as having live rock as my bio-filtration, some sort of aragonite substrate(either regular white or if I find a really white snowflake then the hawaiian grey/black sand). I am thinking for a skimmer to get a HOB(since I will have no sump). I was thinking of getting the aqua C remora but what size? And then I am getting two Koralia powerheads rated a 425gph for either side of the tank. Of course I will have a heater, RO/DI, and Sea salt(does it matter if it is 'reef' salt or not?) Am I missing anything else major?

 

[toruk]

Bump :dance: