Mysterious White Eel

[KennyM]

Hey guys, can anyone please help me in identifying this 2 1/2ft white eel I recently bought? It is mainly white with a few black speckles. It does not have any scales and likes to often 'lie' straight up and down with it's head sometimes out of the water for quite some time!

 

[Rex740]

You should post this in the Marine section down at the bottom of the site. The majority here are freshwater people.

You should post this in the Marine section down at the bottom of the site. The majority here are freshwater people.

 

[KennyM]

Why would I do that when it's in a freshwater set up???

 

[nurglespuss]

I was wondering that! LOL

Could you get a clearer close up of the head?

Thanks.

 

[KennyM]

Will do mate, might take me a couple of days though! But as soon as I do I'll put it on here for you to see. Thanks for your help.... The previous owner was told it might be a Hawaiin white eel, but I have searched through loads of websites and looked at hundreds of pictures but i can't find anything like it! I wondered if it was a lung fish, but that looks unlikely too!

 

[marieukxx]

Maybe an Albino Moray Eel?? They like to poke their heads out the water and are different from oher eels because they are thick smooth and have no scales. The albino ones are rare apparantly. There is a picture here a little way doen the page:

http/www.wetwebmedia.com/moraybehfaqs.htm

and here:

http/www.dive.net.au/image/id/6292-albino-moray-eel/

 

[twodoctors]

Hey guys, can anyone please help me in identifying this 2 1/2ft white eel I recently bought? It is mainly white with a few black speckles. It does not have any scales and likes to often 'lie' straight up and down with it's head sometimes out of the water for quite some time!

Wow!

Enough said!

 

[Plecostomos Fan]

If the eel is 2.5ft in lenth, how big is your tank?

 

[twodoctors]

If the eel is 2.5ft in lenth, how big is your tank?

Judging by the picture, not big enough!

 

[KennyM]

It's a 6 x 2 x 2.

 

[Rex740]

Are you sure it's an eel? It might be a caecilian.

 

[Mikaila31]

So your its new owner I assume . This same creature I tried to identify on another forum a few weeks ago. Seems its been sold and still no one can identify it....

The more information you give the better chances someone can identify it. how it behaves, what you are feeding it, ect.. More pictures would be helpful. I would keep in mind the possibility that it might actually be a salt water eel, sometime they can live in FW for awhile before it causes problems. I still don't have the slightest clue to what it could be... my first guess was it was a white caecilian, but the size, color, and shape doesn't match up. I agree with you completely that it is weird. Looks nothing like I anything I have seen. I don't think its a moray, its head looks fat and it does not have the fleshy fins that run along the top and bottom...

Does it behave like it has good eyesight? It looks somewhat nocturnal to me. If it is more active at night this might be the case.

 

[KennyM]

Thanks for that, yes, it appears to be the same one! I haven't seen it feeding yet (only had it a few days). I agree it's definately not a moray... To be honest I put a few cupfuls of salt in every water change, have done for years. I'll monitor it over the next few days and try and get some more info and pictures....... We'll get to the bottom of it eventually!

 

[england]

Iam thinking its a white eel, looks Anguillidae, There are 19 species more than likely the common uk species..Anguilla anguilla
also have a look at this link.
http/www.worldzootoday.com/2010/09/05/aquarium-lures-visitors-with-rare-white-eel/

http/www.jjphoto.dk/fish_archive/freshwater/anguilla_anguilla.htm

one thing, it will not fair well in that tank, if it is fresh water, you need it dull lit, without those types of tank mates, its beautiful, full of plants etc..

 

[marieukxx]

There must be people who specialise in this kind of thing out there. Maybe if you coulc contact someone like that or a zoo? Just a thought. Like someone said you need to gather info on it's eating and habits and try and get some better pics.