Attack of the killer eel!

jla9508

Member
I bought a small Snowflake Moray about a month ago and it was getting along fine with my sixline and my two clowns. I went to the beach for a couple weeks and when I came home my sixline was gone. Later I found a small chunk of him in the sand. I guess the eel ate him. Now I want another fish, something that the eel will not eat and something that will get along with the clowns. Any suggestions?
Look below for my tank specs.
 

bhav_88

Member
The eel killed him but didn't eat him? That doesn't sound right... Maybe he missed a chunk, but that isn't normal behavior for a saltwater organism. Maybe the clowns bullied him to death.
 

chrismilano

Member
My suggestion would be anything that does NOT fit in his fully opened gaping maw!
Sounds sarcastic, but its basically all thats safe. My ribbon eel ate a couple of $30 fish that just fit nice and easy in his mouth!
 

clarkiiboi

Active Member
Just a suggestion, but what about returning the eel so you have no worries? Thats what I just did this week. My eel hid most of the time, and I was always doing tank mate checks. I believe once big enough, anything that will fit in its mouth will, including some of the cleanup crew (snails, etc.) Just a suggestion.
 

ed r

Member
I have had three different snowflakes in past years and never had one pay any attention to live fish. In fact, I had fish that would come up to the eel and whip the eel in the face with their tail. The eel always retreated. If I was guessing, I would say the fish died or was killed by something else.
 

chrismilano

Member
That's true. Eels dont bite fish, they just swallow them. My ribbon's so thin that you can see the outline of the fish in his belly for 2 days!
 
I thought all eels ate live fish. Who fed your tank while you were gone for two weeks? If they get hungry they will find something to eat.
 

blutang

Member
I was just getting ready to ask that same question....eels will eat tankmates if they get that hungry.
 

jla9508

Member
I had someone feed my fish while I was gone, but from what I have read I was not feeding him enough. The sixline always swam by the eel and the eel would snap at the fish. Also the eel didn't eat for a couple of days after I noticed the fish was missing. This is why I thought the eel ate him. I'm not 100% positive that the chunk was the sixline.
I am now thinking of getting a Valentini Puffer. Would it be ok with the two Clowns? They are about 2 in long. I also have hair algae taking over my tank and I want to get this cleared up before I add anything else. What can I do to get rid of it?
Thanks
 
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