ribbon eel? white? blue?
- Thread starter DoubleM 10
- Start date
DoubleM 10
Active member
thank you for asking
stangd1909
GO NOLES!
Can you post some more pics of your tank. How do the Lion Fish and eels get a long?
DoubleM 10
Active member
well so far they have been great. my lions are the most active. the eel hangs out and waits for a meal. the marine betta hangs out in the back. he has started to come out more now that he realizes that I feed them lol. i have one larger fuzzy and one thats .5 the size. the eel is about 1.5-2ft long. so far so good.
i did have to redo the rockwork to make the eel comfortable
matt
i did have to redo the rockwork to make the eel comfortable
matt
DoubleM 10
Active member
alright!!! lol ill try to get some pics up tonight for u guys lol
etheeelman
New member
Hey guys newbie here. I have 2ribbons, white eyed moray, banded snake eel(did you know they mature into spotteds mine is changingin the tank) and a banded moray. all in the same tank. I NEVER fed LFS food because its to expensive. I live in FL so I go to the bait shop and buy frozen whole squids. 1lb for $2.00 ( a steal when u consider 10 oz of krill is $10.00) I cut it up and the eels go nuts. It seems in the wild squid is a delicacy to eels. Copped a green edge moray but weather caused shipment to delay. As the name states I love em. Had a shark tank but I only like greysmooths and leopards and they are too hard to get anymore so eels rule. Umm I suck at technology so Ill have my son post pics soon.
DoubleM 10
Active member
just out of curiocity how big of a tank do you have them in????
DoubleM 10
Active member
just curious how big is your tank?
seanm001
Member
I have a ghost ribbon eel in my mixed reef tank, and he's doing great. I've had him for 8 months or so. When I got him, he was eating live ghost shrimp, so I bought a bunch of marine ghost shrimp that I kept in the sump and fed a few every day to the DT while transitioning him to frozen food. These eels are almost completely blind, and it was kind of amusing watching him strike at the scent of a shrimp and missing the shrimp itself (the eel always won, eventually).
So far, the only dead / prepared food he will eat are silversides, which isn't surprising since they smell so tasty. He comes out and seems interested in floating mysis at feeding time, but won't take any. I used the feeding tongs technique posted in another thread on this site and, as that poster noted, it seems that the eel identifies the tongs as a competitive eel and takes the food from it. He won't eat a silverside just left in the tank, so it definitely has something to do with the tongs.
I made my aquascape out of a combination of aragocrete and real rocks, and I incorporated eel tubes into this structure, so they're completely blended into the tank. I've read that having eels tubes really helps with the success rate with these creatures. I used to have a yellow tang and pygmy hawkfish, which were the most aggressive fish in my tank. After re-homing them for being bad tankmates, my eel is much less shy, so proper tankmates are also important for a happy eel.
So far, the only dead / prepared food he will eat are silversides, which isn't surprising since they smell so tasty. He comes out and seems interested in floating mysis at feeding time, but won't take any. I used the feeding tongs technique posted in another thread on this site and, as that poster noted, it seems that the eel identifies the tongs as a competitive eel and takes the food from it. He won't eat a silverside just left in the tank, so it definitely has something to do with the tongs.
I made my aquascape out of a combination of aragocrete and real rocks, and I incorporated eel tubes into this structure, so they're completely blended into the tank. I've read that having eels tubes really helps with the success rate with these creatures. I used to have a yellow tang and pygmy hawkfish, which were the most aggressive fish in my tank. After re-homing them for being bad tankmates, my eel is much less shy, so proper tankmates are also important for a happy eel.
palmer373
New member
updates? i found a blue ribbon eel at an LFS for $65 im really interested in. i am going to try to go back today to see if its eating and what it is eating. it seems like they are ok with dwarf lions but what about a niger trigger that is 3"? im thinking of getting a fuzzy and the ribbon to put in my 55 fowlr.
also where do you get your silverside?
EDIT: also, the only QT tank i have is a 10g so is that too small for the eel? the eel is around 2ft i think, didnt get a good look at it since LFS was closed so i peeked through the window lol.
also where do you get your silverside?
