FreshWater Eel

[BassMaster3000]

Hello everyone,

Well i was just wondering what everyone would think would be the best possible freshwater Eel..setup...





*history about me*

I am currently 17 years old. I have been raising wild bass in a 55 gallon tank...i would get them as babys then when they got about 1/4th the size of the tank i would release them in the same little pond i had got them out of.
I have recently moved. when going to the shed to get my tank out and set it back up in my room. i see their is a huge hole in the side . So now im on the lookout for a 30-60 gallon tank in the florida area.

 

[ferret]

I also have an interest in eels.. If anyone has relevant information, I have a 90 gallon with plenty of room that I'm still trying to decide what to do with. Its looking like I won't be doing turtles

 

[Toirtis]

Depends on the eel. The only commonly available FW 'eels' that are actually FW are the siney eels (which are not eels proper), the commonly seen 'FW morays' are brackish....which are you interested in?

 

[BassMaster3000]

i Believe the siney....

 

[Toirtis]

Ok...now there are a few piney eel species, all have fairly similar requirements, but they range from 10"-48", depending on the species. If you are going about 50-60 gallon, and want a fairly sizeable eel, then I would probably suggest a tyretrack eel, as they typically reach 24"-36" in captivity. Setup is easy....sand or fine gravel substrate, a decent number of lowlight-medium-light plants, some bits of bogwood, a bunch of rockwork (nothing too sharp or abrasive) and/or hiding structures (mine enjoy terracotta pots and pipes).....and a very secure and complete top (eels have a bad habit of ending up outside the tank). They adjust well to most tank conditions, but prefer a pH of neutral to around 8.0, and temps of around 77ºF-80ºF. Most live foods are taken quite readily, and most spineys will also take meaty frozen foods without much difficulty.

 

[Fruitbat]

Toirtis seems to be having trouble with his 'spiny' typing (siney....piney....what will he think of next?? ). The Spiny Eels (Mastacembelidae) from Asia and Africa are probably the most common 'eel-like' fish kept in freshwater aquaria and he has described their care quite nicely. There are a few other 'eel-like' fish that will do fairly nicely in fresh water. Among them are Erpetoichthys calabaricus, the Rope or Reed Fish, which is a Polypterid. You could keep a number of these snake-like bichirs in a tank with a volume between 30-60 gallons. There are also the Synbranchid eels (Swamp Eels) which are the most eel-like of the bunch. However, they all reach a rather significant size (up to 5 feet) and are illegal to own in some states. I understand that they are established in some areas of Florida and are making quite a nuisance of themselves.

-Joe

 

[BassMaster3000]

Thanks been a big help.... One more question can you put in any fish with a Eel or should he ride this aquarium solo?

 

[oscarbreeder]

This is a pic of the spiny eel I just got the other day.
Well it's not really a pic of MY eel just a pic from the net of one just like the two I bought.

Mine stay down in the sand substrate with just the head sticking out so it's hard to get a pic.

 

[Toirtis]

Toirtis seems to be having trouble with his 'spiny' typing (siney....piney....what will he think of next?? ).

"Spynie"....oh shut up....I didn't get home from the aquarium society meeting until after 2am...I am not at my brightest and best.

There are a few other 'eel-like' fish that will do fairly nicely in fresh water. Among them are Erpetoichthys calabaricus, the Rope or Reed Fish, which is a Polypterid.

Argh...no using 'eel' and 'Polypterid' in the same paragraph....bad Joe!

 

[Fruitbat]

Dragon eel! Dragon eel! Dragon eel! Dragon eel!!!!!!

-Joe

 

[Toirtis]

I heard that!

 

[BassMaster3000]

Toirtis seems to be having trouble with his 'spiny' typing (siney....piney....what will he think of next?? ). The Spiny Eels (Mastacembelidae) from Asia and Africa are probably the most common 'eel-like' fish kept in freshwater aquaria and he has described their care quite nicely. There are a few other 'eel-like' fish that will do fairly nicely in fresh water. Among them are Erpetoichthys calabaricus, the Rope or Reed Fish, which is a Polypterid. You could keep a number of these snake-like bichirs in a tank with a volume between 30-60 gallons. There are also the Synbranchid eels (Swamp Eels) which are the most eel-like of the bunch. However, they all reach a rather significant size (up to 5 feet) and are illegal to own in some states. I understand that they are established in some areas of Florida and are making quite a nuisance of themselves.

-Joe

Yes they do make a nuisance of themself...but some bait shops catch them and sell them for pretty good prices(a fully mature bass will tear them up)

 

[ChileRelleno]

I was just at one of our LFS's today admiring fish and they had atleast 4-5 types of FW Spiny Eels and eel-like critters. I was quite smitten by some of them. I don't think my Tiger Oscar would get along with one though, especially as these were all lees than 8-10", My TO would think they were big earthworms 8O

 

[oscarbreeder]

Well I just picked up two Macrognathus aculeatus (peacock Eel) and keep them in my 180gal Oscar tank with 4 Oscars about 6-7in. These eels are nocturnal and come out to feed at night after lights out. They spend the day buried in the sand substrate with only their head sticking out. The few times one did come out during the day the Oscars just checked him out and swam away. I'll keep ya up to date if ya want.