Eel with cichlids

[Duddits]

Anyone ever house an eel in a cichlid tank?

 

[Jacobsal91]

African cichlids i wouldnt.. But south american cichlids it CAN work but certain eels only, Technically i dont think they are eels but they are very cool animals, look up polypterus (spelling)
Or dinosaur eel. They are commonly kept with parrotfish and mid sized oscars as long as the eels are close enough to the same size as the other tank mates it didnt seem to be a problem for me, havent kept south american cichlids in quite a few years now, but i have
Kept those specifically when i did and it was great

 

[herp_mommy]

Dinosaur eels (bichirs) will eventually kill whatever it can catch. Bigger or smaller.

 

[Convict2161]

I can speak from experience. I have a 75 gallon African Cichlid tank, it is mixed but... Point being is I tried a few time adding a peacock eel or Tirerack eel and they all ended up dead. So I wouldn't do it. I mean sure some say it depends on your tanks personality so... I guess my guys are just evil, anything I add into the tank now just gets slaughtered.

 

[Freakgecko91]

There is the tangyanikan eel, which obviously inhabits the same waters as certain African cichlids, they're hard to come by but you maybe able to find them on aquabid

 

[jrskater1999]

My friend had a medium size peacock eel in his Mbuna tank. He has sand in there though so the eel can burrow.

 

[nicosia31]

I tried an african rope fish in my malawi tank. I wouldn't reccomend it due to the fact that they need higher protien than my mbunas. Feeding was a problem, I was told the rope fish liked things like krill and such. The cichlids were all over it before he had a chance. I took him back.

 

[Duddits]

Yeah I read a little more into it plus what y'all are saying. Not going to do it. I'm getting a 120 & possibly a 150 so I think I'll take my 55g to the 120g and using the 55 for a eel and other community fish tank. My sons are fascinated by eels. May even think if doing a salt water eel instead

 

[nicosia31]

If youre considering salt, look at the snowflake morray eel. Cool looking and easy to find.

 

[Duddits]

Yeah I've had a snowflake eel. Crazy story about him. Had him for a few years. Moved him 3-4 times, went through 3 near death experiences with my son dumping 3 cans of fish food, cranking the heater all the way up and trying to clean the inside with windex. So I removed him and put him in a 45g hex tank all by himself. Lots if rocks, fresh sand, pc lighting, the works. He was in paradise. 2 days later I find behind my couch. Dummy jumped out and killed himself long live snowflake

 

[drew.hinds]

My dad and I have a snowflake about 2 feet long, eels usually are really hard to keep healthy, am i right? But our snowflake eel survived parasites when only 3 of our 15 fish survived

 

[Duddits]

My dad and I have a snowflake about 2 feet long, eels usually are really hard to keep healthy, am i right? But our snowflake eel survived parasites when only 3 of our 15 fish survived

In my experience of keeping eels, I have found they ate actually hardier then most fish imo. My snowflake went through hell and always manage to be the one to make it out alive. I am really considering setting up the 120g tank for a few eels and maybe a few larger predator style fish like a trigger, grouper or a harlequin tusk

 

[ravenwolf]

I had two "freshwater" snowflake eels in my 55 gallon, housed with 4 Parrot Cichlids and 2 Ruby Red Bolivian Rams. Unfortunately, my Rams passed this week, but they've all lived peacefully together. The eels did eat every darn cory cat that I tried to introduce as cleanup crew.

 

[bettaowner]

If you're a purist there are not many eels native to areas with cichlids. Fire eels are large and semi-agressive meaning they are willing to fight back against cichlids.