Thanks for all the input. I might get a smaller tank for him, that is what the importer told me. He might have a hard time getting oxygen from the surface with a huge tank at his size. I'll certainly will try the audio thingy with my E. Eel
Electric Eel..
- Thread starter GonePhishing
- Start date
How do you do a water change without being zapped?
Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Juveniles are sensitive and take care that do not catch diseases. In an aquarium, you will still need filtration as nitrates, nitrites, etc. are also bad for this fish. Depending on the size of your tank, if you do not have filtration and your tank is small, you'd probably have to change some water almost everyday. Would be good NOT to keep in deep tank as they must come up to the surface to gulp air. Aeration would be good for your beneficial bacteria in your filter.
If I am not mistaken, they are scaleless and hence if they fall sick, do not add salt. Bio-load is high and if not taken into consideration, the quality of water may deteriorate such that the juvenile electric eel would fall sick. Take care when using live feeders!! The two most likely diseases, IMO, that a juvenile e. eel would get and end up dead are ich and cotton wool disease. Read up on these two diseases and cures for scaleless fishes. Read also about the general needs of these fishes e.g. pH, hardness, Temperature, etc.
Since yours would be only 6 inches, if you want to transfer the fish from one tank to another, it isn't a great problem. You can still use a normal fish net but wear rubber/silicone gloves if you want to absolutely avoid getting an electric shock. The approximate strength of the current increases proportionately to the length of the fish and it is about 100 volts per foot. Yours (5 inches) would be about 50 volts. Good thing is that current won't be fatal.
What if you fish grows big? You can transfer it in similar manner as shown in the video below:
[video=youtube;NNZmlcBpRLw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNZmlcBpRLw[/video]
It's hard to say whether you should have tank mates for your juvenile e. eel. I see some small ones have tank mates (Youtube), whereas another may absolutely be intolerant, seeking out any new "intruder" and keep attacking until...
Adults are more tolerant towards the same species but I haven't seen adults being kept with other species of fishes.
That's about all I can think of. Good luck to you
Video was awesome thanks for sharing
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Whatever gloves are used must have an ASTM Class rating of 00 or higher on the glove label. E eels can put out 600 VDC and proper protection must be available to safely handle these fish. Class 00 is safe for DC voltages up to 750 VDC.
when the electric knife does his little shock deal could that mess with or destroy your filters and heaters?
Thanks again for the helpful reply Oddball. So is it safe to say when you wear this gloves, you can literaly held the eel in your hands and not feel a thing?
Thats correct, I didnt feel anything and my eel was over 40" but always make sure you are never careless no matter how much protection you wear, you dont want to get nailed by one of these, you never know how much they will let out given the situation they are currently in. Its better not to handle unless you absolutely have too, even the small ones.
Be extremely wary of splashes. Water on you that comes in contact with wet gloves may form a circuit between you and the eel and you'll get shocked.
And, I still recommend a rubber apron to guard against contact with a jumpy or struggling e eel.
And, I still recommend a rubber apron to guard against contact with a jumpy or struggling e eel.
This is an amazing species to keep. But, please, do NOT go cheap on the safety aspects of keeping this species. E eels produce 1 amp of current at 500-600 VDC. It takes as little as 0.001 amp to cause respiratory lockup and 0.003 amps to cause cardiac arrest.
Lights should be suspended over the tank and filter pumps/heaters should be in a house-grounded sump or canister filter.
Lights should be suspended over the tank and filter pumps/heaters should be in a house-grounded sump or canister filter.
