Couple months ago I picked up this spiny eel at my LFS. They were branded as 'sharp nose eels' so that doesn't tell anyone a lot I think. So I did a quick search on my phone and found a lot of pictures of similar looking spiny eels called half banded eels. They stayed relatively small and one wouldn't have overcrowded the tank I was planning to put it in any time soon. (I run a peacock eel tank for a year now, 50Gallons with 4 peacock eels around 5-7" and for the past months this spiny eel living in it)
The eel is healthy as far as I can tell, it hides a lot though. My peacocks are usually all over the tank, this one just comes out during feeding time. Eats until the food is gone and dissapears again into whichever cave he hides during the day.
Problem is I started reading more about the 'half banded eel' or how they're also referred to sometimes as zigzag eels. Then I started reading in some places that there are 2 kinds of zigzag eels. The ones that don't exceed 8" and then the ones that grow quite large and are a different species of tire track eel (from what I've read) Problem is obviously, I have the space for a 8" eel but not for one that will grow to be the size of a tire track eel.. Depending on what it actually is I'll have to rehome it.
As of now the eel barely reaches 2.5".
Pictures:
Note: I know the gravel is not ideal, but I plan to change this tank to sand in the next 3 weeks. All depends when I finish the new stand for it. I'll have to empty it anyway to move it. I'm waiting to do it then rather than stress them out for no reason now, and again in 3 weeks or less.
The eel is healthy as far as I can tell, it hides a lot though. My peacocks are usually all over the tank, this one just comes out during feeding time. Eats until the food is gone and dissapears again into whichever cave he hides during the day.
Problem is I started reading more about the 'half banded eel' or how they're also referred to sometimes as zigzag eels. Then I started reading in some places that there are 2 kinds of zigzag eels. The ones that don't exceed 8" and then the ones that grow quite large and are a different species of tire track eel (from what I've read) Problem is obviously, I have the space for a 8" eel but not for one that will grow to be the size of a tire track eel.. Depending on what it actually is I'll have to rehome it.
As of now the eel barely reaches 2.5".
Pictures:
Note: I know the gravel is not ideal, but I plan to change this tank to sand in the next 3 weeks. All depends when I finish the new stand for it. I'll have to empty it anyway to move it. I'm waiting to do it then rather than stress them out for no reason now, and again in 3 weeks or less.