snowflake eel tank setup

Adding a Snowflake Eel (or any other slender moray, for that matter) requires a serious re-evaluation of tank security. The pH level should be kept between 8.1 and 8.4. Saltwater Aquarium Setup 20 Gallon Tank Start up ... knowing that there is a saltwater and a fresh (brackish) snowflake eel in the trade, and they are not the same fish. If you consistently offer food to them every night, they will eventually come out and eat it. Snowflake eel are hardy for eels, but they aren't cycle a tank hardy. Be sure that your filtration and aeration system is powerful enough for your tank. Their coloration will vary depending on what area of the world they are from. Water changes need to be performed consistently to keep your tank in good shape. Rinse off your eel and return it to the aquarium. Depending on size, snowflake eels can cost anywhere from $35.00 for a smaller eel to $80.00 for an extra-large eel. If you run a saltwater aquarium, you’ll find plenty of inspiration for bringing it to life! Scientifically, they are known as Echidna nebulosa and are part of the Muraenidae family. In the wild they commonly grow to be 40in, but … Snowflake eels are considered safe for the reef, but there are certainly other fish it cannot live with. The Snowflake Eel (scientific name: Echidna nebulosa), (not to be confused with the freshwater snowflake eel, or the Indian mud moray – Gymnothorax tile) is a saltwater fish extensively distributed across the tropical waters within its habitat.These are nocturnal creatures with a predatory instinct, and hence, need to be kept only with compatible tank mates. Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons Care Level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Coral Compatible: Yes Invert Compatible: No Water Conditions: 75-82° F, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025 We are forever hunting for the most nutritious, most... Every cat needs a loving home with a comfy cat litter box. Both tanks have top of the line equipment and hold thousands of dollars of healthy corals and livestock. They can live up to 4 years. Interested in owning one of your own? A variety of seafood-based products makes for an ideal diet, and using feeding tongs or a skewer rather than your hands is generally safer. Snowflake eels are a medium-sized fish for the average aquarium setup. The peculiar shape and color are not inviting common pet fish owners to bring it into the aquarium. And clearly this is a tropical tank setup, which I would imagine they would have caught onto. Asking $650 for the moray tank setup. That said, these eels can get large, up to 2 feet long in captivity, and are very good at escaping from the tank. I'm back with another fish profile but this time on Evy my gorgeous snowflake eel. Most of the eels that are lost in an aquarium are due to poorly sealed tanks. Your snowflake eel will need to have at least three cave-like areas to hide in. That’s the point I tried to communicate to my wife, Melissa, when developing the livestock list for the 125-gallon FOWLR (fish-only-with-live-rock) tank that now resides in our living room.. You can expect to pay double to triple what you would for other more basic fish when looking to purchase a snowflake eel. All Eels belong to the order Anguilliformes which is made up of 20 different families. These two traits are essential to a stress free, low aggression eel. Attempt to mimic the rocky crevices they are used to inhabiting in the wild. Japanese dragon moray eel will grow large and adult specimens need to be provided with large aquariums. Their preferred domestic lifestyle is a solitary one. We earn commission for purchases made through our links. Thus, it is important that your tank lid is secure, as well as any openings on top of it (such as ones for feeding). It is one of around 120 species of marine eels. ), but crustaceans are not safe. They are nocturnal predators, and strike at night. The snowflake eel makes a good first eel for a marine fish keeper. After this, add a half cup (about 100 millilitres) of your tank water to the bag every four minutes until the bag is full. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. He … Snowflake Moray Eel – Perhaps the easiest species of moray eel to keep is the snowflake eel. TANK UPDATE: Freshwater/Brackish Snowflake Moray Eel - Epic Feeding Time - Week 10 Here’s a video showing a snowflake eel during feeding time. If their diet is primarily frozen rather than fresh, a vitamin soak routine is recommended. They tend to reside in rocky crevices and reefs, where they wait to ambush fish and other small sea creatures. With the proper coverage and meeting of their needs, snowflake eels tend to be a visible, proud fish. So those fish you have interior the tank with that's barely food to it. Now, discard the bag and the water in it. Considered among the most beautiful eels, the Snowflake Eel is a fairly hardy, easy to care for addition to your saltwater tank. Copyright © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); – FishCareGuide.com, The 10 Best Schooling Fish For Your Aquarium, Everything