Had been thinking about getting a spiny eel again, went to my LFS yesterday and almost missed him. Little 5-6" tire track eel. He was a decent price so I got him. Looking through some old threads I keep seeing multiple spiny eels together. I would like to get a fire eel or another tire track eel. Is there a certain size it would be best to try to mix them by to have them get along? Most things I read say they have to grow up together or they will fight.
Multiple Spiny Eels
- Thread starter pharmaecopia
- Start date
They tend to be very happy together until they hit about the 18" mark... I haven't seen two species of adult spiny eels housed together successfully myself... Plus that would require a pretty massive tank anyway. Easily 200 gallon minimum.
Tank size I'm not to worried about. The eventual home would be a 600 gallon pond. Should be finished by the weekend. It's going to house my gator gars till the spring, then my other fish will get the 600.
One pics that I saw in the eel pictures thread had a 24" and an 18" tire track. I've also seen monsterminis pics of her three fire eels. Those and other similar pics are what got me thinking it can work.
One pics that I saw in the eel pictures thread had a 24" and an 18" tire track. I've also seen monsterminis pics of her three fire eels. Those and other similar pics are what got me thinking it can work.
I keep my 3 together .. A) they where all small when I got them B) I feed them very well C) I do have aggression issues. I also have a TT in a different tank that is very aggressive.. I would not try this with him. So it depends on the aggression levels.. I would suggest if you have the means/intent to house them in a large tank. Go with 3.. It spreads out the aggression. So you do not have 1 eel beating the snot out of the other, but between 2. ATM I do not have singular aggression issues. But if they where to pair up.. I am willing to seperate the odd fish out. I also have hide spots of each eel. So they don't fight over spots. Though usually all 3 of mine will share the same PVC tube. Occasionally the big one ( i'm assumeing female since she's really thickened up) will not tolerate company.
I wouldn't worry to much about jumping in an indoor pond. I have more trouble keeping my spiney eels out of my filters then them jumping. Usually jumping happens when there is not enough hiding spots for them, or constant aggression is happening. mixing a TT and a fire eel migth work.. but as Orange stated. the TT can turn at a drop of a hat and kill the fire, or vise versa.. ect.. TBH I wouldn't suggest it.
My fire eels deffinately have a heirarchy. But I do notice when they go a few days w/out food the aggression level does increase. My big one always gets her food first. I try not to interfear either and let them work it out.
Fire eels also tend to be more laid back then TT's do in general. not always. but usually. I also moved the decor around when introducing the 2 new ones to my original eel ( they where all about the same size 6"-8" iir) . I've pretty much followed some of the general "Rules" of mixing cichlids, and have been successsful to the 18"-24" sizes mine are now. I'm not sure if this will continue to work or not, but there was a member who had 3 adults together who gave me the idea to try 3.. I originally tried 2.. and within the first month I lost an eel.
I wouldn't worry to much about jumping in an indoor pond. I have more trouble keeping my spiney eels out of my filters then them jumping. Usually jumping happens when there is not enough hiding spots for them, or constant aggression is happening. mixing a TT and a fire eel migth work.. but as Orange stated. the TT can turn at a drop of a hat and kill the fire, or vise versa.. ect.. TBH I wouldn't suggest it.
My fire eels deffinately have a heirarchy. But I do notice when they go a few days w/out food the aggression level does increase. My big one always gets her food first. I try not to interfear either and let them work it out.
Fire eels also tend to be more laid back then TT's do in general. not always. but usually. I also moved the decor around when introducing the 2 new ones to my original eel ( they where all about the same size 6"-8" iir) . I've pretty much followed some of the general "Rules" of mixing cichlids, and have been successsful to the 18"-24" sizes mine are now. I'm not sure if this will continue to work or not, but there was a member who had 3 adults together who gave me the idea to try 3.. I originally tried 2.. and within the first month I lost an eel.
I've never had jumping problems in my current pond in the past, I don't take chances though, all tanks and ponds have some sort of lid on them.
Thanks for the input MonsterMinis. I appreciate it. It's actually a picture of your 3 fire eels with your gar in the background that convinced me to get back into spiny eels.
Thanks for the input MonsterMinis. I appreciate it. It's actually a picture of your 3 fire eels with your gar in the background that convinced me to get back into spiny eels.
.. spreading the spiney eel addiction one aquarist at a time.. hehe Thanks.. and my Gar so far have been awesome tank-mates with my eels. And good for the lid/barrier, def reccomend it even if you don't have problems. oh.. and PICS!Going to be a busy evening but I'll try to post some pictures tonight. Picking up two more tire tracks, that the same store had had and I never saw. So his former tankmates will be reunited with him.
I have 6 eels in a 46 gal bow front tank 2 peacock about 5 inches each, 2 Indian green about 3 1/2 each, and the other 3? not sure, 1 (my personal favorite) is a piebald, he's about 6 inches long but the daddy (maybe momma) of them all is about 7 inches now with a hefty body but seldom get to see her, and 1 more that is about 6 1/2 inches long. Have had no trouble between any of them. I have 2 small oscars. 3 Madagascar Rainbows a balloon molly and a tiger barb in with them, along with a pleco, and an african sail fin cat, oh I almost forgot the banjo cat. Have had the tank set up for 6 months now and other than the recent long fin oscar I added all have been doing great. I run a Marineland 150 and an aqua-
clear 50 along with an old school corner filter and an air stone. I do a 25% water change every 5th day and add a conditioner after each change.
Yes a bit over crowded but... Oh, I did forget one fish I just added a 3 inch electric blue cichlid. But only because he's too small for my cichlid tank.
But as for the eels? they all get along fine I have lots of caves for them and the 2 peacocks are always together
clear 50 along with an old school corner filter and an air stone. I do a 25% water change every 5th day and add a conditioner after each change.
Yes a bit over crowded but... Oh, I did forget one fish I just added a 3 inch electric blue cichlid. But only because he's too small for my cichlid tank.
But as for the eels? they all get along fine I have lots of caves for them and the 2 peacocks are always together