Starting an eel tank

kreach

kreach

Active Member
Ok, I'm getting ready to set up a 120 gallon eel tank. I haven't even started the cycling process yet, but I'm trying to set up a "game plan" for the tank once I've got it cycled and established.
The tank will have a 2-3 inch sandbed and approximately 100 lbs of live rock.
Ideally, I'd like to have a two eels plus perhaps four fish. My tentative stocking list (added slowly over time):
Zebra Eel
Snowflake Eel
Adult Maroon clown (who is currently in my 175 gallon reef tank)
Hippo Tang
I haven't decided on the other two fish, so any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm wanting something fairly active that will add some motion to the tank, since the eels will hang out in the rockwork most of the time.
Thoughts? Concerns? Opinions?
 
kreach

kreach

Active Member
Despite the fact that they are common, I've always liked the look of the snowflake eel. The chainlink is a cool eel as well... certainly one I'd be willing to consider instead of the SF.
Yes, the tank is primarily to showcase eels, but I'd like to have some fish, so I'm trying to stick with pebble toothed eels so that any fish I put in the tank will have a decent chance of survival.
It is my understanding that tesselated eels are agressive and predatory and should be kept in a species only tank... which rules them out for me. They are a gorgeous eel though.
 
terminus est

terminus est

Member
I wont go yay or nay yet on the niger trigger. I have one in my tank with my new snowflake(only kind I can afford) and whenever the eel comes out to eat it gets picked on by the Niger. If you get them as small ones(the eels) try a maroon clown. You might also try a flame angel, nice and bright for when the eels are hiding under the rocks.
 
dmarie120

dmarie120

Member
Try some type of wrasse. Most are aggressive enough for an eel tank and they are constantly swimming. I've got a lunare in mine with two eels.
 
polarpooch

polarpooch

Active Member
I'm just going to speak from experience and say that even the pebble tooth eels will eat fish. Yes, indeed!
The ONLY fish I'd put in with an eel, and only a fair-sized snowflake (because little ones probably would get picked on), is a Sohol or a Trigger.
I got advice that wrasses would be fine in an eel tank. Nope. My snowflake at my Lunare. Tesselata at the Klunzinger. That's more expensive food than I eat.
I got advice that my ghost eels would be fine with fish, as long as they weren't tiny fish. Then that slight, slinky, delicate ghost eel ate a 2.5" clownfish.
Eels+fish=EELS
Really, avoid fish in your eel tank...it's the safest way to play it.
 
darbronnoco

darbronnoco

Member
Maybe consider a puffer fish.... they have an awesome personality and I had one with my frimbrated morey for years.
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
I've kept SFE's and now have a zebra as well as other fish eating eels. I've never had a SFE or Zebra bite at a fish. They are primarily crustacean eaters. Anything can happen but I've had mine in with tangs, puffers, angels, and many other types of fish. People tell war stories about how their SFE ate their 2 foot trigger, but you just have to chalk that up to a bad specimen.
A tessalata is a different story. They aren't suited for a 120 gallon (more like a 300) and will not co-exist with any fish.
Your original fish list sounds fine. The hippo should be in a 6ft tank when it matures, how wide is your tank?
Really, a SFE and Zebra will go great with tangs and a maroon clown. Puffers are a good idea, so are butterflies, large wrasses, anything that won't outgrow your tank is fine.
 
95harley

95harley

Active Member
HOLY THREAD RESURRECTION Batman! This thing is 3 years old! :hilarious
I just had a 14 SFE eat a Blue Damsel, but I kind of set him up..LOL
I was feeding the SFE raw shrimp off of the feeding stick and the blue damsel started eating some. I took the shrimp and rubbed it on the damsel, he acted like a dog being petted and started rubbing against the shrimp.
After that night he was never seen again. I think he must have had the shrimp smell on him and..well...you get the idea.
 
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