How to remove a snowflake eel

[Blizzard 123]

So I made the mistake of getting a snowflake eel with smaller fish. He is starting to become aggressive and will snap at smaller fish and my large foxface. He is causing the fish in the tank a lot of stress lately especially fox-face who has now become paranoid and will almost guard the eels cave to make sure he does not come out.

so that is why I need to remove him. Now for the question how can I do so without destroying the tank? I have tried a net but he recognizes it and will run at the first sight of it. The tank is 90 gallons and is a little over a foot long and is currently in a 90 gallon tank. I plan to move him into a ten gallon for a few weeks till my 40 is ready. I plan to use the 40 as his own personal home. Any suggestions on how to remove him is much appreciated thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[slief]

Get a 2 liter soda bottle. Cut the end off so the hole is just large enough for the eel to fit in. Drill a hole near the end and add a long string that is tied to the bottle. Add some sand to act as weight, fill it with water and put a good sized strip of squid in the bottle. Then submerge bottle and place it on the bottom around feeding time. It might help to not feed it for a day so it’s extra hungry. The eel will find it’s way into the bottle and when it does, pull the bottle out by the string. Make sure you have a bucket with some tank water in it near by and a lid for he bucket.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Thanks will definitely try this tonight. It is impossible to catch him with a net. Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DarkSkyForever]

Bottle traps work for everything. Helped me get out a troublesome wrasse.

 

[smatter]

If the bottle doesn't work a tiny hook with the barb crimped works. I've removed a few eels from other peoples tanks this way that started out cute and pencil-sized. Too bad they don't stay that way.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Yeah I have heard of people using hooks but I don't want to hurt him. I plan on still keeping him in his own tank. If it has to come to that point I will try that as a last resort or if the trap dose not work. Seems weird to fish for fish in your own tank. Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[billdogg]

If it's anything like the Eel I had for many years (25), just leave the lid off for about 10 minutes and it'll find it's own way out. They are easy to catch when they are on the floor - even my 4' Undulated.



or use the bottle trap.

 

[smatter]

^^^lol^^^

 

[Blizzard 123]

Yeah he has jumped before. I think I will try the bottle first but if needed my try that also and wait for him to jump. Did your eel survive? Was him jumping out a accident or were you trying to get him out? Thanks for suggestion


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cmethorst]

I used a chunk of shrimp in a 2 L bottle no cutting just the bottle. Pulled the bottle as soon as he went in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Blizzard 123]

Yeah I tried the bottle tonight with silversides in it one of his favorites. Did not work he almost went in but decided not to. I don't think he was really hungry tonight so will try again tomorrow. Will keep it updated. Thanks for all the suggestions I might try shrimp he likes that or squid or maybe a mix of everything. Will see tomorrow thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Patience Grasshopper.

 

[slief]

Yeah I tried the bottle tonight with silversides in it one of his favorites. Did not work he almost went in but decided not to. I don't think he was really hungry tonight so will try again tomorrow. Will keep it updated. Thanks for all the suggestions I might try shrimp he likes that or squid or maybe a mix of everything. Will see tomorrow thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Leave the bottle in there without food so he can get used to it. Then when it's feeding time, add the food.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Oh that's a good idea I will leave it without food over night thanks for suggestion. He was very close earlier today and almost went in. Very frustrating. Thanks will be patient and leave it in with no food all night and tomorrow to get him used to it. I have not been feeding him couple nights should I continue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[billdogg]

Yeah he has jumped before. I think I will try the bottle first but if needed my try that also and wait for him to jump. Did your eel survive? Was him jumping out a accident or were you trying to get him out? Thanks for suggestion


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hannibal escaped twice in 25 years. The first time I had eggcrate on top but that didn't even slow him down. I found him on the floor pretty much dried up. Nudged him with my foot and his mouth opened, so I plopped him in the tank and then went to work. When I came home 12+ hours later, he was swimming around like nothing had happened, but ended up with a nasty fungal infection on his front 1/3 (at the time, he was about 24" long) He didn't eat until it cleared up a few weeks later. I then used large pieces of dry rock on all the corners to keep the eggcrate in place.

The 2nd escape was when I was trying to catch him to move to a new house. Apparently he didn't want to leave. Picking up 4' of ****ed off Eel was no fun! I recommend a good pair of heavy leather work gloves and a 5g bucket to stuff his head into. Got him into a 32g rubbermaid and made the trip to the new place without incident. Got a fungal thing again, this time it was about 4 or 5 months before he'd eat again. After that, it was back to his 4 large fillets weekly from krogers seafood counter until he died about 10 years later.

Eels, at least IME, are quite resilient. Just because it might look dead on the floor doesn't mean a thing unless the dog has already eaten half.

Keep trying with the bottle - it may take a week or more, but that will be your best bet.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Thanks will keep doing bottle. Your eel must have been very interesting and big it seems. When my jumped I left a small gap in back of tank which he got out of. Was very small then only 7 inches I just picked him up and threw him back in and he was fine. And yes these eels are very hardy it seems. I will keep up with bottle and get him comfortable with it these next few days will keep this updated as I do so.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Blizzard 123]

How to remove a snowflake eel

So I tried again tonight after leaving bottle in last night and all today so he can get used to it. Tried shrimp and squid tonight. He did eat one piece of shrimp which I was trying to Lure him out with so I know he is hungry. Well long story short he did not take interest in the bottle. I don't if this is normal wait time. I might try a hook with no barb soon. He is staring to get more aggressive every day it seems.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thomashtom]

So I made the mistake of getting a snowflake eel with smaller fish. He is starting to become aggressive and will snap at smaller fish and my large foxface. He is causing the fish in the tank a lot of stress lately especially fox-face who has now become paranoid and will almost guard the eels cave to make sure he does not come out.

so that is why I need to remove him. Now for the question how can I do so without destroying the tank? I have tried a net but he recognizes it and will run at the first sight of it. The tank is 90 gallons and is a little over a foot long and is currently in a 90 gallon tank. I plan to move him into a ten gallon for a few weeks till my 40 is ready. I plan to use the 40 as his own personal home. Any suggestions on how to remove him is much appreciated thanks.
fish trap might work. they sell them on bulk reef supply

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[alanbetiger]

Do you have enough storage for all your water?
If so drain your whole tank down to sand level and dig a few shallow spots in the sand by its burrow. Then refill the tank.

 

[Jeramirez85]

I would say just keep on trying with the bottle until he gets really comfortable with it. But from the sounds of it your fish are about done with him lol.