Fire Eel Q's - tank size?

[MonsterMinis]

Here a pic of mine.. the what I believe to be male is on the bottom. pic was taken awhile ago but it's one of the best ones I have showing the slight diffferences. few notes. the nose isn't so "pronounced" and an over-all petiteness. at this point the "girls" where just starting to fill-out more. they where all approx 16-18" and he's maybe hit 18" while both the other two have hit 24"

 

[EmrePekdeniz]

The "male" at the bottom looks a lot darker.

 

[L~C~G]

No need to fear them. They're very docile and shy fish.

Then my fire eel must have a mood problem. He is 15" right now, I have had him for about six months.

He will only eat live earth worms and will only eat them out of my hand but some days he lays into me.

I dont know if anyone else here has experienced a full force bit from a fire eel but it really shakes you up when "Such a docile and shy fish" does that to you. They have amazing bit force, just as well their are no teeth.

He normally does it to me when I am cleaning one of the internal filters and sneaks up to my hand behind the filter where I cant see and lets me have it then some days he with let me stroke him while he is swimming around and even swims through my fingers.

BUT.............I wouldnt part with him for anything, it has to be one of the most interesting fish I have ever kept and keeps me interested every day. This fish seriously has a personality.

 

[EmrePekdeniz]

Oh, I meant spiny eels in general. Compared to other eels, i.e. morrays, they are definitely docile and harmless. I've never kept a fire eel per se.

 

[jclyde13]

Then my fire eel must have a mood problem. He is 15" right now, I have had him for about six months.

He will only eat live earth worms and will only eat them out of my hand but some days he lays into me.

I dont know if anyone else here has experienced a full force bit from a fire eel but it really shakes you up when "Such a docile and shy fish" does that to you. They have amazing bit force, just as well their are no teeth.

He normally does it to me when I am cleaning one of the internal filters and sneaks up to my hand behind the filter where I cant see and lets me have it then some days he with let me stroke him while he is swimming around and even swims through my fingers.

BUT.............I wouldnt part with him for anything, it has to be one of the most interesting fish I have ever kept and keeps me interested every day. This fish seriously has a personality.

When they bite, they do it because they have associated your hand with food (which is also why they let you handfeed them), they don't do it out of aggression at all. And actually, my TT's bite force is nothing compared to that of some of my other fish. I was bitten by my arowana a couple weeks ago, and it drew blood.