Snowflake Eel

Flacricket · 05/24/2009, 04:02 PM

I used to have a reef and F/O but 1 had to go so now only have reef. The only fish I miss is my snowflake eel. Can one be kept in a reef tank if so what do I have to look out for ?

Cricket

candeewolf · 05/24/2009, 07:29 PM

the snowflake will not be safe with fishes that fit in his mouth (occ. & perc clowns, small gobies, etc.). cleanup crews will also likely not do well with him.

Jerry W · 05/24/2009, 07:39 PM

They're not piscivores (fish eaters) by nature. I've kept rather large sfe's with chromis, clowns,etc and had no problem. The risk to other fish usually occurs during feeding when the near-blind eel is tring to snag food and latches on to a fish that gets in the way. Not to say the eel won't go after a fish, but if you keep it well fed (target feeding them is easy), hey tend to leave other things alone. IME, hermits are pretty safe, as are snails. Cleaner shrimps are also okay and will spend time servicing the eel. Crabs like emeralds, porcelains, sally lightfoots, are eventually a snack. Another problem with them in reef tanks is their burrowing in the substrate which can topple rock work and corals.

tatmanfish · 05/25/2009, 04:34 AM

i have one that eat thing that dont fit into his mouth. i feed him often. i got an angel that was way to big for my eel to eat. within seconds of introducing the the eel grabbed the angel by the head and did a death roll until there was body missing a head floating in my tank. that was a $150 mistake. usually they arent this aggressive, but i guess i got the bad apple.

KDDG · 05/25/2009, 08:44 AM

I had a similar experience to Jerry. My snowflake was not a threat to my other fish, even small ones. But, he did need to be fed before the other fish, so he would not come out biting. However, my shrimps were not so lucky. Mine also was not too destructive to the set up. Once he got settled in and made his main tunnel, he pretty much stayed in one place. Maybe I never had a fish eating problem like tatmanfish because my eel was last to go in? I could imagine him eating something added after being established.

05/24/2009, 04:02 PM	#1
Flacricket Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Dade City FL Posts: 250	Snowflake Eel I used to have a reef and F/O but 1 had to go so now only have reef. The only fish I miss is my snowflake eel. Can one be kept in a reef tank if so what do I have to look out for ? Cricket

05/24/2009, 07:39 PM	#3
Jerry W Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: PA. Posts: 2,839	They're not piscivores (fish eaters) by nature. I've kept rather large sfe's with chromis, clowns,etc and had no problem. The risk to other fish usually occurs during feeding when the near-blind eel is tring to snag food and latches on to a fish that gets in the way. Not to say the eel won't go after a fish, but if you keep it well fed (target feeding them is easy), hey tend to leave other things alone. IME, hermits are pretty safe, as are snails. Cleaner shrimps are also okay and will spend time servicing the eel. Crabs like emeralds, porcelains, sally lightfoots, are eventually a snack. Another problem with them in reef tanks is their burrowing in the substrate which can topple rock work and corals. __________________ Americans sleep peacefully in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. Current Tank Info: 37 FOWLR; African flameback angel, pair of ocellaris and a ywg

05/25/2009, 08:44 AM	#5
KDDG Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 208	I had a similar experience to Jerry. My snowflake was not a threat to my other fish, even small ones. But, he did need to be fed before the other fish, so he would not come out biting. However, my shrimps were not so lucky. Mine also was not too destructive to the set up. Once he got settled in and made his main tunnel, he pretty much stayed in one place. Maybe I never had a fish eating problem like tatmanfish because my eel was last to go in? I could imagine him eating something added after being established. __________________ Kelly Current Tank Info: In wall, bar: Approx. 310 Gal

05/24/2009, 07:29 PM	#2
candeewolf Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 145	the snowflake will not be safe with fishes that fit in his mouth (occ. & perc clowns, small gobies, etc.). cleanup crews will also likely not do well with him.

05/25/2009, 04:34 AM	#4
tatmanfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 52	i have one that eat thing that dont fit into his mouth. i feed him often. i got an angel that was way to big for my eel to eat. within seconds of introducing the the eel grabbed the angel by the head and did a death roll until there was body missing a head floating in my tank. that was a $150 mistake. usually they arent this aggressive, but i guess i got the bad apple.