My Garden Eel setup

[romanr]

I decided to do this after losing all my fish during my 65g to 150g upgrade. Long story short, the pump in my temp holding tank died while I was at work. Corals and most inverts survived so I saw this as an opportunity to do something totally new and different. The idea came to me after reading an article on Garden Eels in Reef Hobbyist Magazine. I saw my new 150 cube as well suited for the aquascaping needed to host Garden Eels. Below is a link to a thread I started about my setup in my club's RC forum. I'm also attaching a few pics here. I hope to find others who have experiences and maybe even pictures to share of Garden Eel setups. Oh, BTW, I also have a pair of Orange Spotted Filefish which are doing well in the setup. The OSFF's were DD purchases that were eating prepared foods.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1950568


http://members.cox.net/raulroman/publicpics/DSC00072.jpg
http://members.cox.net/raulroman/publicpics/DSC00059.jpg
http://members.cox.net/raulroman/publicpics/DSC00061.jpg
http://members.cox.net/raulroman/publicpics/DSC00069.jpg

[Fretfreak13]

My gosh, those are SO COOL!!!! =D Definitely something different. Going to read the other thread now.

[60G]

very cool i was going to do some but never got to it:thumbsup:

[60G]

how are the filefish are they easy to do?

[romanr]

60G
The Filefish have been a lot easier than I thought. I did have to spend some time figuring out what food they take to best but I have to say that Diver's Den does an amazing job giving you fish that are healthy, active and most importantly eating prepared foods. I don't think I would have tried a direct from the wild Filefish as I know that requires a lot more commitment than I could devote at this time. If you catch a pair on DD and you can meet their needs in your setup, then I say go for it!

[kidkams]

great looking tank absolutely stunning. A garden eel tank is my dream set-up amd once i graduate i plan on setting one up. great job with yours everything looks amazing

[60G]

ok thanks

[Korrine]

how many eels do you have?

totally cool setup :wildone:

[romanr]

There are 6, all pretty small.

[singold]

Very cool. I remember reading that article, also. Nice tank set-up!

[romanr]

Thank you for all the great comments. I just uploaded some better pictures to the original thread and included links to the high-res versions. Read my last post to play the "find all the fish" game.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1950568

[roushmustang]

looked at these a while back and after seeing yours i may buy one.
are these reefsafe and would they eat a cleaner shrimp, purple lobster, or go after a hawaiian flame wrasse

[romanr]

If you're talking about the eels, they won't really bother anything but other things may bother them. Of course of most importance is an 8in sandbed for them to burrow on.

[roushmustang]

you actually influenced me.... i built a mound for one (about 5") and i was messing with the current flow and love how it just sits in the corner of the tank piled up. it looks sweet but even sweeter once i get the eel in 2 months.

what are you feeding your eels

[palmer373]

i read that the garden eels get up to 12" or more so they will need a sandbed deeper than 5" and 8". id like to get one of these but i dont have a system with a 10" plus sandbed. GL with yours tho!

[TheH]

Are you worried about the sand eventually sliding down / evening out?

[romanr]

TheH,
I'll keep an eye on it to make sure it remains the right depth but the bed is a mix of different grain sizes with a good bit of coral bones mixed in to provide stability. The top 1 in of the sand bed is Florida crushed coral to keep the top layer from being moved by the water current. I'm hoping these precautions will keep the bed from moving on me.

[roushmustang]

also romanr what type of lionfish is that in the picture under your username and where did you get it

[Matt_Wandell]

Very nice and unique looking tank!

I'm glad you enjoyed the article. I assume the eels are congregating in the areas where the sand is deeper? Why not add more and give them more space to spread out?

EDIT: @ roush, that lionfish is a Dendrochirus brachypterus yellow variant.

