RobbFErwin
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I was hoping for some general info on eels for a community tank. Does anyone know of any eels or eel-like fish that would be suitable for a 25 gallon 18x18x18 cube tank?
Anyone know much about eels??
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Brian_Nano12g
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi RobbFErwin,
Welcome to AA!
I'm not an expert on eels, and to my knowledge, there is not a true FW eel species. The biggest offender to this is the so called Freshwater Moray Eel (Gymnotorax Tile). Although it can be found in FW occasionally, it would need brackish conditions to thrive. Further, an adult specimen would need a larger tank than what you have.
With that said, there are some eel-like fish that you can consider that would work in a tank your size and in a community fish environment. Take a look at the kuhli loach or java loach. There's also the dojo loach, and the weather loach. Although I think these other loaches may need larger tanks.
Another eel-like FW species are polypterus. Although, I believe even with the smaller variety of these fish, they can grow up to a foot or more, so you'd need a much larger tank.
Hope this helps!
Welcome to AA!
I'm not an expert on eels, and to my knowledge, there is not a true FW eel species. The biggest offender to this is the so called Freshwater Moray Eel (Gymnotorax Tile). Although it can be found in FW occasionally, it would need brackish conditions to thrive. Further, an adult specimen would need a larger tank than what you have.
With that said, there are some eel-like fish that you can consider that would work in a tank your size and in a community fish environment. Take a look at the kuhli loach or java loach. There's also the dojo loach, and the weather loach. Although I think these other loaches may need larger tanks.
Another eel-like FW species are polypterus. Although, I believe even with the smaller variety of these fish, they can grow up to a foot or more, so you'd need a much larger tank.
Hope this helps!
tomtom14
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2014
- Messages
- 357
You may also want to look at the knife fish. I think they kinda look like eels.
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absolutangel04
Daphnia are People Too.
Kuhli loaches resemble an eel and would be good for your tank. There are some fw elonged fish, but not really very many for the tank size your are looking at. I have some red sumo loaches which are not nearly as long as kuhli, but still have an elongated body type and are pretty darn cute. Unfortunately, nothing springs to mind beyond that for your tank size.
Pamiam
Aquarium Advice Freak
Welcome to the form, here are some suggestions...I hope this helps
the kuhlis are max. 4 inches and it is suggested the be housed in a 50 gallon, they need space to swim.
weather loaches and dojo's get about 7 inches and also require a large tank.
the knife fish gets over a foot long and require 150 gallon tank
one good site to look at is liveaquaria.com, they give basic information on fish with photos to maybe help you decide.
I was shopping for some fish recently, then found bumblebee gobys. I changed my mind and thought I would try my hand at a brackish water set up. I am glad I did...mine are housed in a 20 gallon long and they are so much fun to watch.
the kuhlis are max. 4 inches and it is suggested the be housed in a 50 gallon, they need space to swim.
weather loaches and dojo's get about 7 inches and also require a large tank.
the knife fish gets over a foot long and require 150 gallon tank
one good site to look at is liveaquaria.com, they give basic information on fish with photos to maybe help you decide.
I was shopping for some fish recently, then found bumblebee gobys. I changed my mind and thought I would try my hand at a brackish water set up. I am glad I did...mine are housed in a 20 gallon long and they are so much fun to watch.
Luananeko
Aquarium Advice Addict
As others have stated, your tank is too small for the majority of the "eel-like" fish available. Dojo loaches, all knife fish, bichirs, and spiny eels all get much too large for a 25 gallon tank. Khuli loaches are the only ones I know of that will be okay in a tank that small. Blue Neon Gobies would also work, but they're not quite as "eel-like" as the Khulis.
toddnbecka
Aquarium Advice Addict
There are a few species of spiny eels that are small enough for that size tank. The zigzag, yellow tail spiny eel, or red fin (aka Mekong) spiny eel would be fine.
There are also a couple of Tanganykian species that are small enough, but not generally available and much more expensive when they are. They would also need hard/alkaline water conditions.
There are also a couple of Tanganykian species that are small enough, but not generally available and much more expensive when they are. They would also need hard/alkaline water conditions.
OP
OP
RobbFErwin
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I looked into both of these and it seems like a full sized one would be too big.
toddnbecka
Aquarium Advice Addict
Zigzag eels max out around 7-8", yellow tail and Mekong not much if any bigger. Asian spiny eels tend to spend a fair amount of time buried in the sand with their head peeking out, they're not generally active fish unless you drop in some bloodworms.
I kept a pair of Tanganykian plagiostoma in a 29 for a couple years w/out any problems.
I kept a pair of Tanganykian plagiostoma in a 29 for a couple years w/out any problems.
absolutangel04
Daphnia are People Too.
I would probably shy away from an 8 inch eel with only an 18 in footprint. Though, its is an option I suppose. Toddnbacka is correct that they are not overly active fish and prefer to live in a hole and wait for food to come to them. You would have to stock very carefully around one if you want it, and make sure there are not fish it can eat, or that will steal too much food from it.
Personally, I believe kuhlis would be fine in your tank. I think 50g is overkill as a minimum for them. This seems like it would give enough space for a small group to swim around. Up to you though and what you are comfortable with. I fully admit it is the lower end of what I would normally consider ok for them. But, they are explorative and seem to utilize the whole tank, regardless of dimensions when swimming around. That is why I think they would be ok in this situation.
Personally, I believe kuhlis would be fine in your tank. I think 50g is overkill as a minimum for them. This seems like it would give enough space for a small group to swim around. Up to you though and what you are comfortable with. I fully admit it is the lower end of what I would normally consider ok for them. But, they are explorative and seem to utilize the whole tank, regardless of dimensions when swimming around. That is why I think they would be ok in this situation.
