Snowflake Eels

[Hara]

I have read much conflicting information on snowflake eels.
Some of it is very optimistic as to it being a "community" tank fish. Some of it saying they need to have their own tank. I am asking for thoughts and experiences from folks that have had these.

I bought one yesterday, after much thought and deliberation, and I am trying a few things to try to insure the fact that he won't be turning his tank into a 150 gallon buffet line. One of the reasons I bought him was that I felt like I was rescuing him from horrid conditions. There were 3 of them in a small hermit crab plastic cage that was about 6 inches by 4 inches, this floating in a 10 gallon. We bought the smallest one and I am using a 12 inch round turtle house, floating in my 150 just until I can get him used to being fed on a regular basis. He acted like he was starved and I was not about to start off badly by letting him quench his hunger on my crabs. He ate very well and I hope to have him used to eating in about a week or so.

If anyone can add to this by telling me what I might be doing right/wrong, please feel free to do so. I do know about the escape artist issues and will be working on filling in all little holes by tubing this week.

 

[Montanarocknree]

Hi! I had a snowflake eel for quite awhile and they are so cool! Since you have him eating now I would turn him loose in the tank and let the eel find a cave for his home and this will help in not stressing the eel! It is really neat to watch them stick their head and part of their body out and look around!
I fed my eel twice a week with raw shrimp, scallop, clam, etc. Just put a chunk in with a tweezer and the eel would grab it and swallow it down! I usually could tell when he was hungry as he would move over the LR just like a snake and you knew he was hunting! He never bothered my fish or inverts at all. If you keep them well fed, they will not bother anything in your tank and I believe they won't try to escape either! I had the back of my tank opened and it never did jump out. I know many say they are quite the escape artist but in my experience if they are well fed and have a nice cave for a home they stay put!
This is quite an awesome specimen and beautifully marked and alot of fun to feed! JMO Johnny

 

[Hara]

Blizzard is loose in the 150 now and he is having a blast. He has investigated every nook and cranny in each and every piece of liverock.
He is eating like a little pig. Every evening he scarfs scallops and krill.
Tonight, he ate so much that I swear he had trouble swimming!

As far as his behaviour is, he is totally ignoring the shrimp, which I thought would be a problem. Yet, he tried to tie up with my BIG hermit crab. Crabby just tightened up in his shell and Blizzard gave up. He was definitely trying to gain entrance to the shell. Yet, I was informed by several people that he would not bother hermits. Will have to see how that goes.

 

[michealprater]

are eels reef safe?

 

[donkeykong]

Micheal Eels will not most harm corals, the main reason peaple dont have them in reefs because they tend to snake on our shrimp which can be a very expensive snake.

 

[Montanarocknree]

Eels can knock over corals that are not well secured in their moving about the tank although I did not witness that in my 80 reef tank. Johnny