[romanr]

Matt, thank you for the kind words and your article that help launch this endeavor. I don't know if you are aware that someone else wrote a garden eel article for the 2011 Marine & Reef magazine. So it looks like you started a trend. I am very happy with my garden eel setup and I'm glad I decided to go this route.
Yes, initially the garden eels setup shop in the not so deep parts of the sand bed. Over the next couple of weeks they moved around a bit with all but one setting up shop in the deepest(8in) part of the sand bed. I would say that the other one is in about 5 inches of sand and he seems happy there. They also seem to have paired up a bit with 2 sets having paired up to where they are in very close proximity and get along fine. One thing that caught me by surprise is how long it's taken them to really settle in. 2 of them were out and eating from week 1. The rest took about 3 weeks before they were consistently hanging out of the burrow and eating. I'm also surprised how they have taken to flakes and pellets and how they would not eat the PE mysids (too big for them I think).
To be honest I only wanted to end up with about 4 garden eels for the space I allocated but my survival rate far exceeded what others had told me to expect. I ordered 8 total. One was DOA and one magically disappeared but the other 6 seem to be doing really well. I may expand the sand bed by about another square foot to give them a little more room. If you ever write another garden eel article, be sure to mention the unique way they use to go potty. They almost extend completely out of their burrow to were their anus is just out of the burrow and do a little sake to get things flowing in the current. It is really a neat thing to watch. I'll have to capture it on video and post it here if I can catch them in the act.

[Gangous]

How long have u had the eels I've heard survival rate not good also do u have a top?

[romanr]

I've had the eels for 2 months now. Yes, I have a screen top.

[jdinchak]

I just saw your post and was happy to see someone else try this out. My wife and I started a garden eel tank (dedicated) last year and have had 3 healthy eels since Feb (we got 4 more in today). They are great to watch and have. Would love to exchange info see what new things we can learn.

In the process of sending you a PM.

Nice tank, I love cubes!!!

[Matt_Wandell]

Matt, thank you for the kind words and your article that help launch this endeavor. I don't know if you are aware that someone else wrote a garden eel article for the 2011 Marine & Reef magazine. So it looks like you started a trend. I am very happy with my garden eel setup and I'm glad I decided to go this route.
Yes, initially the garden eels setup shop in the not so deep parts of the sand bed. Over the next couple of weeks they moved around a bit with all but one setting up shop in the deepest(8in) part of the sand bed. I would say that the other one is in about 5 inches of sand and he seems happy there. They also seem to have paired up a bit with 2 sets having paired up to where they are in very close proximity and get along fine. One thing that caught me by surprise is how long it's taken them to really settle in. 2 of them were out and eating from week 1. The rest took about 3 weeks before they were consistently hanging out of the burrow and eating. I'm also surprised how they have taken to flakes and pellets and how they would not eat the PE mysids (too big for them I think).
To be honest I only wanted to end up with about 4 garden eels for the space I allocated but my survival rate far exceeded what others had told me to expect. I ordered 8 total. One was DOA and one magically disappeared but the other 6 seem to be doing really well. I may expand the sand bed by about another square foot to give them a little more room. If you ever write another garden eel article, be sure to mention the unique way they use to go potty. They almost extend completely out of their burrow to were their anus is just out of the burrow and do a little sake to get things flowing in the current. It is really a neat thing to watch. I'll have to capture it on video and post it here if I can catch them in the act.

Thanks Raul, I wasn't aware another article had been written. Do you happen to have a link to that, or only in print?

Your experience with mortality is pretty similar to ours. ~10% losses in the "nothing you can do to save them" period, either DOA or in the first few days. Then everything that makes it past this is pretty damn durable.

They can be shy for a week or two, but take to just about any food offered after a few weeks. The long term problems are anorexia from improper feeding and overcrowding. A given space can hold a static number of garden eels, and no matter how many you add you will wind up with the same number regardless of how much you feed. This number is determined by the surface area, more or less. Keep an eye on how often the "paired" individuals are actually eating and observe their behavior with each other--sometimes you can catch them fighting. Ours don't take mysis reliably either, but occassionally will grab small frozen ones if they're moving through the water.

