For those who think Dottyback "eels" are highly ag

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1tankneverenuff

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
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74
Location
Jacksonville, FL
For those who think Dottyback "eels" are highly aggressive and territorial towards one another, check out what I found my Fire and Tire Track eels doing earlier today...

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It was amazing when I saw it! The two bad boys just hangin' out together until nightfall...as they are nocturnal creatures. The rock they are in is a 20+ lbs. piece of lace rock that is completely hollowed out inside which creates a huge cave inside for them. I love my eels!
 
My peacocks do funny things too. They will all come out from "hiding" and will each grab a plant and hang from it. It's like their very own block party.
 
TCTFish said:
I have kept those eels together all the time without any problems. Tire tracks, fires, peacocks, etc.

Many online profiles caution new hobbyists about the potential aggression and territorial issues with FW eels. And trust me, I have seen some serious aggression between Dottybacks in other tanks together before...

I also don't know if you're understanding the point of my post. Not only are they housed in the same tank, but sharing the SAME cave in a large tank where there are plenty of caves for each one to claim its own.
 
1tankneverenuff

I'm hardly a newbie and I know exactly what you are talking about. I've worked with aquarium fish as well as other animals...wild, captive, domestic etc. for many years. I don't see much aggression among eels except during feeding and that's usually with SW eels not FW eels. We keep them together all the time. Feeding SW eels is a blast, though we need to watch them. I've pulled a couple of SW eels out from another's mouth before...and bit in the process...lol. Once feeding is over, they're all hanging out under their caves all tied in knots with each other.

Eels are aggressive with other fish because they try to eat them and mature males may fight with each other during certain times of the year. Occasionally there will always be that once in awhile blood bath from a tweaked individual, but I've never seen it nor have heard about them often. If you packed them in a very small tank and not feed them well, then yeah...they'd fight and eat each other. Otherwise, they seem to be rather content not to expend the energy and continue digesting their previous meal.
 
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