Lionfish and Eel's?

[eccrush]

Hello,

Currently, I have a 55 gallon fw/w community tank running, but a year or 2 down the road, after I have more experience I'd like to get into saltwater, notably lionfish and an eel.

Now I have seen alot of compatibility charts that say they are compatible, but I have never seen any postings on any boards of people who keep them in the same tank.

Right now I am thinking of 3-4 Voltains and a Snowflake Eel in a 90 gal tank. Like I said, this is something for way down the line for me, but I would really be interested in any first hand experiences.

Also on a side note, one of my LFS has a snowflake eel, and the eel was swimming around in his tank like a mad man! I was captivated at how beautiful he was swimming like that, but isn't this the sign of an unhealthy/happy eel?????

 

[stresco]

First-3-4 Volation Lions will not be happy in a 90. 1 maybe 2 will be ok, even then thats cramped.

Second, I would be afraid of losing the Eel if he ever snapped at the Lionfish. Eel are practically blind and the go after movement in the tank when they are feeding. So he might see one of the Lions spines as a meal and bite it. The sting from a Lion can be leathal.

Third, a happy eel is fat and lasy. Hiding in his rocks with only his head exposed. I would say that the eel you saw as stressed out, unless he was hungry looking for food.

HTH

Steve

 

[eccrush]

I totally new that about eels, it just slipped my mind I guess that could pose quite the problem for the eel! Gotta admit that would be quite the interesting tank though But definitely not worth taking a chance on.

I've seen someone keep 2 Voltians in a 55 species only. He's had them for a year + now, and so far no problems. I would have thought 3-4 in a 90 would have been enough room for them.

As for the LFS, I know for a fact they don't feed till 2 hours before close, and I saw the eel around noon, so he most likely was stressed. Wish I could save him, but I am definitely not ready for salt

 

[seaham358]

The only time my SFE swims is when he's hungry. Any other time he is in the rocks poking his head out every once in a while.