Snowflake eel Aquarium size
- Thread starter max412
- Start date
Pretty much any tank is big enough for an eel, the size isn't the problem with them. Some of the problems are....
1. As they grow, they produce a ton of bioload on the tank. The smaller the tank the higher the need for very good filtration to remove those wastes. The filtration also should include a lot of biological filtration to break down the ammonia(and lots of it at once when it poops) into safer compounds like nitrate. Then water changes to remove the nitrate.
2. In tanks that small, you can't really keep other big fish because there isn't enough space for them to swim around. You can't get small fish either, because they can/will get eaten by the eel. It leaves a pretty boring tank IMO because eels don't come out of the rockwork much at all unless it's feeding time.
Side note, make sure you get glass covers for an eel tank. They like to jump.
1. As they grow, they produce a ton of bioload on the tank. The smaller the tank the higher the need for very good filtration to remove those wastes. The filtration also should include a lot of biological filtration to break down the ammonia(and lots of it at once when it poops) into safer compounds like nitrate. Then water changes to remove the nitrate.
2. In tanks that small, you can't really keep other big fish because there isn't enough space for them to swim around. You can't get small fish either, because they can/will get eaten by the eel. It leaves a pretty boring tank IMO because eels don't come out of the rockwork much at all unless it's feeding time.
Side note, make sure you get glass covers for an eel tank. They like to jump.
I wouldn't worry about a snowflake eel eating its tankmates if the eel is kept well fed; they prefer eating crustaceans (crabs, etc.) after all, so your hermits and snails might start to disappear. Then again, my snowflake eel might be the exception to the rule because it hasn't bothered the other fishes in with it provided that it gets fed frequently.
I wouldn't risk any other smaller fish with it... My current snow flake will eat ANYTHING in the tank that moves... I was lulled into a false sense of security by my previous snow flake who never messed with fish for any reason...this one is the exact opposite...
However my previous eel also was the typical escape artist and forced very strict security measures.... and the current one does not. (not that I am slacking on the security because of it though)
However my previous eel also was the typical escape artist and forced very strict security measures.... and the current one does not. (not that I am slacking on the security because of it though)
I agree with nonstop, the only problem with my snowflake besides him eating numerous tankmates lol was that it was ablue to escape through a circular hole about the diameter of an index finger.
Also I've noticed that my eel with a christmass wrasse did death rolls similar to crocs...so larger slender fish can still be over taken by an eel...