eel tank mates

[rayn]

I have a small yellow head fimby that is about 10-12 inches in length right now. Currently resides in a 55 by itself as a grow out tank.

The lfs has gotten in a pretty blue throat and picasso trigger. I am wondering if one of the triggers would be okay with the eel? I would rather not see the eel eating the trigger. Both triggers are in the 4 inch range.

 

[fish042099]

Triggers are not good tankmates for eels, as they have been known to pick at morays. The best tankmates are ones that the eel wouldn't want to eat, like puffers, lionfish, and coral catfish. Also high bodied fish, and groupers.

 

[fish042099]

Double post

 

[rayn]

Good enough

 

[rssjsb]

I'm not sure that there are an good long-term tankmates for a fimby. There's no guarantee that the eel wouldn't try to eat a lion or puffer, with disastrous results for both.

 

[fish042099]

I'm not sure that there are an good long-term tankmates for a fimby. There's no guarantee that the eel wouldn't try to eat a lion or puffer, with disastrous results for both.

Sure, there's never a 100% chance. In other words, there is always a chance the eel might eat his tankmates. But the most unlikely to get eaten tankmates are lionfish, puffers, and coral catfish because the eel wouldnt want to get stung or have a spiny puffer in their mouth.

 

[NEK-ap24]

I disagree with the Lionfish being a good choice. Eels don't see a lionfish as something to try to avoid as much as something to compete with. Eels typically have very poor eyesight to begin with, but my point is while the spines may disuade the eel from trying to eat the lionfish, the aggressive feeding habits of both put them in close proximity to each other during feeding time. I have never kept a lionfish, as I worry that the eels are likely to get inadvertantly impaled on the lionfish when they are going after the same food. Even though my eels are trained to take food from a feeding stick they still go after it with such gusto, that it seems to me it would just be a matter of time.

I have not kept a Fimby, so I can't speak directly to them. My whitemouth and Abbott's do well with their Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, and Polleni Grouper tank mates.

 

[anaya]

Well I'm not so proud of this but I believe it may help you make a decision. I have an 18-24" fimby that has eaten or attempted to eat a 4" foxface (attempt), a 3.5" striped puffer (eaten), a 5" damsel (eaten), 4.5" dogface (attempt), all types of cleaner shrimp (eaten), 3.5" picasso trigger (eaten), pulled a hermit crab out of a golf ball sized shell and ate the crab. Needless to say I will not attempt any others. I have contemplated purchasing a white eyed moray due to the fact that I have read that in the wild the fimbys are found more often than not sharing the same hide spot with the white eyed morays. Then letting the white eye get settled in the other 75 then introducing the fimby. I am very hesitant though because of the fimbys current track record and I love eels and it would crush me to see one hurt due to a decision I make.

 

[rubensito]

agree with anaya, you have to be pretty careful in regards to tankmates. The only fish other than other eels I've been able to keep with my fimby was a very large squirrelfish that was too fast for it to catch. I'd keep it solo or with another eel...if you must keep some sort of active fish with eels like this I would just add a bunch of damsels with the expectation that they will probably get caught ny the eel at some point.