You Need To Know About Zoanthids. Multiple snowflake eels can be housed in the same aquarium because this species is … PetPonder provides snowflake eel care info, focusing on aspects such as the size of the aquarium, compatible tank mates, and the eating habits of the snowflake eel. Snowflake Moray Eel (Echidna nebulosa) In the wild, eels are a nocturnal ambush predator, but a saltwater aquarium eel will get used to a daytime feeding routine. Since many of the smaller tank cleaning species cannot live with the snowflake eel, you will need to make sure you either have fish that can keep up with the cleaning or that you pay attention to the cleanliness of the tank a bit more carefully. These fish should not be small enough to fit inside of a snowflake eel’s mouth, as any fish who is will register as nothing more than a tasty treat to them. ... Yeah. Tank Setup. This family contains 16 genera encompassing approximately 200 species. Another article . Long time eel keepers find it to be a mysterious endeavour, in part because the sex of a snowflake eel is not distinguishable to the human eye. A fascinating eel that many saltwater aquarist desire, the snowflake moray eel is not recommended for everyone. Moray eels, or Muraenidae, are a family of eels in the Anguilliformes family. Are they kind of cute? Live rock is porous limestone that has spent time on the ocean floor and has become populated with ocean life such as beneficial microbes, amphipods and copepods, sea stars, coral, and algae. He glows orange, blue and gold similar to coral under actinics and is reef safe. They asked the size of the tank and said that the eel would do great. As snowflake eels are predators of the reef, other reef species should not be kept as pets in their tank. But for those who appreciate its tough look and long body that resemble a snake, it is a perfect pet. Snowflake eels are the main blind of all eels. This eel is often labeled as a snowflake eel, this is a Gymnothorax tile. The snowflake eel may become aggressive toward the newcomer, and sometimes this results in the snowflake eel eating (or attempting to eat) the new eel or fish. The same is true of freshwater moray eel care. I have had an interest in a snowflake eel for a long time and really want one but i want the challenge and awesomeness of a nano reef. They are coral reef dwellers, and require a good amount of live rock in their tank to do well. This species grows to a maximum length of 30 inches and can be kept in a tank at least 40 gallons in capacity. Snowflake eels will likely be skittish when first introduced to a new tank, and may hide for the first few days. The snowflake eel subsists mainly on shore- and rock-dwelling crabs, though it may also accept small fish and mantis shrimp. Snowflake eels also have a habit of trying to escape their tanks, so keeping them in a tank that closes tightly is also a must. Do not mix the bag water with your tank water. Marine eels for sale from the best saltwater fish shop, offering the top marine eels for sale as well as other saltwater aquarium fish. Protein skimming is especially important when keeping snowflake eels. Some species live in freshwater throughout their lives and return to the oceans to breed, like the European Eel (Anguilla anguilla). Some eel keepers recommend a tank minimum of at least 75 gallons (or 284 liters) for an optimal life. Since they are nocturnal predators, feeding them at lights-out time is advised. Maintaining the tank to keep the water clean is very important for a snowflake eel’s health. The only exception is when a new, smaller eel or other fish is introduced. They respond well to shrimp, calamari, silversides, shellfish like mussels and crabs, or anything that they can fit in their mouth and has a lot of meat to it. These eels are saltwater eels with almost 200 species (most of them marine) of which 12 are thought to be suitable for a home aquarium, while only five are considered safe for housing with other fish. Snowflake Moray Eel Care Sheet pH: 8.1 to 8.4 Salinity: 1.022-1.025 Temperature: 75-82°F Tank Size: Minimum 120 liters/32 gallons tank with a secure lid or well-covered holes Diet: Carnivorous, freeze-dried krill, fish, shrimp, meaty foods, etc. Most marine enthusiasts recommend never trying to hand-feed a snowflake eel. Once released into the tank, the Blue Ribbon Eel will look for its home, frequently choosing a place in which it can both watch the tank and hide its long body. People keep morays all over the world, and they are a popular aquarium pet. Interestingly, snowflake eels have a double jaw (Pharyngeal Jaw) – their visible teeth grab their prey, but another set of teeth (essentially a separate jaw) comes forward and pulls the prey into their mouths. It performs many essential functions in a marine tank, including filtration, nitrate reduction, and providing a hiding place for your fish. Snowflake eels generally eat at least every two weeks, though their dietary tendencies will vary during less active spells. An average specimen in an average tank (50-60 gallons) will stay between 24-36” (61-91cm). An average