Snowflake eel, or blood shrimp?

[ReefsandGeeks]

Recently my skunk cleaner mate his fate with my powerhead and now I am looking into a replacement. I like the idea of getting an eel, and I like the snowflake eels as they don't get too large and are affordable and readily available. The only reason I hadn't looked into them before is because I've read they would likely eat my cleaner shrimp. So now I'm thinking about either replacing the shrimp with another shrimp or with an eel instead.

How difficult is it to take care of and feed the eel? How do you make sure they are fed if you go on vacation? Also, I hear they are escape artists. I have a tight fitting lid which I normaly leave kind of slid back some to encorage fresh air to get to the surface. With a tight fitting lid how do you keep the water oxygenated?

I have some caves in my live rock now, but how much cave does a snowflake require? I don't want to hae to move my rock around as my lower rocks are burried in my DSB. Any advice on keeping an eel or if it wouldn't be worth the trouble would be apriciated.

 

[sublime9182]

My experience with snowflakes is they are very aggressive feeding is easy just use large tongs. If you have a Sandy bottom don't worry about to many caves he will find one. And yes tight fitting lid is a MUST use a diy screen kit and clear mesh from bulk reef supply. I had a gymnothorax tile that was very docile so I figured I would be fine without a lid so I bought a very small snowflake he killed my brittle star instantly and within a week had ended up on the floor twice... he went back to the pet store. A slightly larger eel I had also ate a male Marron from a mated pair so watch what you put with it and be patient during feeding they are half blind.

I will say I miss my eels they are great creatures some will even let you pet them!!!

 

[Dmorty217]

What size is your tank

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

I have a 40 gallon tank with a 5" foxface, two clowns about 1.5" or maybe a little larger, a couple hermits and a 2.5" fromia starfish. I'm not worried about losing the hermits, but I'd rather not lose the fish. Would the eel leave my perc clowns alone if he stayed well fed, or is it just in they're nature to be agressive towards small fish?

 

[sublime9182]

Mine was very well fed and never even looked at the fish then one day out of the blue he decided to have a clownfish snack. I would not suggest an eel for that sized tank they can add quite a bit to your bioload because they stay in the rock work their waste usually doesn't have a chance to get to the water column. But whatever you decide just keep in mind they WILL eat what they can fit in their mouths.

 

[Betta132]

The fromia is doomed. Those starve to death very quickly in most smaller tanks... I suggest you look for someone with a huge tank.

 

[RDtrack]

Get a golden dwarf moray. On the pricey side but they stay small.

 

[mbauma]

I have a 40 gallon tank with a 5" foxface, two clowns about 1.5" or maybe a little larger, a couple hermits and a 2.5" fromia starfish. I'm not worried about losing the hermits, but I'd rather not lose the fish. Would the eel leave my perc clowns alone if he stayed well fed, or is it just in they're nature to be agressive towards small fish?

Way too small as the snowflake get 24" or more and quite thick when full grown. I had one in my 140 gallon and he was fine with my cleaners as they were there first.

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

Thanks for the advice, I decided to get the blood shrimp and save the idea of getting an eel for when I can afford a large tank. I know the fromia typicaly needs a large established aquarium in hopes that it has enough food for it. I'll give it away if/when it seems he is starved. He seems good so far, but I've only had him a few weeks. hopefuly he does well for a while before I have to give him away.

 

[fishhuman]

And get the foxface out too