EDIT: also, the only QT tank i have is a 10g so is that too small for the eel? the eel is around 2ft i think, didnt get a good look at it since LFS was closed so i peeked through the window lol.
Last edited:
DoubleM 10
Active member
i like
i like
well the blue/black ribbon eel and the ghost ribon eel are 2 different families of eel if i remember correctly.
they grow to about the same size. the blue is a mature virsion of the black ribbon eel.
these are very hard to get to eat frozen. not saying it cant be dont its just hardto get done.
the ghost ribbon eel is closer to the moray family. the 65$ price tag is a good figure if u ask me. my ghost was 80 but i got him during a 1/2 off sale
10 gallons i think would be ok if it is completely covered and has ALOT of places to hide for him.
my ghost and my 2 fuzzies live in the same tank with a betta also and all is good! I would say go ahead and get him. just be prepared to spend some tiem with him on a one on one basis for a bit
i like
well the blue/black ribbon eel and the ghost ribon eel are 2 different families of eel if i remember correctly.
they grow to about the same size. the blue is a mature virsion of the black ribbon eel.
these are very hard to get to eat frozen. not saying it cant be dont its just hardto get done.
the ghost ribbon eel is closer to the moray family. the 65$ price tag is a good figure if u ask me. my ghost was 80 but i got him during a 1/2 off sale
10 gallons i think would be ok if it is completely covered and has ALOT of places to hide for him.
my ghost and my 2 fuzzies live in the same tank with a betta also and all is good! I would say go ahead and get him. just be prepared to spend some tiem with him on a one on one basis for a bit
palmer373
New member
well i went to buy buy him but i wanted to see him eat before i bought him and he didnt. the LFS sold him to someone who didnt care if it ate but they are getting in a few more monday/tuesday so im going back to check em out.
ill try to wean it to frozen but if i cant what can i feed that is live? i dont have ghost shrimp here so those are out. i was thinking either mollies, guppies, or white clouds, those ok?
i dont feel comfortable putting a 2ft eel in a 10g so would it be ok to through him in the tank after a 1hr acclimation period if he is eating? i might just set up my 29g to use as the QT, id feel better with that.
im excited to get one
and actually brian (lfs dude) is giving me a deal, $50 instead of 60 
ill try to wean it to frozen but if i cant what can i feed that is live? i dont have ghost shrimp here so those are out. i was thinking either mollies, guppies, or white clouds, those ok?
i dont feel comfortable putting a 2ft eel in a 10g so would it be ok to through him in the tank after a 1hr acclimation period if he is eating? i might just set up my 29g to use as the QT, id feel better with that.
im excited to get one
and actually brian (lfs dude) is giving me a deal, $50 instead of 60
palmer373
New member
ashton did you get another one after yours turned to sushi? also is it better to get them smaller or larger? the one i was looking at was 2ft about and black but was skinny and not really eating. im determined to get one and train it to frozen, whats the best frozen food for eels?
seanm001
Member
I bought a bunch of marine ghost shrimp from mariculturetechnology.com. They'll live in your tank, unlike freshwater ghost shrimp that die rather quickly. I put about 10 in the tank and the rest in the sump to start, and I fished out 3-4 a day and put them up top for on-going feeding. You can have a steady supply of feeders if you really want them.
Of course, this was used as a back-up plan while I transitioned my eel onto frozen silversides. I get frozen silversides from my LFS.
Of course, this was used as a back-up plan while I transitioned my eel onto frozen silversides. I get frozen silversides from my LFS.
palmer373
New member
never had this question answered, is it better to make sure the ribbon eel is eating then take him home right after i see him eating (stomach will be full) or should i see if he eats then 2-3 days later come pick him up (stomach will be empty)? i hear that it is more stressful to acclimate/transport them on a full stomach but i dont want to buy one that isnt eating. it is possible for him to stop eating during those 2-3 days after i last saw him eat.
thoughts?
thoughts?
seanm001
Member
In my opinion, I don't think it matters much if you're just driving from the LFS to home. It would matter more if you were shipping overnight as eels produce lots of waste, which isn't good in a small, closed environment like the shipping bag. If you see it eat, I'd go ahead and take it home.
