A local petstore can order me in a fire eel. he said my options were medium (4 to 6 in) or large (6 to 10 in). the medium is $30, and the large is $50. which would be best to have them order in? i recall reading somewhere that young ones have a higher mortality rate.
Buying a fire eel... can't decide if i want medium or large
- Thread starter Carefree_Dude
- Start date
I was thinking LARGE like 3 feet! The tough thing about ordering one is that you cant choose what one you get! The whole coolness of this guy is how friendly he can be. It would be really cool if you got a loarge that wasn't shy. I would go with the smaller one to spend time working on his personality from the start. In mho, Good luck though. I love my eel!
You know I'm a noob, but just wanted to know if it's going in a tank with other fish, and if so, wouldn't the size and temperment of other fish decide which size to get? Otherwise, I usually go for the smaller. Not because of the price. 
I enjoy watching them grow.
I enjoy watching them grow.What other stock do you have in your tank? If a medium one would be to small (example get eating) I would go with the midium that will give you more time to watch hime grow and like has already been said work with him, plus its cheaper.
Posted on mobile.monsterfishkeepers.com
Posted on mobile.monsterfishkeepers.com
I've always gotten mine smaller; theyre cheaper and I like watching them grow. Just have a wide variety of foods ready because they are often picky eaters. I've gotten 2 at the size of 5-6" or so and never had them die young. Once you get them eating (which can take a week or more) its all good. You should ask the people at the lfs what theyve been eating and how often--MAKE SURE THEYVE BEEN EATING BEFOREHAND. a lot of stores will keep the elver there for a week or so to make sure its stable. Sometimes its not a good idea to bring it home right off the truck. It all depends on where they get the fish from
i would have to bring him home right off the truck. His most agressive tankmate would be an extremely docile electric blue jack dempsey, who is currently in growout. It's only tankmate is a black skirt tetra, who he leaves alone. If I got the medium, it would have to be in growout for a little bit before going into the main tank.
fish comes from seagrest farms and is wild caught.
fish comes from seagrest farms and is wild caught.
another small concern about getting the smaller one, is that he would have to go into the growout tank. I have a peacock eel who pretty much "owns" the growout tank, and i'm afraid of them fighting.
Also, being 'wild caught' it probably would'nt have any issues of being shy, would you agree? or not?
your concern about the peacock is founded.. I'm 99% sure they will fight.. both being pretty aggressive towards con-specifics. as for size.. being wild caugh either go with the smaller one an make sure you have a ready supply of live blackworms available.. or go with the larger and have small nightcrwlers available. being wildcaught I'm also 99% sure you won't get it eating frozen/dead before it would starve to death. Once it settles into your tank at home and is plump and healthy then worry about getting it onto a prepared/frozen diet.
the mortality rate on small ones it imho mainly due to peoples belief that if they offer it "food" it will eventually eat. and improper handleing, husbandy. scaleless fish are more sensitive to poor water quality and diseases. My fire eels came "off the truck" and I had issues with one of four.
also being wild caught you'll want to be perpared to worm it before introduceing it into the mian tank. this should be done after it's settled in and eating well.
the mortality rate on small ones it imho mainly due to peoples belief that if they offer it "food" it will eventually eat. and improper handleing, husbandy. scaleless fish are more sensitive to poor water quality and diseases. My fire eels came "off the truck" and I had issues with one of four.
also being wild caught you'll want to be perpared to worm it before introduceing it into the mian tank. this should be done after it's settled in and eating well.