Garden eels?

[Innovator]

Sorry I didn't see this post earlier (haven't been online much). Garden eels require at least 5"-10" of fine substrate depth, 2-3 times daily feedings of minced fish, shrimp, mussel, mysis, cyclop-eeze, etc., increased flow, and quiet surroundings. They also seem to appreciate lower light levels. I don't recommend them for home aquariums.

 

[XxVooDooxX]

So let me ask this....is there such a thing as a "reef safe" eel?

 

[Innovator]

Here's a better question, is there such a thing as "reef safe"? It's a marketing term, nothing more; everything feeds from the reef in one way or another. For a 45g I'd recommend a dwarf eel such as Gymnothorax melatremus or Pseudechidna brummeri.

 

[XxVooDooxX]

Lol! Fair enough!

 

[Swimzebras]

I can do about 6" and feeding is fine, seemed "reef safe" enough for me and no I haven't contacted the place I might buy them from because I'm not sure where I will get them from yet!

 

[Swimzebras]

Gm is too expensive and isn't pb like four feet long!?

 

[nxb161]

ha, so you are still getting one....poor mr. garden eel.

 

[Swimzebras]

I don't want to be cruel! What makes you say that? It's practically going to be a dedicated setup, and fully stable when/if I do get one!

 

[melosu58]

I have not seen the first person yet that has recommended that you get one. You have several opinions that have suggested that you dont. Innovator is one of the best on this site. I would definitely heed his advice about them not doing good in the home aquarium. JMO

 

[Swimzebras]

Oh, sorry, I guess I kind of got the idea in my head and stuck with it. Ok.

 

[Innovator]

Nope, under 3ft and under 1" diameter. Echidna nebulosa (Snowflake eel) is similar attaining roughly 30-40", but tends to have a larger diameter of 2"+ which requires a much larger tank.

 

[Innovator]

Garden eels would require a dedicated setup because they are extremely shy (some public aquariums use car window tint to limit amount of interaction from guests) and due to this feeding can be tricky (fish don't eat if they are hidden in burrows). If I were to attempt such an animal I would first purchase a tank with a much larger height, so your starting point is 24"-30" right off the bat and over 100g as a minimum.

 

[Swimzebras]

My tank is 2' tall! And that eel sounds cool, coral safe

 

[nxb161]

*chuckles*

 

[Swimzebras]

I'm not arguing, just sayin, and yes, I suppose this would be funny to others watching 

 

[pat8you]

I really like garden eels and did a lot of asking and reading about them a while back. You might be able to get away with the tank size but you would probably need a bit deeper sand bed. The problem is really going to be feeding as innovator mentioned. In the wild they feel slowly all day and this is very difficult to reproduce in the home aquarium for several reasons. First, they are not like fish and won't go to the food. The food has to go to them and this is made much more diffucult by the fact that they hide when you get close to the tank. Second, feeding that much in almost any home aquarium is going to take some really heavy duty nutrieunt export. Far beyond just an oversized skimmer and extra water changes. Third, just from the point of being practical it would be a huge time commitment to feed that often and prepair their food (which needs to be finely chopped)

I know how it is since i have gotten several difficult to keep critters stuck in my head including garden eels. These are truly a species that is going to be extreemly difficult to provide for. I think in the long run you will get much more enjoyment out of a mixed reef with multiple fish/inverts/coral then you would out of just a species tank of garden eels even if you were able to care for them. It's difficult since they are such facinating little guys but I had to self this idea too.

 

[Swimzebras]

Ok, I thought I could feed them once or twice a day an they could eat Copepods in between but I see that that wont work, thanks

 

[pat8you]

The Atlanta, Georgia aquarium has a really nice display with them if you ever make it out that way. Very cool eels.

 

[Swimzebras]

Oh, sounds like fun, thanks