Securing a tank for fire eels

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nolapete

nolapete

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 1, 2007
2,726
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38
New Orleans, LA
I'm considering getting 2 or 3 fire eels to grow out for my big tank. They would go in the 210 with the arowanas for now.

I was wondering how much more I need to secure the top of the tank and if the pvc overflows would be a possible problem.

The tank is covered completely with eggcrate to keep the arowanas from jumping out. I may have to cut a piece of plexiglas to better sure the end by the overflows and return pipes, but it's already pretty tight around with eggcrate. I notched it out for each pipe.

An LFS has some fire eels about 8" long for 14.99, so I was thinking 2 possibly 3 to better distribute aggression. Would fire eels that size be able to escape through the holes in the eggcrate?
 
no they cannot get thru the eggcrate, but if there is a way out they will find it!!!

I have one that is about 28-30" and has never attempted to escape until a couple of weeks ago. I heard a lot of noise in the night and in the morning could not find the eel. He is huge as big around as a wrist on a grown man. He pushed up my glass tops (that are loaded with lights) and squeezed into the overflow boxes in my 210. I thought i would never get him out. They are very slippery and hard to grab and very sharp spines!!! The reason he was trying to escape is the driftwood he likes to hang out on had fell over and he could not rest on it. Anyway i used tape and made sure the lids are taped down very well.

Gl they are amazing, but get HUGE!!! mine is only 4 years old.
 
Mastacembelidae get really mean to each other when they grow.
I don't think all of them will make it to adult hood.

I hope you can prove me wrong, I would love to see it for once.
 
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