Eel!

[KraKen]

I'm hoping to put a zebra spiny eel in my new tank and I was wondering if the 1 inch per gallon rule still applies when it comes to eels.

 

[AmberMc]

I say no, but some others might disagree. Make sure to post pics if you get one!!!

 

[KraKen]

OK, thanks

I have some more questions as well...

What kind of substrate would be best for an eel?

Do eels need special food or can they eat regular tropical fish food?

What kind of fish would it be best to keep with an eel?

 

[DiscusAngel]

OK, thanks

I have some more questions as well...

What kind of substrate would be best for an eel?

Do eels need special food or can they eat regular tropical fish food?

What kind of fish would it be best to keep with an eel?

Best kept in sand, but can be kept in SMALL pea gravel

There best fed on bloodworms and daphnia etc.. dont really eat fish food. and not really all tht good for them

Any fish really can be kept with eels, u say what you want and we'll tell you f its ok or not. there mn tankates avaliable.



EDIT: Internet lag, My post was done like 6 times

 

[fishfishfish]

ive been looking for a zebra spiney also.but no luck.where r u getting one

 

[Genie]

i have some form of eels, and they've lived just on the dried fishfood, noone told me any different at the time (so when tanks all better, they will get a dietry change )

Mine live with angel fish, gourami, plec, neon tetras. Ive had most normal pet shop fish in the same time ive had these.

They were fine in the old tank, which had smaller gravel WITH bigger gravel, but arent doing so well in the new tank with just the bigger gravel (its not that big, but must just be that big enough) But are sheltering behind the rock i put in. They arent happy unless hiding.

I couldnt tell you the species, but im hoping their behaviour is similar enough to be of some help

 

[severum boy]

Almost all thin sp. of fish dont count in the 'correct' way with the inch per gallon rule, nor with typical minimum size tank rules. For instance, a ropefish would need a 120x60x60cm tank as a minimum size if we count it as a inactive sp.. A zebra eel would count about half of its length, so 8cm.
Also get more than one. The chances of seeing one increase a lot when you have a few. What size is your tank?
My not-actually-zebras-but-very-similar-and-rarer eels are living with snails of varying size, rainbowfish sp.s and a few different catfish sp.

Mine live with angel fish, gourami, plec, neon tetras.

What sp. is the gourami? A larger sp. could cause the eel some damage when it gets bigger.

They were fine in the old tank, which had smaller gravel WITH bigger gravel, but arent doing so well in the new tank with just the bigger gravel (its not that big, but must just be that big enough) But are sheltering behind the rock i put in. They arent happy unless hiding.

You should ALWAYS use sand with eels. If they cannot bury and instead hide behind ornaments or indeed in them, they are at a large risk of getting stressed. Combined with scratching on gravel, this can result in disease. If you want to feel what it will be like for your eels to bury in gravel, try rubbing your arm hard with rocks from your garden. Guess what, it hurts.

 

[Genie]

the species was an opaline gourami. Never got too big before it died

 

[KraKen]

My tank is 20 gallons(US)

I don't really know where I'm going to get it, I think the have them on aquarium fish.net but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable buying fish online, so I'll just look around at my lfs'

You say they'll work with any fish but I've also heard that they eat neons and guppies , also could I put ghost shrimp in with an eel?

 

[fishfishfish]

i just looked there after about the 20th time but they only have information on the zebra and not zebras for sale.

 

[severum boy]

You say they'll work with any fish but I've also heard that they eat neons and guppies , also could I put ghost shrimp in with an eel?

Dont put them with anything less than 1/4 of their body length. So that rules out ghost shrimp. If they are the clawed sp., dont put them with the eel, if the eel tried to eat them they would put a tough defence and damage the eel (eels dont have scales so CAN be venerable).