black ribbon eel

[dviper150]

Anyone have any experience with this eel? I am thinking of ordering one from bluezooaquatics and wanted some feedback on this fish before I purchase it. Thanks

[LisaD]

dismal record of survival in captivity, few people can keep them.

[flameangel9]

I heard they were hard to keep. I've had 3, 2 blue and one black. I found them hard to get to eat initially but I got all 3 to eat live feeders. They were easy to maintain once you got them eating. However I eventually lost all 3 to escapes. I thought I took preventive measures but could not keep them in the tank.

[dviper150]

I do have glass tops on top of my tank but there is an area open for the filters, heaters, and wires to pass through. My tank does have a canopy but the back part is open for the filters and etc. Will it squeeze through the small openings in the back? How can I cover that area up when the filters prevent me from having it completely covered?

[anbosu]

Someone I know that runs a wholesale business gets these in all the time (and manage to get them all to eat). Their system is powered by a pool pump, and ribbon eel managed to swim against the current produced by a pool pump down the pipe feeding water to the tank. That story convinced me that they are about impossible to keep in a tank long term.

[LargeAngels]

Someone I know that runs a wholesale business gets these in all the time (and manage to get them all to eat).

Who and what is their trick that no one else knows about? These guys have a terrible track record.

[anbosu]

Who and what is their trick that no one else knows about? These guys have a terrible track record.

Well, part of it is due to the amount of live rock they process -- they get a ton of live hitchhikers they use to feed them to get them acclimated. Past that I'm not really sure what they do other than having a huge system to keep them in. I was always tempted to try one but I don't think I could keep one in a tank and losing a snowflake once was bad enough.

[LargeAngels]

So they guarentee they are acclimated to things like silversides? Sorry, but I have a hard time believing it.

[SDguy]

Well, part of it is due to the amount of live rock they process -- they get a ton of live hitchhikers they use to feed them to get them acclimated. Past that I'm not really sure what they do other than having a huge system to keep them in. I was always tempted to try one but I don't think I could keep one in a tank and losing a snowflake once was bad enough.


Ribbon eels are fish eaters. What kind of hitchhikers are they feeding them?

[flameangel9]

I personally don't think its hard to get them to eat. They can go months without eating but generally speaking it doesn't take that long. The eating part isn't the challenge. I used to pinch live feeders by the tail with a feeding stick and hold them in front of the eel. After a while I hand fed at the surface of the water. The real challenge is keeping them in the tank. The back of your tank will have openings for powerheads and such. I used the two tone blue filter pad and cut it to fill gaps. I lost my last one when he went threw a siphon tube. Oh by the way when(not if) you do find them on the floor looking like yesterdays beef jerky throw them back in the tank you'd be suprised they often survive.

[helicoprion]

I think the best advice here for ribbon eels is stay away from them, particularly the blue ribbon, unless you're building a tank with them in mind. I saw pictures of a setup someone used to keep a specimen long term (may be someone who already posted here); it had a network of pvc buried in the sand, a tightly sealed top and plenty of LR. He also got the eel started eeling live by offering the fish at the end of hemostats several times a day.

As an aside, even if you do get it eating, and it thrives, you're supporting the capture, shipment and sale of thousands of others who die miserable deaths. There are plenty of other awesome species of eels to choose from that will live much longer, happier lives.

[dviper150]

Yea, I backed out of the sale because I didn't want to pay for it and then it ends up dieing of starvation or jumping out of the tank.

[Sk8r]

As long as you can afford live fish to feed it daily, it'll do fine, if my experience with a ghost eel is any indication. It ate 300.00 worth of fish before I finally caught him by taking my tank apart.

[dviper150]

IMO, ghost eels do a lot better then ribbon eels. I ordered 3 from liveaquaria and all of them started eating silversides the same week. They eventually escaped and I found them on the floor.

[helicoprion]

That can be an issue with all eels... Sorry to hear about it... it's always a bummer to find a prized fish on the floor :sad2:

[dviper150]

yea, I learned that the hard way. I have way too many holes in the back of my tank even though I have a canopy to be housing any eels. I just wouldn't take that risk anymore.

[tcmfish]

Feeders are not giving them what they need to live long term...

[Cesilie]

actually if you go to the craft store and ask for tooling its a great thing to use to keep fish in! its like a mini mesh net :) you can just cover the holes and the eels can't get out

[reefman3095]

I believe that the black ribbon eel is a juvenile, it will turn blue and yellow when its an adult. very beautiful fish though, I saw one this weekend and it was hard to resist considering it was on sale for 59 bucks.

[LukFox]

Mesh is the way to go. I ordered a ribbon from LA's DD 2 or 3 years ago and I bought some super fine mesh, got some tape, and went to town. I have glass lids, but there is a .5" space along the back for cords, and I just secured everything up. Nothing was getting out of there. Sadly, the eel did not survive shipping stress and was only with me a few days, so I never got to "test" it. I'm quite certain it would have worked though. The tank had absolutely no gaps.

As far as eating, I've heard that the "trick" is getting them started with dartfish. I knew someone who tried this on a few ribbons with consistent success over the years, and this person also knew a few other people who had much success with the same process.

I agree it's a fish not suited for everyone though, and most are best left alone. They definitely require extra care.

[helicoprion]

I believe that the black ribbon eel is a juvenile, it will turn blue and yellow when its an adult. very beautiful fish though, I saw one this weekend and it was hard to resist considering it was on sale for 59 bucks.

That's one of the saddest things about these animals. They're dirt cheap, and that makes them completely disposable.

Try this - every time you see one for sale, and get that tickle to buy it, take the 60 bucks and put it in savings. In no time you'll have enough for a jap dragon...a hardy animal that I can assure you is much, much more satisfying to own!

[LukFox]

That's one of the saddest things about these animals. They're dirt cheap, and that makes them completely disposable.

Try this - every time you see one for sale, and get that tickle to buy it, take the 60 bucks and put it in savings. In no time you'll have enough for a jap dragon...a hardy animal that I can assure you is much, much more satisfying to own!

I've actually heard that dragons can be quite fragile, and while I didn't believe it at first I can't deny I've heard of a lot of dragons dying in the last couple years. Something to be aware of I suppose. There are many living old ones being kept as well, but I am now not sure they're as hardy as the average moray now. Not nearly as difficult to keep as the ribbon, but perhaps not as easy as a snowflake either.

[helicoprion]

You heard wrong... I've kept two myself and several in pet stores I worked for in the past. Never had one die, never had one hop out of the tank. The japanese I have now has been in the same tank for going on 3 years and is happy and healthy... I had a hawaiian for almost 5 years but sold it. Live Aquaria actually has a very nice looking one up now for around 800.

[LukFox]

How did I hear wrong when I actually heard from the people who have had theirs die? I'm aware that a lot do well, but I've also heard of several dying; more than the average hardy morays. They aren't fragile like a goldflake angelfish, but I don't think it's too unfair to say they're on the fragile side compared to a snowflake eel.