I Want An Eel But Need To Know..........

[jimn]

Hi guys, I am planning to upgrade my 100l tank soon with possibly the juwel vision 260l. Firstly and importantly, is this tank secure? i went to my lfs and they only had a small rio which to me looked secure. I want a fire eel but think they may get too large. I have read reports saying 50gal min but another post on here saying 180gal min. Is 260l way too small? - I have had a pangathius/id shark for 5 years in my 100l tank but it has only doubled in size from 3 inches to about 6. based on this logic/naivity is it possible a fire eel wouldn't outgrow a 260l setup? If the answer is yes it would outgrow it, I still do want a spiny eel so maybe a peacock eel but may have trouble getting one at lfs. so does anyone know of a mail order site that sells them in the uk? I seem to be able to find fire eels online but not peacock - and what about substrate? is seachams flourite ok if not any suggestions from here for example?http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=220


If I should use sand how do i do water changes without siphering the sand? - currently i siphen the water from the gravel in my current tank or would i do it diffently with sand?

sorry - a lot of questions I know but I want to be sure before I make any purchase.

Thanks

 

[8inary]

I have 3 types of eels - fire, tiretrack and spinny. The latter remain fairly small and hide in sand. The other two can get quite large. My tire is around 20" whilst the fire eel is 2.5foot and needs plenty of room.

I also use coral sand in my tank, it is more rustic than sand and IMO looks better.

Heres my tank, showing my critters

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLGa8d9L1SY

 

[Liam50]

i believe tri-mar have tire track eel and fire and the deliver, also just like to say i have ordered around ten fish from them and all arrived safely and generally been in great condition. http/www.trimar.co.uk/

 

[indigoj]

Hi guys, I am planning to upgrade my 100l tank soon with possibly the juwel vision 260l. Firstly and importantly, is this tank secure? i went to my lfs and they only had a small rio which to me looked secure. I want a fire eel but think they may get too large. I have read reports saying 50gal min but another post on here saying 180gal min. Is 260l way too small? - I have had a pangathius/id shark for 5 years in my 100l tank but it has only doubled in size from 3 inches to about 6. based on this logic/naivity is it possible a fire eel wouldn't outgrow a 260l setup? If the answer is yes it would outgrow it, I still do want a spiny eel so maybe a peacock eel but may have trouble getting one at lfs. so does anyone know of a mail order site that sells them in the uk? I seem to be able to find fire eels online but not peacock - and what about substrate? is seachams flourite ok if not any suggestions from here for example?http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=220


If I should use sand how do i do water changes without siphering the sand? - currently i siphen the water from the gravel in my current tank or would i do it diffently with sand?

sorry - a lot of questions I know but I want to be sure before I make any purchase.

Thanks

Ok, no eel is going to be ok in 100l, a smaller type like the half banded or peacock will be ok in a 260l. The idea of fish not growing much in a smaller tank is called stunting and means the fish will suffer and have a severely shortened lifespan. A fire eel or a tyre track eel needs a minimum of a 6ft tank as they can reach 2-3ft and can be pretty active. You need sand or fine smooth gravel for any eel. Please, don't buy an eel before you can house it properly.

 

[simonas]

AS ABOVE REALLY fire eels are very active fish and grow a good size as you have been made aware, it would be a shame anyway to keep one in a small tank

I;m surprised your pang cats didn;t grow quicker as I didn;t think a small tank woud stop them!

 

[jimn]

o.k thanks for the advice guys. The tank on the first post looks amazing but a bit bigger than the 260l i have in mind !!( i don't think my floor boards could handle it). When I was sold the pangathius it was the shop who told me it only got to about 10 inches max so i didn't purposely stunt it's growth. Only in the last year or so have i found out how big they can get but it seems happy and healthy enough in my 100l tank. i will obviously listen to the advice here and not get a fire eel . I will try and get a peacock eel of trimar or cheapfish.co.uk. sometimes i have seen eels sold as "spinny eel" i assume this would mean it is a smaller eel and not say a tiretrack? So a peackcock eel will be fine in a 260l, I will get some black sand as think this looks good and some pvc pipe. do you guys think the jewel vision will be secure for an eel though? also i guess a peackock eel wil give me more scope for tankmates. what fish would be looks at as potential prey do you think. thanks again

 

[BecciMac1987]

and to think a year or so ago I bought a fire eel for my 54l community on advice from the pet shop!!

 

[indigoj]

o.k thanks for the advice guys. The tank on the first post looks amazing but a bit bigger than the 260l i have in mind !!( i don't think my floor boards could handle it). When I was sold the pangathius it was the shop who told me it only got to about 10 inches max so i didn't purposely stunt it's growth. Only in the last year or so have i found out how big they can get but it seems happy and healthy enough in my 100l tank. i will obviously listen to the advice here and not get a fire eel . I will try and get a peacock eel of trimar or cheapfish.co.uk. sometimes i have seen eels sold as "spinny eel" i assume this would mean it is a smaller eel and not say a tiretrack? So a peackcock eel will be fine in a 260l, I will get some black sand as think this looks good and some pvc pipe. do you guys think the jewel vision will be secure for an eel though? also i guess a peackock eel wil give me more scope for tankmates. what fish would be looks at as potential prey do you think. thanks again

Virtually any type of eel can be sold as 'spiney eel' I'd probably avoid buying one that wasn't identified properly.

I keep a half banded eel in with a variety of fish - including glass cats and praecox rainbows, anything bigger than their mouths is usually fine. In fact the little guy (he's about 7") fights - literally tug-of-war over blood worm with my climbing perch and will eat from hand.

 

[sayur]

and to think a year or so ago I bought a fire eel for my 54l community on advice from the pet shop!!

Don't listen to the pet shops most of them do that to make a sale.When Ibought my first fish(beta) they said it could live in a fish bowl with normal tap water, it didn't need heating a pump or a filter.I didn't know any thing about fish and ended up spending 5 times more than I expected.

I'm not saying that all can't be trusted, but its best to get a second opinion.