keeping freshwater eel and snowflake eel together

[Aurorix]

I've got a tank with a "freshwater moray eel" - I'm aware it's actually a brackish eel. Currently, my salinity is set at 1.012, but I plan to increase it to 1.018 over time.

I came across info saying SW snowflake eels prefer salt levels around 1.020.

Would it be feasible to house both species together with a salinity of 1.018 to 1.020?

[tetraTim]

I've asked a similar question on this forum a few months back, so a quick search should bring up some relevant info - brentoe Monks actually responded, and if I recall correctly, he said that keeping them together at that salinity is doable.

[fleeton]

Agree with that, should be fine. Main issue you'll have is getting the snowflake to take food.

[Aurorix]

Agree with that, should be fine. Main issue you'll have is getting the snowflake to take food.

Is the snowflake eel harder to feed than a freshwater eel? I didn't see my freshwater eel eat for about a month, but then I started throwing in a mix of ghost shrimp, neptunes, and goldfish - plenty of them, and I'm assuming he got some. The thing is, I had other feeder fish-eating species in the tank at the time.

It wasn't until I started adding small crawfish that I actually saw him eat. I've got a pic of him taking one down - it's here. Nowadays, I toss in about 2 crawfish a week, and there are usually feeder fish available in the tank too.

[tetraTim]

My brackish eel's a total food fiend, goes absolutely mental for the stuff and I've got to be super careful when I'm placing the lancetfish food for the toads, those little eel jaws are lightning fast.

[fleeton]

Yeah, getting them to start eating can be tough. Once they're going, they're like vacuum cleaners, but the SW ones can be super finicky. I've heard of people having luck by putting other marine fish in the tank, just dumping a ton of food in there, and hoping the snowflakes get caught up in the frenzy. That's about the extent of my knowledge on the subject, to be honest. If you want real advice, you'd be better off asking zenoxa or Andywg, they've dealt with these guys way more than I have.

[flame9x]

I'm not an eel owner yet, but I've been doing my research for when I do get one. From what I've read, using feeder goldfish isn't the best idea, especially for the marine eel. I recall something about fatty liver disease being a concern, plus the risk of parasites - not exactly what you want in your tank.

[zenoxa]

Both muraenid species tend to feed readily, I've found. Using a feeding stick to minimize disturbance in the tank seems to work well. Once they start eating, they usually become voracious, as fleeton mentioned. In my experience, raw shrimp and silversides are good options, while feeder goldfish are best avoided - they can cause fatty liver disease and may carry parasites. Live fish, too, can make the eels more aggressive towards tankmates.

I've also observed that adding multiple eels at once can create a "pack mentality," which can be useful for encouraging them to feed. One starts eating, and the others seem to follow suit. I've seen this with my Gymnothorax tile specimens. This technique can also work with other predatory fish species.

Raising the salinity to full-strength marine would give you more stocking options, as both eel species do best in this range anyway.

[biteon]

I've had the snowflake and freshwater eel cohabiting for a while now, surprisingly they get on pretty well. My snowflake eel is actually quite clingy, always hanging around the freshwater eel. Just make sure you're prepared to feed them both, as it can get tricky - the snowflake always tries to snatch its meal first. If you're after fish that are constantly on the move, eels might not be the best choice for you.

[daxler]

Agree with that, should be fine. Main issue you'll have is getting the snowflake to take food.

I had a pretty cool experience with my SW snowflake eel - he started eating on the second day I got him. I initially fed him krill, but after a week, he just stopped eating it. So I switched to silversides and he was devouring them like crazy. Unfortunately, after a couple of months, he just stopped eating altogether and passed away three days later. I couldn't find any reason for it, especially since all my other fish and inverts were perfectly healthy. I'm actually taking a water sample to my LFS tomorrow to check on the water quality, just in case.

biteon said:



i house those species together and they get along just fine, actually my snowflake dose't leave the big freshwater (as they are called) alone. Make sure to feed them both though...which can be difficult because the SW snowflake will always try to get its meal first. lol If you are looking for fish that actually..move..eels arent for you though.


I actually had a pretty active eel in my 175g reef tank, so I don't think it's true that they're all sluggish.