Snowflake Eel goes carpet surfing

[nf37]

So, When I bought my friends 110 gallon fish tank, he wanted to keep some of his stuff in the tank while he got his new tank set up and cycled. One of those things was his snowflake eel. We kept him in our tank for roughly 2 monthes with no problems at all.

Well, after 2 monthes of nothing wrong, my friend decides to come pick up his eel. After digging through the tank, looking for awhile and pulling every piece of live rock out, we were pretty confused. I seen the eel that morning.

Then we looked over and saw my cat standing next to our entertainment center, licking her lips, so we looked under the entertainment center and there he was... dead and dried up

 

[Smitty]

Sorry to hear about that Is it possible the cat got it before getting out of the tank?

 

[nf37]

Possible but pretty unlikely, suprisingly my cat doesnt mess with the aquarium at all. I think the eel was just really hungry that day, as it was feeding day, and got impatient.

If my cat didnt get it, how long do you suppose it could've survived outside of the water?

 

[Flake]

My eel would try to get out, hungry or not. I think he just assumed there was a different ocean.

I managed to save him three times. Number four...he got through all my precautions trying to keep him in and got out.

 

[Bettababe1011]

My eel would try to get out, hungry or not. I think he just assumed there was a different ocean.

I managed to save him three times. Number four...he got through all my precautions trying to keep him in and got out.

Poor eel. Sorry that you lost him.

In loving memory of Pansa Princess, the greatest horse who ever lived. May you rest in peace.

 

[Flake]

That's just what snowflake's like to do.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

They last quite a while. They dry up if get stuck on land in low tide and wait till high tide then there all good again

 

[Hinds04]

They last quite a while. They dry up if get stuck on land in low tide and wait till high tide then there all good again

What?

 

[Crepe]

All sw eels imo are great escape artists. Pretty typical behavior.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

It dries up so it can survive till high tide. So just drop it back in the water

 

[Gregcoyote]

Boy,that's a new one on me. I lost my snowflake last year and threw him away. I will be very sad if this was true and he could be reconstituted. He was pretty crispy when I found him.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

Well they can last a while. It's what my LFS explained to me

 

[jsmith]

I've actually heard the same idea... i don't know about hours and hours but i too have heard that.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Makes me kind of sick to think he might have still been alive. Had him for 5 years. He got thru a hole the size of a quarter.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

Oh. I'm so sorry

 

[jsmith]

Itsnot very long though don't beat yourself up and im sure it depends on the species. Only reason i have heard they can breath though their skin is because when deep sea fishing. anglers use them for bait and at times they get out on to the deck many will think they are dead just to stick them in a bucket with water and relize they wernt.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

Yeah.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Mine was more like a colorful beef jerky when I found him. So I would be amazed if he was still with us. Use to freeze flies when I was little and seeing them come back after a month in with the frozen chicken tells you that strange things can happen.

I dive with these fish, so killing one is even harder. Beware, all you with moreys and even hawk fish. Keep the lid on and fasten it down. I had heard this eel hit the top before and thought the well placed brick would hold it all down. Even a small moray is amazingly strong.

 

[Hinds04]

lmao at the beef jerky thing. If it was out that long its dead. I cant see them coming back once they have dried

 

[Codyheitmiller]

It's a survival thing they do