Freshwater eel

[fishaholic]

I was thinking about getting a freshwater eel. I was just wondering what the gallon requierments would be. I still need to do sum more reserch on them, but it's just this question for now.

 

[Final Dynazty]

something where the width of the tank is at least a foot and a half long.

 

[guppymonkey]

I am guessing that there are probably more than one species of freshwater eel. If they are the size of moray eels then you are going to need a really huge tank. Remember its not just about squeezing a fish into a tank, they have to have room to swim too.

 

[Da_Oz]

Tire track ells can live in a 20g tank but like 40g long tanks the best. They really like sand bottoms with a big flat bottom rock on it. Ells are very good if you like to watch your fish all the time. They need hiding places to be happy and like to eat at night when the lights are out.

 

[fishaholic]

Ok, thanks. But would they like to eat live food like feeder fish? Or should i not risk it beacause I've heard that feeder fish carry deseases.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Could always breed your own feeders. Another thing about eels is you have to be careful they don't get out of the tank, that's how my brother lost a few of his, they swam up the outflowing water of the filter and onto the floor, by the time we found them they were twigs of green...

 

[CFC]

There are many species of "freshwater eel" but the most common ones are those of the spiney eel families Mastacembelus and Macrognathus. Of those available only a few can be housed in anything less than a 75 gallon tank as most grow to large sizes, Fire eels (Mastacembelus erythrotaenia) and tyre track eels (Mastacembelus armatus) can both grow to 40 inches. The most commonly encountered small eel is the Peacock spiney eel (Macrognathus aculeatus) which usually attains a length of around 12 inches and can be housed in a 30 gallon tank.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=41583