Totally cool about the pooping. I've never seem them do it!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Very nice Raul! I find those garden eels so fascinating. I also love all the mushrooms in the tank. ;)

[romanr]

A few videos

http://www.youtube.com/v/OhTSRsoCDls

http://www.youtube.com/v/Rh2Nb3aixcg

http://www.youtube.com/v/x1sBqXzAhk0

[acoff87]

i know this is about the garden eels, which are very cool! but how long have you had the file fish? what are they feeding on.

[romanr]

OSFF are eating Formula 1 flakes, NLS Finicky fish pellets, Reef Caviar, Hikari Mysids, Rod's Food and a few other frozen and dry foods I mix in occasionally.

[romanr]

Just updated my tank's thread with new pictures and video. Look on this threads first post for the link. Here are a few samples.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/5440722210_3e434c871f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5440722210/)
Garden eel (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5440722210/) by romanrjr (http://www.flickr.com/people/59461214@N04/), on Flickr

[romanr]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5298/5441093642_cf10343a4e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5441093642/)
Garden Eel (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5441093642/) by romanrjr (http://www.flickr.com/people/59461214@N04/), on Flickr

[romanr]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5259/5440446509_8397fdfdbb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5440446509/)
Yellow Lionfish (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5440446509/) by romanrjr (http://www.flickr.com/people/59461214@N04/), on Flickr

[romanr]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5013/5440430569_770272416f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5440430569/)
What a beauty! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5440430569/) by romanrjr (http://www.flickr.com/people/59461214@N04/), on Flickr

[romanr]

And a short video of an eel going potty.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59461214@N04/5440418229/

[huskerreef]

I recently set up a 90 gallon tank for garden eels and have 4 so far. Mine seem to always suck back into the sand as you walk anywhere near the tank so its kind of hard to really enjoy up close. Are experiencing the same thing or do they eventually warm up to people. I am hoping to get about 7-10 more, maybe there is more comfort in numbers. Very cool animal.

[romanr]

I do think they do better in groups. Mine are still a little skittish but they get better with time.

[LisaD]

what is the best source for healthy garden eels? direct from collectors in Florida? liveaquaria? what is the experience of those of you with thriving garden eels?

[romanr]

Lisa, I got mine from bluezoo aquaticts. Liveaquaria has them also from time to time. There are a few other varieties available but those seem to be rare. That Pet Place list these on their site but they never seem to be in-stock.

[huskerreef]

beware of a garden eel that is pink in color, I have a friend that ordered some in and this variety actually eats the garden eels you have in this thread. He added them to his system and within a day or two the pink ones ate the others. I don't know the name of them, he couldn't recall just that they were pink.

[romanr]

This is the only other species I've seen offered in the retail channels. They are called Splendid Garden Eels (Gorgasia preclara) These will coexist with the black spotted (Hass's Garden Eel or more precisely Taenioconger hassi) as I have seen them housed together in an exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium.

http://www.thatpetplace.com//images/large/244257.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j274/bitybabynurse/photography/webgardenEelsIMG_6205.jpg

[romanr]

Oh BTW, The Splendid is available right now (2/14/11 1:50 PM EST) @ That Pet Place.
The Black Spotted is available right now from Live Aquaria and Bluezoo Aquatics. The price is $40 per.

[namxas]

Super, super nice...both the yellow fuzzy and the GE's. I still vow to do a GE setup someday, as I've always really liked them. We see them around the LA area from time to time, including the splendids.

[Elysia]

Say the word, Lisa, and I can check on the ones at TFP for you, taking photos and the like.

[capecoral]

Oh I gotta have one of these now...

