Help zebra eel

[Titobattilocchi]

So I ordered a zebra eel that was supposed to be about 14 inches and I only have a 20 gallon long for a quaritein tank. The problem is that where I ordered the eel from sent me one that was about 30 inches long not 14. Don't know if it will be fine in my 20 gallon long for about 3 to 4 weeks, I have a ceramic pot with a opening cut in it plus a 2inch pvc pipe in there that it's using. I swap out my 120 to my new 300 gallon tank on labor day weekend. Don't know what to do was not planing on having a eel that big sent to me but there is not to much I can do about it now.:deadhorse1:

 

[909_Reefer]

That's a really small tank. I havn't tried to quarentine something like that in a small tank. Eels are fairly inactive creatures. They may do ok with proper water quality. This could be stressful to deal with more frequent water changes.

 

[thenewguy997]

Just have some pvc piping for shelter

 

[billsreef]

For the short QT period, it will be fine.

 

[Titobattilocchi]

I'm just worried that the tank is really small and maybe stressing it out. I guess I might have to think about getting a bigger QT tank, just don't know if that will make things worse moving him again to a bigger QT and then In 3 to 4 weeks moving him again to my new tank.

 

[Cu455]

If you still have your 120 use that. Go to home depot and get a storage bin.

 

[TravelinLight]

I had a purple tang, melunarus, and a <24" Zebra in a 20 long for 10 weeks. All did fine and are now back in the DT. I wouldnt worry about it one bit, just keep it covered because they can become curious.


Also, put 2" pvc with 90 degree bends to form a "U" and he should be content hanging out in there. I had a HOB filter and a hydor 500 powerhead for flow.

 

[Titobattilocchi]

Can't use my 120 because it still has all my other stuff in it that I'm going to move over to new tank. There is just to much in there on the substraight to use that. I have a pvc in it right now plus a ceramic pot

 

[slief]

While a 20 gallon tank for a 30" eels is way to small for a long term home, the 20 should be fine for a couple weeks. Eels are solitary creatures that don't swim around very much except for when they are hungry. In the wild, they tend to stay very close to their cave or home and rarely venture out except for at night.

As others have said, a piece of PVC pipe that it can hide in will go a long way for stress reduction. Keep the water clean, temp stable, top covered and keep it well fed. You will fine. If you keep moving it from one tank to another right now, that will cause more stress than the temporary small home.

Having said that, a 30" eel in a reef tank is probably not a great idea. I love eels and have had many over the years including a 5' green moray, hawaiian dragon, tesselata eel, zebras, snowflakes etc. There is one of those that I'd feel very comfortable with in a reef but everybody is different so I wish you the best of luck with your new critter.

 

[Titobattilocchi]

Thanks he will be in his new big 300 gallon home here in a couple of weeks.

 

[Titobattilocchi]

Does any body know if a full grown zebra eel will be fine with a 2 inch pvc pipe for a home or will it out grow that. Don't really want to go with a 3 inch pvc because I worry about having a deep sand bed. Any help would be grate he is about 30 inch long and 1 1/2 thick right now.

 

[billsreef]

2" should be more than wide enough.

 

[Titobattilocchi]

I think I will go with 2 inch unless some one else has some other input on why I should go bigger. Thanks everyone for the help