Advice

[littlefoxx]

So usually my snowflake eel stays on her side of the tank and my engineer goby stays on hers. My jeweled eel bounces between both sides and caves between the two with no issues. Today I saw my snowflake eel swimming around and I was watching her (shes so beautiful!). She swam on top of my engineer goby’s cave. She ignored her as usual. The second time around my snowflake passed the engineer goby bit the s*** out of my eel! My eel turns around like she was going to bite until my engineer bit her again and then she darted back to her cave. Never seen this between the two of them before.

Now for the question:
I moved my engineer to the bigger tank before getting the eels since I thought she might like more room to dig. Would you just monitor the behavior or move the engineer back? I dont want either of them hurting each other. Mostly my eel if she decides to bite the goby next time she bites her!

@Slocke any advice?

 

[Slocke]

So usually my snowflake eel stays on her side of the tank and my engineer goby stays on hers. My jeweled eel bounces between both sides and caves between the two with no issues. Today I saw my snowflake eel swimming around and I was watching her (shes so beautiful!). She swam on top of my engineer goby’s cave. She ignored her as usual. The second time around my snowflake passed the engineer goby bit the s*** out of my eel! My eel turns around like she was going to bite until my engineer bit her again and then she darted back to her cave. Never seen this between the two of them before.

Now for the question:
I moved my engineer to the bigger tank before getting the eels since I thought she might like more room to dig. Would you just monitor the behavior or move the engineer back? I dont want either of them hurting each other. Mostly my eel if she decides to bite the goby next time she bites her!

@Slocke any advice?

Brave engineer. Mine is pushed around by my snowflake. It’s probably just trying to protect its burrow though. Hopefully the snowflake will stay away. Engineers are harmless but the snowflake is not.

Eels are built that way to be able to both hide in and chase prey down holes and burrows. I’m sure engineers have to deal with eels in the wild too.

Sorry I can’t give any advice I just don’t know.

 

[littlefoxx]

Brave engineer. Mine is pushed around by my snowflake. It’s probably just trying to protect its burrow though. Hopefully the snowflake will stay away. Engineers are harmless but the snowflake is not.

Eels are built that way to be able to both hide in and chase prey down holes and burrows. I’m sure engineers have to deal with eels in the wild too.

Sorry I can’t give any advice I just don’t know.

Yeah I was like Squirt what the F are you doing thats an eel!!! Im hoping my eel doesnt go near her cave again, I dont want Ghost biting her. But she does tolerate Ivar the jeweled with his body halfway in the back of her cave. Weird.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So usually my snowflake eel stays on her side of the tank and my engineer goby stays on hers. My jeweled eel bounces between both sides and caves between the two with no issues. Today I saw my snowflake eel swimming around and I was watching her (shes so beautiful!). She swam on top of my engineer goby’s cave. She ignored her as usual. The second time around my snowflake passed the engineer goby bit the s*** out of my eel! My eel turns around like she was going to bite until my engineer bit her again and then she darted back to her cave. Never seen this between the two of them before.

Now for the question:
I moved my engineer to the bigger tank before getting the eels since I thought she might like more room to dig. Would you just monitor the behavior or move the engineer back? I dont want either of them hurting each other. Mostly my eel if she decides to bite the goby next time she bites her!

@Slocke any advice?

Engineer is usually well natured and will likely resume behavior when re-introduced. Keep them separate

 

[littlefoxx]

Engineer is usually well natured and will likely resume behavior when re-introduced. Keep them separate

Yes this is the first time shes ever behaved like that. Only issue with separating them is I would have to tear the scape down to get the goby, shes got a very large tunnel system going. I havnt done anything yet, they are both in their respective burrows. She surprised the heck out of the eel though, Ghost is more timid than Ivar is so Im hoping she doesnt try to invade her burrow again!

Do you think its okay to monitor them for a few days and if they have another spat remove the goby and put her back into the 70 gallon or would you say this was a get her out now and separate ASAP situation?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes this is the first time shes ever behaved like that. Only issue with separating them is I would have to tear the scape down to get the goby, shes got a very large tunnel system going. I havnt done anything yet, they are both in their respective burrows. She surprised the heck out of the eel though, Ghost is more timid than Ivar is so Im hoping she doesnt try to invade her burrow again!

Do you think its okay to monitor them for a few days and if they have another spat remove the goby and put her back into the 70 gallon or would you say this was a get her out now and separate ASAP situation?

If this behavior has begun, I expect it will continue but time will tell.

 

[littlefoxx]

If this behavior has begun, I expect it will continue but time will tell.

Okay good to know. Do you have any advice to get her out? Take the rocks out and grab her with a net the best way?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Okay good to know. Do you have any advice to get her out? Take the rocks out and grab her with a net the best way?

Fish trap

 

[littlefoxx]

Fish trap

Any recommendations for what kind? Ive got a bubble with a magnet but cant get any fish to go in even with food. She also only eats food near her cave. Any suggestions on a kind?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Any recommendations for what kind? Ive got a bubble with a magnet but cant get any fish to go in even with food. She also only eats food near her cave. Any suggestions on a kind?

 

[Slocke]

I doubt a regular trap will work. Maybe a fake pvc burrow that you can remove though.

 

[littlefoxx]

I doubt a regular trap will work. Maybe a fake pvc burrow that you can remove though.

Yeah thats what I was afraid of. Im watching them for now, they interacted with each other and then all 3 were in the goby’s burrow and no aggression. No idea what the heck these guys are up to lol

 

[littlefoxx]

Well it would seem that the eels have evicted Squirt! She is just pouting and not digging another hole. No aggression though from any of them so thats a win!