That being said, it is very important to properly acclimate your eel to your water conditions and temp before adding it to your tank. It's also important to give your eel some tubes to call home. When I added mine to the tank, I guided him into the eel tube as they are nearly blind and I didn't want him hunting around and stressing himself out trying to find a comfy place to settle in.
I didn't actually witness my eel eat before purchase, but the LFS I got him from is reputable and I spoke to the eel-lover there who personally oversaw his care. I made sure to have in my tank the foods he was known to be eating in the store (ghost shrimp) right from the start. If your LFS is having success feeding something else, buy that from the store and take it home with you.
I can imagine that shipping to AK could be daunting, but I only had to buy one lot of 50 marine ghost shrimp. That was enough to get my eel settled in and eating happily, and bought me enough time to slowly and comfortably get him transitioned to frozen food. I wish it weren't so expensive to get more as it is totally cool getting to watch the eel hunt them down. Time and time again, the biggest complaint I've seen from people who want to have predatory fish (eels, lionfish, anglers, etc.) is the cost of providing them a diet of live food, especially if they can't transition to frozen. If you want this type of animal, you have to be prepared to spend the money to provide an on-going diet of whatever they will eat, no matter what that may be.
I have a mandarin that won't eat anything but pods (not in the same tank as the eel). Doesn't matter what I offer, even live adult brine shrimp, BBS, mysis, whatever. He won't eat prepared and he won't eat any other live foods. So, I have to make sure I have a steady supply of pods, which usually means buying a container of them every month at the LFS ($20/month) to ensure my population stays healthy. You can't count on your ability as an aquarist or the animal's appetite to reliably make them eat the food you want to give them.
Also, I didn't QT my eel. Getting them settled into any tank is difficult enough, so why make them go through it twice by going into the QT and then the display? Any meds or hypo you might do in QT would just make settling in that much more difficult for the eel. It's my understanding that eels have increased immunity to diseases like ich due to their thick slime coat. I have two skunk cleaner shrimp in my tank with the eel, and I've seen them cleaning him once or twice, so it was a gamble I took. Not to say you should go one way or the other on that, just relating my experience.
That being said, it is very important to properly acclimate your eel to your water conditions and temp before adding it to your tank. It's also important to give your eel some tubes to call home. When I added mine to the tank, I guided him into the eel tube as they are nearly blind and I didn't want him hunting around and stressing himself out trying to find a comfy place to settle in.
I didn't actually witness my eel eat before purchase, but the LFS I got him from is reputable and I spoke to the eel-lover there who personally oversaw his care. I made sure to have in my tank the foods he was known to be eating in the store (ghost shrimp) right from the start. If your LFS is having success feeding something else, buy that from the store and take it home with you.
I can imagine that shipping to AK could be daunting, but I only had to buy one lot of 50 marine ghost shrimp. That was enough to get my eel settled in and eating happily, and bought me enough time to slowly and comfortably get him transitioned to frozen food. I wish it weren't so expensive to get more as it is totally cool getting to watch the eel hunt them down. Time and time again, the biggest complaint I've seen from people who want to have predatory fish (eels, lionfish, anglers, etc.) is the cost of providing them a diet of live food, especially if they can't transition to frozen. If you want this type of animal, you have to be prepared to spend the money to provide an on-going diet of whatever they will eat, no matter what that may be.
I have a mandarin that won't eat anything but pods (not in the same tank as the eel). Doesn't matter what I offer, even live adult brine shrimp, BBS, mysis, whatever. He won't eat prepared and he won't eat any other live foods. So, I have to make sure I have a steady supply of pods, which usually means buying a container of them every month at the LFS ($20/month) to ensure my population stays healthy. You can't count on your ability as an aquarist or the animal's appetite to reliably make them eat the food you want to give them.
Also, I didn't QT my eel. Getting them settled into any tank is difficult enough, so why make them go through it twice by going into the QT and then the display? Any meds or hypo you might do in QT would just make settling in that much more difficult for the eel. It's my understanding that eels have increased immunity to diseases like ich due to their thick slime coat. I have two skunk cleaner shrimp in my tank with the eel, and I've seen them cleaning him once or twice, so it was a gamble I took. Not to say you should go one way or the other on that, just relating my experience.
Similar threads
