Eels and lids

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

R they a requirement? I love predator fish and I love corals. I'm looking down the road when I set the big tank up again and try again one day... Looks like a green wolf eel calls out for a "tight fitting lid".

My big acrylic reef tank has a nice 4" euro bracing all around but no cross center piece. I could lay egg crate across...
Is it like an octo where itll search for a way out and explore if it can or is it more like a scared fish where it hits a wall and goes up? lol
thanks all!
-d

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

ive never owned an eel.
-d

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

now that I'm thinking about it...they would prob be more destructive to the reef than I want.

 

[Greybeard]

Eels will move small frags and rocks... you'll want solid structures. They are escape prone... but a euro tank with eggcrate over the top would probably be sufficient.

 

[smartwater101]

Egg crate will not be enough. Even for smaller eels like snowflakes. Eels love to explore in the evenings and he'll be pushing his face into every corner and wall they can.

I've only kept small snowflake/banned/goldens so never felt they were "destructive" to the reef. I just treat them the same way I would large turbo snails and urchins... as long as the coral is glued down it will be fine. But considering eels just go where ever they please, a larger one could knock over even a welled glued piece.

 

[Waters]

Yes, they are 100% required. I have had lids and still had eels escape :(

 

[Dragonreef202]

I have glass lids to keep my snowflake eel in my tank. Fortunate he hasn't found his way out of my tank. I guess he's enjoying the landscape inside the tank.