Ribbon eels

[Eric the half-bee]

Does anyone have one in their reef and how long? I've had a blue specimen for about a month and finally saw him eating frozen silversides this eve.

 

[snorvich]

they are difficult to maintain long term.

 

[minhvu]

Very hard to feed and they are great climbers

 

[SDguy]

The fact that he is eating is great!! Keep feeding him, try other foods to provide variety (they are naturally fish eaters, but IIRC silver sides are on the fatty side).

And keep the tank COVERED!! They will escape through the tiniest opening.

 

[reefdogg1107]

Pics???!!

 

[olemiss reb]

Pics???!!

+1!!!!!, I have always wanted a ribbon but did not want to risk watching it starve.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

I'll have to get a pic of him/her. It was a spur of the moment buy. My LFS had him eating in the storeso I took a chance. Amazingly, all I have is eggcrate covering my tank and he hasn't attempted escape. My zebra has been in the same tank for 5 months and he'll take silversides as well . I do feed live gulf shrimp and grass shrimp also.

 

[LukFox]

You've only had him a month, so him not jumping is not amazing yet. You need fine netting or glass lids imo. They are so thin I doubt even the doubled up netting people use for wrasses would work.

Try feeding him some fish from the supermarket. Cod, talapia, etc are all healthy. Just make sure the fish is saltwater.

 

[SDguy]

Amazingly, all I have is eggcrate covering my tank and he hasn't attempted escape.

Unless you stay up all night and watch him, I doubt that

Try to stick to fish for his diet, as Lukfox mentioned. They are fish eaters by nature. Also, I'm no expert, but don't predators like thius need the whole fish, including gut contents, to be balanced?

 

[LukFox]

It would make sense to feed the guts and everything, but I haven't seen evidence of it actually being necessary. The only fish small enough that's available for this would be silversides, and those aren't particularly healthy (not something I'd use as a staple at all). People just feed fillet meat as do I with no negative effects. I soak some meals in selcon though just in case I'm missing something.

 

[smoothdog]

Try feeding him some fish from the supermarket. Cod, talapia, etc are all healthy. Just make sure the fish is saltwater.

Good advice but Tilapia is a freshwater fish.

 

[LukFox]

Good advice but Tilapia is a freshwater fish.

Doh! I never actually did bother looking that one up lol. Well there's always a big selection to choose from anyhow. Careful on fattier fish like salmon though; use them as a treat, not a staple. Oh and one more thing; freeze the meat at least overnight to kill any/most things that could be in it like parasites.

 

[SDguy]

Maybe shove some spirulina pellets inside of the fish pieces? Probably a lot of work, but....

 

[LukFox]

You definitely could. I've heard of people shoving in NLS pellets. It may be hard depending on how big the pieces are that the ribbon can eat though...

 

[SDguy]

Guess we know what to do with all those mean damsels local first time tank owners need to get rid of


I kid, I kid....

 

[snorvich]

You've only had him a month, so him not jumping is not amazing yet. You need fine netting or glass lids imo. They are so thin I doubt even the doubled up netting people use for wrasses would work.

Try feeding him some fish from the supermarket. Cod, talapia, etc are all healthy. Just make sure the fish is saltwater.

I agree with Alexa and would add squid to that mix.

 

[SDguy]

Didn't I just read about fatty liver disease in a watchman goby from a squid diet in another thread?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I've always questioned squid as well. Doesn't seem like something most fish (esp planktivores, but even small piscivores) would naturally get a lot of.

 

[LukFox]

When I'm checking fishbase to determine how fish safe an eel might be, I always check what food items have been found in their stomachs. I come upon eels who have eaten squid pretty frequently.

+But I should add that fishbase only lists small bony fish for the ribbon eel.

 

[dadonoflaw]

i am not sure where to post this but since this eel eats fish i figured here should be fine. anyone that has kept this eel, would they be able to eat fairy wrasses or anthias? if i could piggy back