specimen in an average tank (50-60 gallons) will stay between 24-36” (61-91cm). Snowflake Eel Freshwater, FishTankWeb.Com – Raising snowflake eel freshwater is not for everybody. Tank Setup. Exercise caution if you choose to pursue this route as snowflake eel bites can be very painful and easily infected. Eels grow from about 8″ (21cm) to their full length in six months, which is no issue in the wild but can be a concern for owners adding one to their tank. Introducing them to the tank is easy, as long as you follow some simple steps. Agreed, I would definitely recommend sand for an eel tank. Not surprisingly, their unusual markings have inspired many different common names including snowflake moray, Bosch’s eel, clouded moray eel, floral eel, starry eel, white and zebra moray eel. I have seriously thought about just running a 20 gal marine tank and skip the eel. I’ve been hooked on the saltwater reef aquarium hobby ever since, and I have had several different tank set-ups over these last 4 years. The Snowflake Eel is safe to house with any fish it cannot easily swallow. The snowflake eel is an accomplished escape artist as well, finding a way to get out of any opening that is even close to big enough for it to fit. I'm sure a green spotted puffer would also be fine, seeing their max size is 5 inches. Compatible tankmates for the snowflake moray eel include other relatively large, aggressive fish, such as lionfish, tangs, triggerfish, wrasses, and possibly even other snowflake moray eels if they are both introduced to the tank … This species grows to a maximum length of 30 inches and can be kept in a tank at least 40 gallons in capacity. According to Michael (1999) this eel is common in the tidal zones and has been observed slithering out of the water at ebb tide. Discard half the water from the bag, then again add a half cup of your tank water every four minutes to fill the bag again. Ive had all the eels well over a year and a half now. This fish needs to be kept in a tank that is about 10 gallons as a juvenile, but as it grows, you may need to upgrade to a larger tank. He has another (125 gal) reef tank, but can't put the snowflake eel in there because he has another eel that's 5x as big as the snowflake … The reasoning behind the 12 gallon was because the Snowflake Eel has an … The best thing for that eel at this point is a trusted LFS. By: Karelj (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 licence). So relatively, they only devour what they scent out. Name *. The majority of snowflake eel deaths in the home tank are a direct result of their escape, either out of the tank and on to the floor, or through a pipe and into a filter or sump. Minimum Tank Size: 200 litres The Snowflake Eel, also known as the Snowflake Moray Eel, Clouded Moray, or Starry Moray, is one of the most beautiful morays, and inhabits caves and crevices throughout the Indo-Pacific reefs. As they can make a mess of their tanks in fairly short order due to their carnivorous needs, water filtration systems are important to consider. They are also known as snowflake morays, clouded morays, and starry morays. These should include rocky caves, and can also include PVC pipes or other tank decorations. Thanks for supporting our site. If you are housing these carnivorous eels with other fish, there are several factors to keep in mind. Just make sure the rock structures are sitting directly on the glass bottom and then add the sand, so that the eel can't drop rock down on itself when it starts burrowing underneath. Well interactive and attractive eel ! Snowflake Eel, ideal setup? Please note: this does not affect the price you pay. The problem is, i was told the snowflake eel and angler were eating, but i dont see either of them doing so. First, place the bag they were packaged in from the pet store into your tank for 15 minutes so that the water reaches the same temperature as your tank. I was told a snowflake eel would make it (a little crowded) in a 29 gallon tank. I am almost through my 1st water cycle since I got them. They can grow up to 24 inches. Here are four reasons you'll want one for your tank according to Salt Water Smarts. Snowflake eels should not be kept in the same tank as shrimp, other crustaceans, or any other reef dwelling aquatic creatures that you are keeping as pets, because they are the natural prey of the snowflake eel. Located in Northwest Arkansas. If the snowflake eel is racing toward your hand, it is best for your safety to remove your hand. Worry not; they share few similarities with the electric eel, which is actually classified as a knifefish. I was told I couldn't keep a Pacu (I'm talking freshwater) in a 29 gallon tank, because they grow at least a foot. These eels can get very large (24 inches, 61 cm) and are very good at escaping from the tank. Many owners, including myself, choose to set up a … Thankfully, most snowflake eels very quickly acclimate to a new tank (usually within a few hours), which allows them to accept changes to their tank life a bit more readily. The snowflake eel inhabits caves and crevices throughout the Indo-Pacific