My Skeletor Eel Update

[44santababy]

Hello all,

About two weeks ago i added a beautiful specimen called a skeletor moray eel to my REEF tank. This tank was designed to hold every coral out there with small safe reef fish and all inverts. Well i decided to take a risk and add a (with caution) eel to my display tank. If it works it would be the most perfect way to cap off my livestock. Well, let me tell you so far he has been a perfect gentleman. He allows all 4 shrimp on him and in his mouth for cleaning. Its funny to see him swim with the shrimps hitching rides. He shows absolutely NO aggression at all towards anything in my tank. He stays strictly within the rocks and never comes out from them. He does not stick his head out from the rocks, he is very reclusive during the day. At night he is active staying within the rocks and occassionally poking his head around. Ive fed him twice so far and he loves raw shrimp and crab meat from key foods. I will not hand feed him...his jaws almost rip the feeding tongs out of my hands...his jaws are POWERFUL...wow. Also blind as a bat. So far ive been so pleased with him. He is my favorite by far. Totally recommended if you can find one.

 

[jcs11236]

i would suggest u keep him well fed. cause if he gets hungry-u know what he is going after. good luck

 

[beerfish]

I've kept eels in a reef before. When well fed, they'll leave most things alone, but they will go after snails and hermits sometimes. Don't overfeed though. It's a careful balance.

I found that I needed to replace my cleaning crew more frequently, but it was well worth it to keep such a cool animal in my reef.

 

[Imbarrie]

My ribbon eel is great in my tank with the rest of my fish. I have had it for a couple months eating really well.

 

[thirty6]

Any pics?

 

[rkaragozler]

i always wanted a eel in my tank,

 

[bigcapct]

any pics?

+1

 

[44santababy]

i will get some pics and video this weekend, it will only be his head. It will be impossible to get any of his body due to the rocks. He's about 18 inches with a brown body with creme spots and markings.

 

[Imbarrie]

Can you draw the eel out with food?

 

[44santababy]

yes i could while feeding, but it would require someone else to video/photograph.
At which there is nobody at this time. I promise i'll get a video of me feeding my champion.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

Be careful with the shrimp that you feed the eel, especially if you're giving him shrimp from Key Food. (I live in your area.....I wouldn't get shrimp from any of the local markets) Much, if not most, of the shrimp sold in supermarkets is treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, so you are only adding phosphates to your tank. Since I see that you live in FH, I'd suggest that you go down to Trader Joe's on Metropolitan Ave. They sell a frozen seafood blend of small shrimp, scallops, and squid that is untreated and has no additives. It's usually $5.99 for a 1 lb bag, and it would probably last you a long time.

 

[Imbarrie]

+1 on not using supermarket seafood.
How big is the eel? What about frozen krill?

 

[44santababy]

thanks for the info, i also need this weekend to buy a couple of bottles of selcon for my eel and fish.

 

[44santababy]

he's 18inches and i do have frozen krill, just havent tried it yet cause i want to use up the shrimp and crab first. How long can i keep thawed shrimp in my fridge before its no good for the eel?

 

[44santababy]

i have been removing the shell and washing the shrimp and cutting into 4 pieces, washing the shrimp would help with the phosphate issue, correct?

 

[e.muehlbauer]

No. The shrimp have the phosphate solution fully saturated through the flesh. The whole point of adding it is to make them absorb more water, the water of course will carry the chemical into the tissues of the shrimp. If it were only a matter of washing it off, I wouldn't care about the stuff on my own food. However, it affects the texture of your food. Ever eat scallops that simply seemed wet and slippery even though they didn't taste spoiled? Shrimp that had a slightly gelatinous texture? That's all caused by sodium tripolyphosphate (or pyrophosphate, or a couple of similar compounds) absorbed into the tissues. The shrimp won't last long anyway...just chuck it.

 

[JEEPERSCREEPERS]

i also have a eel in my reef. he is a banded eel about 8'' long. never had a problem with him yet. loves fresh shrimp.