Multiple Fire Eels

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Mudfrog

Mudfrog

Piranha
MFK Member
Oct 3, 2005
3,214
92
81
47
VA
I've kept a single fire eel in the past and have heard you shouldn't keep multiple fire eels. However there are a lot of videos on youtube with multiple fire eels. So whats the deal.

I really miss my old 16" Fire eel that jumped and I want to get at least 2x more. I'm redoing my oddball tank next year and the main focus will be on these so ultimately the tank size will depend on if I can keep two together.

I'm thinking for 2x a 180g should do for a very very long time, otherwise if it's just one I'll probably do a 135 - 150g.

Give me some opinions..
 
I have 2 in a 300 gallon tank with no problems... I did have a log in the tank until they started to fight over it, so I got rid of the log and that stopped all the fighting.
 
1 or 3 ... at least for me thats the magic number.. 3 keeps 1 fish from bullying any of the other 2 overly much. It disperses the aggression. At least thats how it works for my guys. my largest one bullies one of the smaller guys more often then the other one... think it's his gf/bf.. But when he "tweeks" and gets really aggressive he goes after both. so neither one gets the brunt of it to bad. I originally had only the larger one then another.. not sure 100% why. but the other one died in about 1 week. he did have nip marks on him. But i'm not 100%.. got 2 more to make it 3.. and everyones been Okay for quite awhile now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: enesxcetinz
DustMite;3690777; said:
I have 2 in a 300 gallon tank with no problems... I did have a log in the tank until they started to fight over it, so I got rid of the log and that stopped all the fighting.
Click to expand...

That's kind of what I was thinking, either supplying them with their own caves or no caves at all. Do you use any other decor or just have an open tank?

MonsterMinis;3693613; said:
1 or 3 ... at least for me thats the magic number.. 3 keeps 1 fish from bullying any of the other 2 overly much. It disperses the aggression. At least thats how it works for my guys. my largest one bullies one of the smaller guys more often then the other one... think it's his gf/bf.. But when he "tweeks" and gets really aggressive he goes after both. so neither one gets the brunt of it to bad. I originally had only the larger one then another.. not sure 100% why. but the other one died in about 1 week. he did have nip marks on him. But i'm not 100%.. got 2 more to make it 3.. and everyones been Okay for quite awhile now.
Click to expand...

How long have you been keeping them in order to come to this conclusion?
 
Oh.... I see someone has gotten the fire eel disease... lol
 
i have had 3 together and they did fine.
 
I had 4 in a 180 for 6 months. They did OK till they got about a foot long. The weakest one died around that time. They had driftwood and lots of large plastic plants.

I moved them to a 135 and had one of those 4 foot boat decorations which gave them lots of hiding spots. After 3 months the smallest died (Same length but a lot less weight). I found the last 2 fighting about every 3rd day I watched them. So I separated them leaving one in the 135. The other has a 120 (both of these are little over a year old and about 18"). I always had another which is a little bigger perhaps 22" he is in a 225 and has never been kept with other fire eels. I also have a tire track eel about 26 inches. He has his own 180 because he is very aggressive (at times) killing smaller fish under 6 inches.

The best advice is to try keeping a bunch together because several of us have had various success and you might succeed.
 
I might stick with one then. I'd just hate to risk it. That would also allow me to add some other oddballs.

I really shouldn't have downsized and sold all my big tanks last year.. now I have to buy another ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom