Snow flake eel question

[screaminbuckeye]

Ok I just got back from my local pet store and I just saw the most interesting snow flake eel. After some convincing my mother agreed that it would make a great birthday present for me. I wanted to do some research before I got it. The pet store guy said that it would be fine in a 10 gallon tank. Is that true?

I have never had a salt water tank so I am a newbie to marine tanks. How hearty are these guys (I'm sure I will make some newbie mistakes so I don't want to loose this guy)? Anything else I should be aware of?

 

[Electrobes]

wow was that man ever wrong.. and its not as easy as taking care a saltwater tank as it looks, plus it much more expensive than doing a freshwater tank. First you'll need to cycle the tank which takes at most a month but a minimum of about 2.5-3 weeks. Plus you have to make sure your levels are correct. After that you'll find out that you need a tight lid on the tank because they love to escape at any chance, plus feeding them isn't as easy as just dropping something in. You also will have a very hard time keeping inverts with them (crabs, shrimp) as they will most likekly eat them. As for tanks.. a 10 gallon would NEVER fit a snowflake eel. You'll need a much bigger tank than that. That man must be on commision or be dumber than a two by four... Of course I bet he didn't mention what you would need to take care of something like an eel, which have high bio loads on top of everything else I mentioned... sorry for sounding rough.. but sales people like that should be tarred and feathered

 

[Electrobes]

Welcome to AA by the way

 

[screaminbuckeye]

Thanks for the warnings. I know the guys at the pet store are dumber than a box of a rocks. These are the same geniuses that told me last year that I could keep 4 cichlids in a mini bow 5 gallon. I understand the cycling and getting the water params up to snuff. I have several freshwater tanks and I am used to cycling to get things started. I have a freshwater peacock eel so I am used to the little escape artists.

Ok that being said..minimum sized tank I can keep one of these in? I live in a dorm so smaller tanks are better but I can swing a bigger tank if needed. Oh and what do I feed? THe pet store guys said tropical flakes but that doesn't seem right either.

 

[EMS503]

Time to find a new LFS, Electrobes I don't think you were rough enough on a salesman like that. I second the tar and feathering.

screaminbuckeye try and contact Hara she keeps different types of eels and would be a great source of information, sorry I cant help you as I have never kept eels my wife dosen't like anything that looks like a snake

 

[screaminbuckeye]

Ugg my only other LFS is Petco aka fish death zone. Petco once tried to sell me a yellow lab cichlid for 3x the normal price. My roommate isn't too thrilled at the idea of a "snakey looking thing" but she prefered it to the idea of a firebelly. With all the black lights we have in the dorm the fish would have looked like a swimming pair of teeth at night.

 

[ferret]

My past research and questions to other snowflake eel owners here place the minimal tank size at 55 gallon, 75 gallons prefered. They make a lot of waste.

 

[BONESTOCK]

The eel would never touch flakes...lol!

I'd hand/stick feed him krill, shrimp, scallops, silversides...meaty stuff like that....

I'd also go with a 55 or 75 gallon tank. Smaller tanks are okay until he gets larger but they do cause alot of bioburden and will require frequent water changes on smaller tanks.

 

[TheMadNucleus]

Yikes! - this whole post reeks of standard LFS rehtoric founded in a 'Move-My- Stock' mentality. What in the world were they thinking, a 10gallon marine - and to house a snowflake. Next thing they'll be selling you a 240 gallon to house a half dozen guppies! And then they'll tell you to feed them 1 inch cubes of beef.


This is a sad state of affairs.

 

[Guest]

screaminbuckeye, it is not that the people at that store are dummies, it is just they are looking to sell their live stock for new arrivals or before they die on them
Happy new years Folks
Buddy ><{{{{">

 

[SeriousDude5]

10 gallons for a snow flake eel eh gotta love the fish people good luck anyways with your 10 gallon tank if you do want to go salt with it go to the getting started forum and ask for advice they helped me out quiet a bit.

 

[RMPD109]

Take a look at the following link. Its basic info but will get you an idea of what to expect. Good luck

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=131

 

[Guest]

When people use silversides to get their eels to feed is one thing, for within silversides, they not offer much in nutrition. Like their are good for using to get your eels to feed and once feeding begins, move to feeding small strips of fresh fish and other varieties of foods. And RMPD109, like the location you posted, they say a 50 gal tank do well and others a 55. The thing is the SF can grow even larger then two feet and you could be surprise to how large and with that, no smaller a tank then a 65 and as large if one can a 75 or better and before i forget, you find that many would tell you that a SF grows 3', but still can grow a bit larger.
Like people would tell you all that an H. Dragon Moray grows 2' and a number go with 2.5' , and yet my male dragon appears to be the size of 34" and the female is a bit smaller, about 31-32"
There is always some misguidance information out on the net and one needs to look more around and not be fooled by the first thing they read.
Buddy ><{{{{">

 

[X the Outsider]

Eels shouldn't be in a tank smaller than a fifty-five gallon. And even at that size almost by themselves. Like others have said they create huge bioloads.

I suggest not going into that LFS, and doing your own research before you buy anything. Piece it together yourself, but plan what you want in your tank before you get started. Good Luck!