Looking for feedback about eel tankmates.

[MoonInTn]

We are just not having any luck in trying to keep a lionfish. We've had two that has died. We couldn't get either one of them to eat anything and think this was the cause of death, so we've given up in trying to keep one. But, our last purchase was a snowflake eel and he is doing outstanding. Eats like a bottomless pit!! LOL And eats anything we've offered him. We feed him every other night, and he'll eat until he gets his belly full then go back under his rock and let it settle and digest. Now, since we've given up on keeping a lionfish, what would be a good tankmate for a snowflake eel? He's in a 75 gallon tank right now, and would like to have one or two other fish in there that would get along with him, and vice versa. Thought about a puffer but wasn't sure if it was safe. And if so, what else could be our options? Looking forward to hearing some opinions, and each and every one is appreciated!

Almost forgot. The sand in the tank is starting to get a little dirty. What are our options for getting something to help keep it stirred up or clean?

[NewKid630]

Never had good luck with lions either. had one last 2 years but then died for no apparant reason. I too went to eels.

Faster fish who dont hide in the rocks will be safe. Clowns, Damsels, Puffer would work, yellow or purple tang, regal tang, stuff like that.

Horseshoe crabs are the best sand sifters I have found. They get very large though but it takes a very long time to grow that big.

[Triggerman1964]

You can just about put anything with a snowflake.Just make sure fish reach a minimum of about four inches.
My snowflake is on the meaner side and has eaten four of my fish.Last was a 3" hawkfish.
Give everyone a good place to hide at night.
They're really a great fish.Mine was the size of a pencil when I got him and now.......
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/mikedonajkowski/sf2.jpg

[justinl]

Don't get horseshoe crabs. they do not do well in home aquariums and get far too large. Unless you find one that eats prepared food (higly doubtful) there's no point in getting one. to sift, try a fighting or queen conch. A tiger tail cuke would work too i think. I don't think an eel would go after a cuke.

[DamnPepShrimp]

A friend of mine had a horseshoe crab in his tank. It was only a couple inches big. It was hilarious! It would always swim around getting stuck in live rock. He fed it silversides and it eat them like no tomorrow. It didn't sift the sand very well though. I've always liked sandsifting gobies, although I have never tried them.

As far as SFE tankmates go, most anything is good. These eels are very docile. Mine shared a rock with a psuedochromis and damsel with no problems. He is only 6-7 inches though, but never even tried to go after any fish.

[MoonInTn]

Thanks for the replies. After reading them, it looks like our options has opened up a little more. We do have two conchs in the tank right now, but they're not keeping the sand very clean. Do you think we need to get a couple more? We also have about a half dozen nassarius snails in there too. If we were to get a puffer, wouldn't it go for the snails? The conchs?

[NewKid630]

Yes puffers love snails..

And my horsehoe crab is about 8" round not including its tail. Eats frozen food regularly.

[chevegan]

I had a spiny box puffer (burr fish whatever) Anyhow after a week my snowflake scared him pretty good and I could see it wasn't going to work out so i took him back. I don't know how big yours is but at a full 2 feet it's tough to pick tank mates. I have a 5" clown trigger in there with him and he's doing great. Whenever the eel thinks he's looking tasty the trigger expands his triggers and looks huge. Eel backs off immediately. The trigger definitively holds his own in there. As par as puffers even you have to make sure they can hold their own. Basically I need to pic one semi mean. Because my eel is mean. I also keep 7 damsels of different types in the tank. They started as the break in fish and I could never get them out. But now everyone loves the more "real" look to the tank. They are way too fast for the other fish to eat (I actually got the eel hoping he would eat the damsels PFF not a chance; the damsels will torment him in defiance) and another HUGE perk is they eat all the mess the trigger and eel leave behind.

Seeing as almost all large fish are messy eaters it's great to have a clean up crew. I never feed them specifically. They just eat the mess and are always happy. Looks really cool with all the small fish swarming around the large.