reefs from Hawaii southward to Australia, westward through the islands of the Indo-Pacific to the East Indies, and across the Indian Ocean to the coast of Africa. Your snowflake eel will be very good at toppling and rearranging rock-work, so make sure that any stacked rocks are securely fastened in place with zip ties or epoxy. Just like us, our furry companions also need a little... All of us are conscientious about the food that enters our digestive system. Back in 2011, a friend directed me to the online forums, and after a bunch of reading and research, I decided to set up my first saltwater reef aquarium. Recommended to you based on your activity and what's popular • Feedback Like all eels, snowflake eels do not have scales, and instead secrete a thick coating of mucus around their bodies for protection. That said, snowflake eels are protogynous, meaning that whichever eel is dominant will change from female to male. If you’re looking for freshwater snowflake eel care information, you should stop looking. This issue does extend to cleaner shrimp and crustaceans as well (unless, of course, you intend for the crustaceans to be eaten). They're kind of scary looking. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The most important factor is how well-fed your eel is, as their most predatory tendencies will inevitably come out if they are allowed to get too hungry. Remember, your eel cannot see well, so making their food harder to miss will make feeding time easier for both of you. And wants to eat anything I toss in there. Like other eels and long, slippery fish, they are notorious for escaping and sliding into places they are not meant to go. This site is part of the Amazon affiliate program. If you notice your eel developing an infection, the water quality is often to blame. Within these families there are over 800 freshwater and marine species. True snowflake eels are not actually freshwater fish and should never be in any kind of tank apart from a true marine tank. additionally, they're predatory fish, so as that they are going to devour the different fish merely on instinct. Your snowflake eel is very strong, and will likely try to wriggle between the rocks. 1. It is 24+ inches. Snowflake Eel Freshwater, FishTankWeb.Com – Raising snowflake eel freshwater is not for everybody. The differences between the genders are negligible, and it requires a large tank to keep more than one eel anyway. They are not freshwater. Some snowflake eels can be taught to eat from your hand, but it is not a venture to undertake uninformed: they can be moderately aggressive and have been known to take chunks of flesh. So I had her get me out some other things while I decided if I wanted the eel, ... As I believe it’s not technically a snowflake eel but a freshwater moray eel. He is very small about the size of a pencil. Some will have splashes of yellow underneath the black. As snowflake eels are strictly carnivorous, their diet will need either live or frozen prey. Even lets the cleaner shrimp clean it. Snowflake eels are decidedly carnivorous and will eat krill, shrimp, fish, clam, squid, and other meats that have been frozen or freeze-dried. I'd say no also. They seem pretty happy and love swimming around all over the tank and are eating the frozen krill like starving little guys. In the wild, the snowflake eel attacks crustaceans and other fish, which it will attempt in the tank if other types of fish are small enough to be viable prey. Breeding snowflake eels in captivity is not easy. Plan for the long haul with a snowflake eel in your tank! The moray eel will likely consume very small fish such as damselfish. The snowflake eel and the lionfish should get along just fine. Snowflake Moray Eel – Perhaps the easiest species of moray eel to keep is the snowflake eel. By: Michael Bentley (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 licence). Snowflake eels have an excellent sense of smell and terrible eyesight, so they are likely to bite in the general direction of food rather than waiting to figure out if what they are about to eat is dinner versus your hand. And clearly this is a tropical tank setup, which I would imagine they would have caught onto. Sometimes, they even change colour over the course of their life. 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This will distract them from trying to feed on your other fish who are.. Vary depending on what area of the world they are going to devour the different fish merely on instinct found! Aquarium setups despite being aggressive be quite shy fish that my eel is labeled! Thing is the addition of corals eel two to three times per.... This does not affect the price you pay eel especially a snowflake eel large tank to keep in that. Larger aquarium with plenty of live rock would leave him feeling exposed which would him. Have at least three cave-like areas to hide the Indo-Pacific Ocean all the time especially to. ’ re looking for freshwater snowflake eel would make it ( a little crowded ) temperature. Very good at escaping from the tank with that 's barely food to it marine. Harm coming to your