Eel in a reef?

[needmorecowbell]

I was wondering if I could keep a juvenile snowflake eel in a soft Coral 30 gal tank For a little while. I know it will get too big as an adult so I was wondering if i could buy a small one and in 3-6 months give/sell it to a trusty lfs. Is this possible, cruel in some way to the eel, or not doable because of the corals?

 

[Flake]

Other than the fact that I think the eel would need more swimming room(and I really think he's be terribly cramped in a 30), I think an eel in a 30 would wreck the tank. My eel knocked everything around in a 200 and he was a little guy at a foot long. I can't imagine that kind of destruction in a 30.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Oh, I thought that the snowflake species only got to be around 6 inches.

 

[Swimzebras]

Nope, I think between one and two feet though I'm probably wrong....but I'm sure they get to be at least one foot, probably more

 

[Flake]

not remotely. They'll get around 2 feet, give or take. I've also never seen a juvenile in my lfs smaller than maybe 8"+.

 

[Swimzebras]

Yikes!

 

[needmorecowbell]

Alright.. I guess no eel for me.

 

[Swimzebras]

Well there are some fish that look similar, Midas blennys swim similarly to eels and would work in your tank

 

[needmorecowbell]

I'll check them out thanks.

 

[Hinds04]

I had a 7" snowflake in a 10 gallon for a couple months. Eels don't really "swim around" unless its feeding time. The biggest challenge will be keeping the water clean enough for a reef. They are messy. A eel in a 30 gallon will be perfectly fine it takes a while for them to get 2', your talking about 3 months. Advice on this site is starting to get ridiculous

 

[hackteck]

I had a 7" snowflake in a 10 gallon for a couple months. Eels don't really "swim around" unless its feeding time. The biggest challenge will be keeping the water clean enough for a reef. They are messy. A eel in a 30 gallon will be perfectly fine it takes a while for them to get 2', your talking about 3 months. Advice on this site is starting to get ridiculous

i wouldnt want an eel i would be afraid it would sneek out and scare the crap out of my wife and kids lol

 

[Flake]

I disagree completely. My eel swam CONSTANTLY in my 200. With no room to swim they don't get a choice but not to swim around.

I would NEVER put an eel in a tank that small.

 

[Hinds04]

Yea well he did the same thing when he went in the 75. And if you have ever seen them snorkeling or on tv, they sit in the rock work poking there head out looking for prey.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I wouldn't say they need 100 gallon tanks unless they are two-3 feet big but I definitely wouldn't say they can have ten gallon space either.. Just my opinion though. But in most cases bigger is better

 

[Hinds04]

I never said ideal lol but when your talking about a 8" eel in a 3 foot tank for a few months and people have the "no no no that thing will freakin die right when you put it in there" attitude its just ridiculous.

 

[Flake]

If you can avoid doing it, why do it? It doesn't sound like he's upgrading, so why stress an animal out?

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

guys keep it civil i get we all have diiffernt points of view but lets help the OP not fight

 

[needmorecowbell]

I just think its an interesting creature and this is the biggest my tank will get.

 

[hackteck]

guys keep it civil i get we all have diiffernt points of view but lets help the OP not fight

i agree

 

[needmorecowbell]

If I wasn't the op I would agree too