blue ribbon or black ribbon?

[dviper150]

Are these eels the same eel except the black is the juvenile form? I went to aquarium adventures today and they have 50% off their fish so I picked up a black ribbon eel. I know these guys are notorious for not eating but I asked the guy to feed it and it ate 2 ghost shrimps and some silversides .
He was telling me though the black ribbon eel is a rare form or something of the ribbon eels and it does not grow into the blue ribbon eel. I read everywhere else on online that the black form is the juvenile form and as it matures, it turns blue...

[LisaD]

I think that's the case.

[LargeAngels]

First black, then blue and then the females turn green (I think.)

[dviper150]

green?? i never heard of that. So their aren't any ribbon eels that stay black?

[LukFox]

None stay black unless they die. The females are a greenish yellow, yes.

[dviper150]

thats what I thought too and just wanted to confirm it. Aquarium adventures told me that this is some rare form and stays black. Don't know where they got that from.

[LukFox]

Trying to make a sale, likely.

[VoodooMach]

Definitely a sales hustle.

[LisaD]

Did they also tell you about their dismal survival record in captivity? I don't doubt the black ones they sell never change - very few probably ever mature.

[VoodooMach]

Did they also tell you about their dismal survival record in captivity? I don't doubt the black ones they sell never change - very few probably ever mature.

OP should have made sure it eats before you bought it!

[LisaD]

OP said it DID eat, ghost shrimp and silversides. Even eating ribbon eels don't seem to make it long term, very often.

[VoodooMach]

OP said it DID eat, ghost shrimp and silversides. Even eating ribbon eels don't seem to make it long term, very often.

You're right, but I have seen one that is going on 3years in capitivity. Some are finickier than others, but that's still like saying that no one can keep a Rhinopias frondosa in capitvity for more than 2 years which also up until the recent past was said to have a short lifespan in general.

[dviper150]

yea i Know they don't have a bad survival rate in captivity but i thought i would give it a shot since it was eating in the store before i picked it upi just ate yesterday so i will try to get on a normal schedule with, maybe 3 times a week or something. I am not worried about it not about it not eating but rather it finding a place to squeeze out of my tank from. I don't have any major holes on top but i still have small ones. I will to cover those up with sponges. the last ribbon eel I had lasted with for about a year. i just out 3 times 2 of which i was able to save it and the 3rd time i couldn't.

[LisaD]

since it was eating and you have some experience, maybe you can succeed with it. I've heard that the ones that survive and eat often walk out of the tank. good luck with it!

I'm pretty sure the story about it staying black was BS though.

[billsreef]

I'm pretty sure the story about it staying black was BS though.

Lisa is right. They pulled that story out of their backsides :lol:

[dviper150]

Yea, they probably did. Here is a picture of the guy. It is about 2.5 feet long.

http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss340/fahad09_2009/CIMG0298.jpg
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss340/fahad09_2009/CIMG0299.jpg
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss340/fahad09_2009/CIMG0300.jpg

[fish stalker]

Lisa is right. They pulled that story out of their backsides :lol:

definately BS then :lol:sorry could not resist. so much that lfs tell people is, makes me sad for the fish that get sold to a doomed life because many don't research further themselves. Seems that you have so, good luck with the eel especially hopeful as its eating and you have experience keeping them. I would definately relook at all openings on the tank asap, my snowflake got out of a tiny hole. Lucky for our eel it was found quick and could be saved and now everyone in the house is always doing an eel visual check when they walk by the tank.

[billsreef]

One of the tricks to Ribbon Eels, other than feeding, is adequate hiding space. Set up some lengths of PVC pipe hides camouflaged with rock, something the eel can completely hide in.

[dviper150]

One of the tricks to Ribbon Eels, other than feeding, is adequate hiding space. Set up some lengths of PVC pipe hides camouflaged with rock, something the eel can completely hide in.

I was thinking of doing that too but the way I have the rocks setup at the moment can't camouflage the pvc pipes. I did this with the last blue ribbon eel I had. I was planning on hiding a pvc pipe under the sand bed and just have the elbow end sticking out or something. I don't like the current aquascaping anyways so I will have something to do this weekend. :bounce3:

[JHemdal]

I'd pull those two Proteaster stars. I've had them grab onto the body of a ribbon eel - not sure if the eel was moribund and just couldn't pull away, or even if the star had any really bad intentions, but I seem to remember seeing lesions underneath where the star was......while you're at it, you may need to pull the clownfish (and was that an emperor angel?). Ribbon eels are so long that it is almost like they lose track of where their bodies are (especially the tail). If the tail wiggles over into the clownfish's territory, it may nip at it, and these eels don't seem to be able to move parts of their body to avoid attacks like that. They also do not do well with skin damage, it often results in systemic infections.

I wrote an article on these for FAMA magazine about 25 years ago, but I bet it isn't available anywhere:

1985. The ribbon eel, Rhinomuraena quaesita. Freshwater and Marine Aquarium
9(2):62.



Jay Hemdal

[dviper150]

I will be putting in a pvc pipe that is in an inch in diameter under the sand so the body stays more hidden. That is an emperor angel and it is about 4 inches. The tomato clown doesn't really bother anyone. I put the eel in the tank 3 days ago and I haven't noticed any chasing or biting by the clown fish. Hopefully, with the pvc pipes in, it can keep its body more hidden and thus preventing contact with the 2 starfish.

[Matt_Wandell]

Lisa is right. They pulled that story out of their backsides :lol:

I am guessing that is true about the LFS. However, the assumption which some here seem to be making--that ribbon eels will change color concurrently with the sex change in captivity--is one that, to my knowledge, has not been demonstrated.

The two examples of spawning ribbon eels in captivity that I know of were both with 2 pairs of individuals that were solid black in color. Food for thought...

In this case the individuals were accquired blue and reverted to black coloration after a few months in captivity, then spawned several years later.
Spawning from 2001 (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.recif-france.com%2FArticles%2FEckert%2FRhinomurenes.htm&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8)
In the other case they were accquired black and stayed that way until they spawned.
Eggs from 2008 (http://stickycricket.com/cuttle/ribboneeleggs/DSC_9789_reeggs_innet.jpg)

[billsreef]

Matt,

Interesting links. The assumption that ribbon eels change color according sex comes from the literature. Those links certainly challenge that.

[Matt_Wandell]

Matt,

Interesting links. The assumption that ribbon eels change color according sex comes from the literature. Those links certainly challenge that.


Hey Bill, I have no doubt that the literature is accurate--in the wild. Maybe some cue, or some part of the diet, is missing in captivity? Odd that we can get them to spawn but their natural color change does not seem to occur. It seems like that would be the most basic of functions. Anyhow, I would love to see some shots of people's eels changing colors with age--I think we've all assumed (myself included) that it happens in captivity but I can't say I've seen any examples of it.