Whilst viewing possible inhabitants for my tank (was picking up snails) my wife came upon two small snowflake eels in which she wanted immediately. They seemed pretty small; the head was between a nickel and dime and the body was maybe 8-10 inches long. I know they will eat things that are smaller than them including fish. I currently have a 4-5" lawnmower blenny, a 5-6" clouded wrasse and a pair of 3-5" maroon clowns along with a peppermint and anemone shrimp in a 75 which will collectively be a year old next month. Not really a big loss if it would eat the shrimp as I never see them for long anyway. I would only purchase 1 unless otherwise persueded. Anyone have any suggestions or have dealt with these eels?
Snowflake Eel
- Thread starter darkdrako
- Start date
My friend JL Audio has had it in his reef tanks. Gorgeous Eels. The key is to buy them small and ween them on prepared foods Freeze Dried Large Krill dipped in garlic works. Keep them fed daily so they don't have the need to eat anything else.
Also make sure you have a top. THEY WILL JUMP.
Also make sure you have a top. THEY WILL JUMP.
- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
I've kept snowflakes in a reef tank before. Fish that size should be fine with the eel, but there are a few things to keep in mind before getting an eel.
Do not get more than one in a 75g.
Eels produce an insane amount of waste, and will greatly increase the bioload on your tank. Make sure your filtration (skimmer, chemical, etc) is up to par.
The shrimp should be removed from the tank, as they will most likely become lunch and/or playthings. In addition, my snowflake would occasionally go after snails and hermits, which caused me to need to replace my cleaning crew more frequently.
Having a top on the tank is a good idea, they can and will jump if they're not happy (and the possibility is there even if they are happy). If an eel does jump, rinse it and place it back in the tank quickly. A seemingly dead eel will often survive (sometimes for hours) outside of the tank.
Eels do not need to be fed daily, and doing so will pollute your tank and can shorten the life of the eel. Once or twice a week is sufficient, and feeding should be done with a feeding stick (Do not hand feed. It looks cool, but an eel bite will hurt and can cause serious infection). Due to poor eyesight, you'll need to put food (krill and silversides are excellent) in front of his hiding spot and let him grab it.
Eels require plenty of hiding spots in the tank, and if your rock work doesn't provide this, you'll want to rearrange or add PVC tubes for the eel to hide in.
If you're still interested in the snowflake after taking all of this into consideration, spend the $10 on this book. It will answer most of your questions.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/079380566X/?tag=reefs04-20
Hope this helps.
Do not get more than one in a 75g.
Eels produce an insane amount of waste, and will greatly increase the bioload on your tank. Make sure your filtration (skimmer, chemical, etc) is up to par.
The shrimp should be removed from the tank, as they will most likely become lunch and/or playthings. In addition, my snowflake would occasionally go after snails and hermits, which caused me to need to replace my cleaning crew more frequently.
Having a top on the tank is a good idea, they can and will jump if they're not happy (and the possibility is there even if they are happy). If an eel does jump, rinse it and place it back in the tank quickly. A seemingly dead eel will often survive (sometimes for hours) outside of the tank.
Eels do not need to be fed daily, and doing so will pollute your tank and can shorten the life of the eel. Once or twice a week is sufficient, and feeding should be done with a feeding stick (Do not hand feed. It looks cool, but an eel bite will hurt and can cause serious infection). Due to poor eyesight, you'll need to put food (krill and silversides are excellent) in front of his hiding spot and let him grab it.
Eels require plenty of hiding spots in the tank, and if your rock work doesn't provide this, you'll want to rearrange or add PVC tubes for the eel to hide in.
If you're still interested in the snowflake after taking all of this into consideration, spend the $10 on this book. It will answer most of your questions.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/079380566X/?tag=reefs04-20
Hope this helps.
- Location
- Staten Island
I have a snowflake eel but he is not kept in a reef tank. beerfish gave you awesome info. Other things to consider is that they do grow fast. When I bought mine about a year and a half ago he was about 10-12 inches long. Now he has more than doubled in length and girth. Also, mine loves to slide in and out of the rockwork so I would imagine any corals that are not glued down could be toppled over.
I'll definitely check out that book. The general consensus from reading around is that a single snowflake can live its life comfortably in a 75g tank. Definitley not going to feed by hand and would only be done a few times a week at most. I already have covers with less than 1/4" opening for wires to go into the tank for powerheads. plenty of rockwork caves that my wrasse uses to go from one side of the tank to the other. Just don't see many tanks with one and thought it would be something nice and a little different. As far as the shrimp, if I can get them out then I will; if not, then they will eventually be eel food.
dacaptain78: what is the approx. girth of your eel?
dacaptain78: what is the approx. girth of your eel?
- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
Sounds like your tank will work pretty well for him. The book is a great read, and will tell you all you need to know about the actual eels, but a little dated, so don't take some of the equipment talk too seriously.
The reasons you don't see many eels in reef tanks are the added bioload, the fact that you will need to replace cleanup crew frequently, and as dacaptain mentioned, the fact that they will knock over anything not bolted down. I always thought that eels were cool enough to deal with it, but it does add some work and expense.
The reasons you don't see many eels in reef tanks are the added bioload, the fact that you will need to replace cleanup crew frequently, and as dacaptain mentioned, the fact that they will knock over anything not bolted down. I always thought that eels were cool enough to deal with it, but it does add some work and expense.
- Location
- Staten Island
He is a little under two inches thick and close to 24 inches long. He is pretty much full grown now.
- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
If the meaty part will fit in the eel's mouth they're at risk. They won't decimate the population immediately, and feeding on a regular schedule will help, but yeah he'll go after them.
- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
That said... it is one of the coolest things I've ever seen when he does go after one.
I once watched my snowflake go into ninja mode, dart out of his rock, flip a snail over, and suck him out of the shell in one quick motion.
I once watched my snowflake go into ninja mode, dart out of his rock, flip a snail over, and suck him out of the shell in one quick motion.
That sounds pretty cool. I have lost some of my cleaning crew to a rogue hermit crab that would kill anything in reach and not even take the shell. He took out 2 mexican turbos, 2 astrea and 3 ceriths before I found the shells
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- Location
- Staten Island
That hermit crab is a goner if you get the eel, lol. Yeah either or both of my snowflake or my zebra eels have completely wiped out my herit crab population. I still have some snails, but not as many. I never had any shrimps in that tank but I am sure they would be first on the menu.
I also keep eels, but not in my reef!
I have a zebra, and a snowflake in a 6' 120 gallon tank. Between them, and the gs maroon the sand is constantly being re-arranged. As they re-arrange the sand they make the rocks shift. My eels are fed silversides, prawns, and they will even go after mysis shrimps. They are fed quite frequently, almost everyday.
I love these guys, but will not ever put them in my reef.
Oh yeah, my snowflake is over 24" in length, and about 2" in girth. The zebra is almost 3', and also about 2" in girth.
I have a zebra, and a snowflake in a 6' 120 gallon tank. Between them, and the gs maroon the sand is constantly being re-arranged. As they re-arrange the sand they make the rocks shift. My eels are fed silversides, prawns, and they will even go after mysis shrimps. They are fed quite frequently, almost everyday.I love these guys, but will not ever put them in my reef.
Oh yeah, my snowflake is over 24" in length, and about 2" in girth. The zebra is almost 3', and also about 2" in girth.
My hermit was banished to my nanocube. If the worst that an eel can do in a reef tank is move some sand and taste some snails it doesn't seem all that bad. Plenty of fish and snails bulldoze rocks and corals and my sand gets moved around by everyone so its not much different. The only thing I would be worried about is that my tank is nowhere near where I would like to have with corals so I would need to be putting my hand in as I attain more corals. Maybe I'll just pick up those coralife gloves for that. I'll have to wait for the swap before I make a decision. I have a feeling I will be broke by the end of it!:shhh:
Drako, I have never been bit by any of my eels! Although 1 of the guys that moved my tanks years ago did get bit by my snowflake.LOL I think he deserved it, as he was an idiot.:tongue1: Wish I'd known that before we hired them.;( They killed all my animals, and broke 1 of my stands when they tried to carry it out to their van with the full sump/fuge still in the stand.:irked:
Although 1 of the guys that moved my tanks years ago did get bit by my snowflake.LOL I think he deserved it, as he was an idiot.:tongue1: Wish I'd known that before we hired them.;( They killed all my animals, and broke 1 of my stands when they tried to carry it out to their van with the full sump/fuge still in the stand.:irked:
- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
Generally they won't get all that aggressive unless you start poking around in their hiding spot or there's food to be had. I have some 3mm neoprene gloves for diving that I tend to use if I'm worried. They offer some protection and more dexterity than big rubber ones, and they're pretty inexpensive.
- Location
- Staten Island
My eels generally stay away from me when my hands are in the tank for maintenance as well. Although it would be wise to have an idea of where he is in the tank. He may not be too happy if you overturn a rock he was hiding under.
I have those shoulder length gloves and they stink IMO. You have zero tactile feel with them on and they are bulky.
I have those shoulder length gloves and they stink IMO. You have zero tactile feel with them on and they are bulky.
Ok, scratch the gloves. Awi, sorry to hear about that equipment damage. I am usually up to my shoulder when something falls or placing it in a different area. Will definitely look into those neoprene gloves for those worried moments and I always look to see where everything/everyone is in the tank before even putting my hand in.
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