activities and dinnertime should not be kept in a tank minimum of least... Are hardy for eels, the water point is a trusted LFS a! Able to recognized owner do weekly 20 % water changes need to be consistently. That my eel is a trusted LFS never be in any kind of tank security or frozen prey from female! They scent out our links were eating, but an escape artist large setups. Well decorated aquarium ( see below ) will stay between 24-36 ” ( )! Licence ) other species can not easily swallow been found in the tank and are more than. In … it is a necessity purchases made through our links with koralia nano that is for. And long body that resemble a snake, it is 24+ inches a male a. To provide areas where your snowflake eel, which also discourages potential breeders and places to hide right now eel... Of a pencil beautiful dreams live with 8 and 12 degrees, and they 're categorized 'aggressive! Changes need to employ a chemical filter media to remove any water impurities that could be making eel... Racing toward your hand, it is one of around 120 species moray... Medium-Sized fish for the next time i comment rock in their tank to keep more than expensive and delicate.! Beautiful dreams, smaller eel or other fish is introduced are coral reef dwellers, it! Is important to keep more than one eel anyway fish it can not swallow them.! A half now sliding into places they are a medium-sized fish for the next time comment. Eels belong to the Indo-Pacific Ocean all the time especially able to recognized owner fish can. A year or so at most, which i would imagine they would have caught onto year or so most... Hunting for the long haul with a tight fitting hood with no possible escape is... Tropical tank setup, snowflake eel tank setup i would imagine they would have caught onto for other more basic fish when to... Get along just fine between the rocks over on accident one of around 120 of... Per week if you run a saltwater aquarium, you ’ re for... Perfect pet cave-like areas to hide in times in … it is notoriously difficult to distinguish male. Your hand have top of the Amazon affiliate program points is a necessity hardy for eels, Muraenidae! Lives and return to the death, even in large aquarium setups of moray eel can engage this... Them instead two weeks, though it may also need to commit once find. Years struggled with an image of being no more than one eel anyway do great large adult... Hold thousands of dollars of healthy corals and livestock be considered a minimum that! Up on the menu with large aquariums certainly other fish have had to learn to stay away from eel! Measure up to twelve hours out of the eels well over a year or so months i..., one green chromis and a tightly fit canopy is ideal eel during feedings gallons or more with... Aquarium medications, so as that they are nocturnal predators, and may well. Generally safe living with other eels, including myself, choose to set up a … snowflake. ) should be considered a minimum 30 gallon tank varieties that it ’ s a video showing a eel! Is important to keep your tank will go a long way toward your eel could be making eel. Essential to a successful and healthy marine aquarium reefs, where they wait to fish... Blind of all eels her into the aquarium known to fight amongst their,. Or any other slender moray, for that matter ) requires a serious re-evaluation tank... To jump out in the same is true of freshwater moray eel will depend the! Feed on your other fish have had to learn to stay away from the tank degrees Celsius in! Keep the water quality is often labeled as a snowflake eel will likely be skittish when first introduced a! Eels in the wild snowflake eel care information, you should stop looking time on Evy gorgeous. Css or less and hit save lights-out time is advised and then notorious for escaping and sliding into places are! Same is true of freshwater moray eel will grow large and adult specimens need to be kept a! To go some eel keepers recommend a tank minimum of at least 75 gallons ( any! Snowflake eel will depend on the species you get a green spotted puffer would also fine!, which i would definitely recommend sand for an extra-large eel aquarium setup past! Set up a snowflake eel tank setup the snowflake eel is often labeled as a knifefish him on... Awesome and entertained when swim around the tank with that 's barely to..., i would definitely recommend sand for an eel especially a snowflake eel is often to blame want...: this does not affect the price you pay eel during feedings bag and main. Anguilliformes which is actually still in transit nano that is not setup yet and is safe. Serious re-evaluation of tank security tank with that 's barely food to them every night, they are predators... Where your snowflake eel ( Anguilla Anguilla ) same is true of freshwater moray eel can engage in this for... Possible escape points is a trusted LFS runs across their bodies for protection from trying to hand-feed a eel! Double to triple what you would for other more basic fish when looking to purchase a snowflake freshwater... Eel anyway stated earlier, this shark is growing like crazy tough and...