[Hens4Fish]

Where can you find research and specs on how to keep these guys? I have a 4" sand bed, and was thinking of putting an acrylic box to keep it deep enough. Do you think it would work, and the eels would find it, or does it have to be the slope sanded? Also, the only aggressive eater in my tank is a queen, doesn't bother the other fish, just eats food fast. Would that be compatible with the GE?
Thanks

[romanr]

The Georgia aquarium keeps angels and other like fish in their garden eel exhibit. Water volume will dictate how successful that would be. Having an aggressive eater will make the eels take longer to settle down. The eels seem to take a week or two to find their ideal spot so they will eventually end up on the deep end of the sand bed. Search for the couple of articles published in magazines regarding the garden eels.

[Hens4Fish]

I only have a 75, how many could I have?
Thanks

[romanr]

It depends how much real estate you want to devote to them. I would say one or two eels per square foot of sand surface area. The size of the specimen acquired would also play into this equation.

[romanr]

I got an iPad 2 and wanted to try out the video and the iMovie video editing software so here is my first attempt. It's a 15 minute survey of my tank shot and edited on the iPad in HD. It has a some feeding scenes and showcases the Yellow Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish, the Orange Spotted / Harlequin filefish and the Spotted Garden Eels. All are doing really well.

<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wiOYTko7x5k?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wiOYTko7x5k?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>

[Korrine]

very cool tank :) Especially love feeding time and watching the eels eat

[dzhuo]

Very unique! Is the Yellow Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish a thread to the smaller fish (like chromis)?

[capecoral]

hmmm... 1 or 2 per sq ft. Not much home for a nano.

[romanr]

Very unique! Is the Yellow Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish a thread to the smaller fish (like chromis)?

The smallest fish in the tank is the male tomato clown and even he is too big for the full-grown dwarf to swallow. The dwarf prefers frozen Mysids and similarly sized food.

[romanr]

Are you worried about the sand eventually sliding down / evening out?

I can report that there has been a very gradual and slight migration of the sand towards the lower sides. It has been so small that I think I'll be able to get away with just adding a little more sand to the deeper sides to keep it at a minimum of 8 inches. I have also been surprised than one of the eels seems to prefer the shallow (4 in) portion of the sand slope. Other factors may of course be in play in his or her preference.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Love the video Raul! Everything looks fat and healthy. Congratulations!!

[romanr]

Thank you all for the kind comments. It is all the fine people on RC I have to thank for my current success.

[KafudaFish]

I really enjoyed your video.

I remember the article and put it down as "things to do" when I have a tall tank.

[dzhuo]

The smallest fish in the tank is the male tomato clown and even he is too big for the full-grown dwarf to swallow. The dwarf prefers frozen Mysids and similarly sized food.

Is this the same one?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/large/lg-72901-fuzzy-dwarf-lion.jpg

I was looking for a predatory fish for my reef but I am concern if my chromis will eventually end up being its lunch.

Also, how often do you feed the eel and how do you know if they are properly fed?

[romanr]

Regarding feeding: My tank is now being fed about a good sized pinch of a mix of flakes, pellets and granules 6 times per day on a feeder. Then in the evening it's about three cubes worth of frozen food that is rotated daily.(Mysids, spirulina brine, Rod's herbivore, Rod's regular, Rod's coral and fish eggs)

Regarding lion: Yep, same as in your pic. Mine is a yellow variant. I bought him trained on frozen mysids. I myself was never able to get one off of live food. The dwarfs are also mainly nocturnal and it takes them a while to adjust to feeding during the day. They are a great reef addition. If you are looking for some of the more interesting color variants you should check out DD. I have seen some very nice reds and yellows on there.

[romanr]

It's been a while since I've offered up an update so here is a short video of the eels at feeding time. Look for a surprise update over the next few days.

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4P4dQKqOOSQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<object width="640" height="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4P4dQKqOOSQ?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4P4dQKqOOSQ?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="480" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

http://www.youtube.com/v/4P4dQKqOOSQ

[romanr]

Duplicate post deleted?