Eel for 55gal/ possible tankmates

[lizardfishman]

hi i have a 55gal fowlr setup and havent started with the stocking of the tank yet. i was originally planing on just smaller fish and tryin a "peaceful" tropical tank for once...however, ive always wanted a sw eel, having seen them/ petted them in the wild. anyways, i was wondering if there was any eel sp. that would be fine in the 55 but also allow for a few colorful tank mates.

thanks

 

[alcohologist]

snowflake morays are a good beginner eel, even if your 55 is really the bare minimum for the species. they are messy eaters though, so i hope you have a skimmer.

 

[lizardfishman]

my mom just shut down the idea...she only wants "pretty" "little" fish...so no eel this time around. but im def goin for the mantis shrimp in the 20gal

 

[welsher7]

You can have a snowflake eel in with smaller fish. Snowflake don't eat fish, they have the wrong kind of teeth

 

[SimonL]

Snowflake don't eat fish, they have the wrong kind of teeth

Snowflakes most definately can and do eat fish....you're probably thinking of a Zebra moray? Snowflakes teeth are more conical than most morays, but they are still potential fish eaters. I've personally kept Zebra morays with lil quick fish without problems and I've fed large numbers of feeders to a lot of snowflakes at work...I even had a snowflake eat a trumpetfish at home that was 1/3 it's length.

 

[Rockbass6]

Snowflakes most definately can and do eat fish....you're probably thinking of a Zebra moray? Snowflakes teeth are more conical than most morays, but they are still potential fish eaters. I've personally kept Zebra morays with lil quick fish without problems and I've fed large numbers of feeders to a lot of snowflakes at work...I even had a snowflake eat a trumpetfish at home that was 1/3 it's length.

I am 100% sure snowflakes eat fish! I had one and It could take down a 3-4 inch goldfish easy!

 

[chrisdef15]

I am 100% sure snowflakes eat fish! I had one and It could take down a 3-4 inch goldfish easy!

Hardly natural. Snowflakes generally wont eat fish if they have the right food available to them. The main thing that leads them to becoming fish eaters is idiots feeding them goldfish.
Gotta ask why bother with goldfish? Baitfish or prawns/shrimp from fishing shops is healthier and cheaper. Seems stupid to me.

 

[SimonL]

Snowflakes generally wont eat fish if they have the right food available to them.

Very amusing. You are obviously far more experienced than me lol...Did it perhaps occur to you it might be difficult to find small live SW baitfish and prawns in Toronto ?

Anyways, used to give the lil Snowflakes SW-acclimated feeder guppies/baby mollies as they don't pick at the eels like live shrimp.

 

[welsher7]

The snowflake eel is considered a pebble toothed eel, like the zebra, and chainlink moray. Generally the snowflake eel is reefsafe. I agree with chrisdef15. While you might not be able to find live sw feeders and prawns. You should be able to find large frozen krill, market shrimp, and crab meat which is much closer to it natural diet. I agree the eel can eat fish, but if fed properly it wouldn't look to eat fish.

 

[SimonL]

Yes, I know this, but it doesn't stop them occasionally munching small fish in captivity. The teeth on a Zebra moray are much more rounded than a snowflake...I've been bitten by both lol.

I apologize if I was overly sarcastic, I was incensed by chrisdef15s somewhat juvenile name calling...