[MoonInTn]

Thanks for the replies gang! Still not sure about the clean up crew. Well, actually, I'm still not sure about the fish either. lol Someone told me today that I could maybe get a clarki clown. I'm just not sure about that. What do you all think about that one? Just not sure if it would be able to hold it's own. Some types of angels were suggested too. What about those?

[hotrod5603]

I have a snowflake morey and he is the greatest thing since sliced bread. for cleaning the sand i have 2 sleeper gobies. i have an orange spot and a gold head. they both grow to about 6 inches and my eel has never looked twice at them. i also keep some nassarius snails. they clean the sand pretty good. i have hermits to clean the rocks but keep the eel well feed or he will help himself. i have a poor electric blue hermit with only two legs cause my eel went a little too long without food. as for the other fish. i have an algae blenny, a sailfin tang, a purple tang, a mandarin, a longnose hawkfish, a cleaner wrasse, and a tomato clown. i made the eel a nice cave to sit in so he just minds his own business till the feeding stick is in the water. they are usually less agressive towards tankmates when fed this way. feed a varied diet ie. krill,fish,squid, shrimp. the eel should be pretty calm and tolerate other fish. i also have two cleaner shrimp which he never bothers but i hear any other typeof shrimp will quickly become dinner. good luck in finding tankmates.

[MoonInTn]

Sounds like you have a nice variety of fish in that tank hotrod. That's a little of what I'm looking for, but was wondering what would be safe in a 75 gallon. Species, bio-load, etc. I'm thinking if it can't get it in it's mouth then it might be safe. But of course like chevegan said, it might be hard to find safe tankmates for a full grown eel. He's only about 11 or 12 inches right now. And we're already feeding him a nice variety of food. Everything you mentioned, and have been since we first got him. He's not very picky! LOL We feed silversides, shrimp, squid, and freeze dried krill for treats. I've also read or heard that their eyesight aren't very good, and I can believe that. But the last two or three times I've fed him, when the feeding stick OR tongs hit the water, he comes running and I could almost swear that he can see it or sense it somehow. Even if there's not food on them, (sometimes we use both...the stick or the tongs.), but even if there's no food on them, it seems like he still comes to them. It may just be my imagination or there may actually be something to it. Either way, he's one cool dude. With him being nocturnal, and sometimes I get home from work late, after the lights are out, that's the one tank I can still interact with while I'm unwinding. Just wish I could figure out what to put with him that would be out during the daytime. lol

[hotrod5603]

what you have heard is right, they do have poor eyesight, but they have a tremendous sense of smell. and instead of having a lateral line like fish. they have the same thing at the base of thier head so they are really sensitive to vibrations. but they do recognize thier feeding stick, wether it's from sight or smell i don't know. but mine does the same thing. IMO they recognize the stick by the basic shape and then smell. i know some people who hand feed thier eels. but i don't want mine coming out thinking food every time i put my hand in the tank. not recomending you try it but i have held my eel a few times he seems almost playfull. (only with a full stomach lol) so i'd never hand feed him. with the fish deal, i would ask your LFS to order fish for you. you can ask them to get larger fish. the eel will be full size in about 2 years and most fish grow slower than that. like the sleeper gobies i mentioned i bought mine at about 5 inches long so they are always big enough to not be a food item. and in regards to anything that can fit in thier mouth... they are like snakes they can swallow things wider than themselves which i'm sure you have seen with the silversides. just something to keep in mind

[MoonInTn]

Sensitive to vibrations, huh? I guess that explains why, when I'm at the tank talking to him, he'll raise up from his rock and move toward to me. And no, I don't feed by hand. I've read where others do, but I'm like you,.....I don't want him to associate the scent of my hand with food so every time I have to have my hand in the tank, he won't come out like the dinner bell just rang. lol Thanks for the help everybody. Looks like it might be a hit and miss thing with tankmates. I'll be looking over what the lfs's has this weekend.