Eels for beginners?

[spencerC]

bump?

[KevinFJB]

Tough to make a choice with the obvious trade offs. The zebra is a crustacean eater but as you noted too big for your tank. The Gymnothrax morays are common but will eat fish, except one you might conisder: the dwarf golden moray. It would eat fish small enough for it to fit in its mouth, but it reaches a maximum of about 7-9" long, so its too small to eat most fish. I bought one from J&L and it is in a 112g with fish and shrimp and does not bother the shrimp or even smaller fish in my system - including a clown goby, and a barnacle blenny. Like other morays its eyesight is terrible but its sense of small outstanding. I think the fact that i keep it fed decrease the chance that it will go after the cleaner shrimp or small fish. The only donwside to these guys is thae are hard to find and expensive, but that is relative (was worth it to me to get one), and they are reclusive, but very cool. Wolf eels are interesting too, but are elongated gobies in reality.

[Mik_101]

hear are some links to "easier to keep" eels.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pCatId=1689
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=135
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=133


the Tessalata Eel is a easy to keep speciment but reqires a much larer tank than you own.(sad but true.)

[spencerC]

I definitely like the sound of the dwarf golden moray.
How much do they run for?

Originally Posted by KevinFJB

The Gymnothrax morays are common but will eat fish, except one you might conisder: the dwarf golden moray. It would eat fish small enough for it to fit in its mouth, but it reaches a maximum of about 7-9" long, so its too small to eat most fish. I bought one from J&L and it is in a 112g with fish and shrimp and does not bother the shrimp or even smaller fish in my system - including a clown goby, and a barnacle blenny. Like other morays its eyesight is terrible but its sense of small outstanding. I think the fact that i keep it fed decrease the chance that it will go after the cleaner shrimp or small fish. The only donwside to these guys is thae are hard to find and expensive, but that is relative (was worth it to me to get one), and they are reclusive, but very cool. Wolf eels are interesting too, but are elongated gobies in reality.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Snowflake eels are the most popular small eel for good reason. They can be even kept in a reef tank, if you don't keep shrimp or stuff like that. Mine lives with a pair of Ocellaris clowns.

[Midknight]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Snowflake eels are the most popular small eel for good reason. They can be even kept in a reef tank, if you don't keep shrimp or stuff like that. Mine lives with a pair of Ocellaris clowns.

I agree, mine was great in my reef until he took a walk on the dry side.
I think someone said something about a tight lid.....

[krisalexander]

I have my first eel up for sale right now, i had it in my reef tank with shrimp and small fish and it didnt touch anything, It was my first go at eels and I found it very easy, fed it some silversides every couple days and it was great...It is a gold spotted moray about 18" and it gets to a max of 2 feet in the wild.. I am looking for 75$ they retail for about 200 but i need to get rid of it..

kris

[justinl]

if i were you spencer, I would take Kris' offer. i was tempted myself, but i just don't havce the proper digs to keep an eel at the moment. im actually quite surprised no one has taken that deal yet.

if you dont want the gold spotted, then go for the snowflake or golden dwarf (if you can find one... they're not exactly common). those three are your best choices imo.

mik, please research before posting. none of those eels are good candidates in the OP's case. and as a general rule, online vendor minimum tank requirements are NOT good things to go by.

[Buddyboy]

Any pictures of the eel to share Kris?

[krisalexander]

I willl try to find some and post them...

kris