Is this a decent Eel cave?
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RobZilla04
Well-Known Member
Eels do like to have caves where they are completely covered leaving only their head exposed. That looks more like a shelf IMO than a cave. Will you have substrate?
Perhaps try creating a deeper hole than an overhanging shelf.
Perhaps try creating a deeper hole than an overhanging shelf.
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EHaddad
Active Member
Yes I plan on having a 2” sand bed
RobZilla04
Well-Known Member
That will help once you place the scape into the tank. Just make sure the cave(s) can accommodate the eel as it grows.
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EHaddad
Active Member
Do you have an Eel? I am trying to find pictures of other reefers caves but no luck
Jvesche20
Valuable Member
I have an eel and honesty I didn’t make any caves for me eel I got him st 8” and he finds his own place. He’s got about 4 or 5 hiding spots and when it comes to feeding I put the food near those spots and he comes out if he’s not already out. Let me see if I got some pics if not I’ll be home in 4 hrs to take some pics
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EHaddad
Active Member
Thank you!
RobZilla04
Well-Known Member
I do not, but I have researched getting one and have a close friend that has one.
Jvesche20
Valuable Member
I just fed my fish that’s why there’s stuff floating around in the picture but here you go. So I never made a cave for my eel he just happened to find what he liked. As long as you have plenty of rock I don’t see an issue
Forgot to mention the last picture is a giant Aquascape and he likes to hide in all the holes that are throughout the rock
Forgot to mention the last picture is a giant Aquascape and he likes to hide in all the holes that are throughout the rock
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EHaddad
Active Member
Jvesche20
Valuable Member
Looks awesome what kind of eel are you thinking about adding?@Robin Haselden here is my current aquascape right now.
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EHaddad
Active Member
Down the road since I am brand new at this and I need to walk before I run. I am thinking a Blue Ribbon Eel.
@EHaddad, I like the scape. Looks great. I circled a few areas where I believe an eel would like to stay. The green are definite eel homes, the yellow are areas where it might like to swim thru, but I wouldn't expect it to stay. The area on the far right with the branch, looks like a very nice cave.
I generally try and steer people away from ribbon eels. They are EXTREMELY hard to get eating prepared foods and usually starve in captivity. Black yellow and blue ribbon eels are actually all the same, just different stages of their life. Juvenile ribbonneels are black with a yellow dorsal fin, and if you are dead set on getting one, I would suggest getting one of these as they are more likely to accept prepared food. All ribbon eels are born as males (opposite of other morays) and when they grow to adulthood they turn blue with a yellow dorsal fin. Once a ribbon eel reaches full maturity, it will turn into a female (also opposite of other morays) and turn yellow with a black anal fin. Once she mates, she will lay eggs and die within a month. I'm certain they have very short lifespans even without mating. This is why yellow ribbon eels aren't seen often, and why I would never suggest buying one.
An eel I would suggest for a beginner is the snowflake eel. Very hardy, very easy to get eating, inexpensive and not very likely to go after fish. Altho, there is a risk with any fish an eel can fit in its mouth. Just make sure, as with any eel, that you have a tight fitting weighted lid. Remember eels are strong, and escape artists. Snowflakes especially, their nature is to slither along the beach at low tide from pool to pool looking for fish and crabs. They do not under stand that your aquarium isn't just another tide pool and there isn't another one on the other side of the room they can jump into.
In my experience, if an eel feels comfortable, and is well fed, it will not bother fish or try and escape. Crabs and shrimp, fair game. Just expect some losses.
I generally try and steer people away from ribbon eels. They are EXTREMELY hard to get eating prepared foods and usually starve in captivity. Black yellow and blue ribbon eels are actually all the same, just different stages of their life. Juvenile ribbonneels are black with a yellow dorsal fin, and if you are dead set on getting one, I would suggest getting one of these as they are more likely to accept prepared food. All ribbon eels are born as males (opposite of other morays) and when they grow to adulthood they turn blue with a yellow dorsal fin. Once a ribbon eel reaches full maturity, it will turn into a female (also opposite of other morays) and turn yellow with a black anal fin. Once she mates, she will lay eggs and die within a month. I'm certain they have very short lifespans even without mating. This is why yellow ribbon eels aren't seen often, and why I would never suggest buying one.
An eel I would suggest for a beginner is the snowflake eel. Very hardy, very easy to get eating, inexpensive and not very likely to go after fish. Altho, there is a risk with any fish an eel can fit in its mouth. Just make sure, as with any eel, that you have a tight fitting weighted lid. Remember eels are strong, and escape artists. Snowflakes especially, their nature is to slither along the beach at low tide from pool to pool looking for fish and crabs. They do not under stand that your aquarium isn't just another tide pool and there isn't another one on the other side of the room they can jump into.
In my experience, if an eel feels comfortable, and is well fed, it will not bother fish or try and escape. Crabs and shrimp, fair game. Just expect some losses.
OP
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EHaddad
Active Member
@EHaddad, I like the scape. Looks great. I circled a few areas where I believe an eel would like to stay. The green are definite eel homes, the yellow are areas where it might like to swim thru, but I wouldn't expect it to stay. The area on the far right with the branch, looks like a very nice cave.
I generally try and steer people away from ribbon eels. They are EXTREMELY hard to get eating prepared foods and usually starve in captivity. Black yellow and blue ribbon eels are actually all the same, just different stages of their life. Juvenile ribbonneels are black with a yellow dorsal fin, and if you are dead set on getting one, I would suggest getting one of these as they are more likely to accept prepared food. All ribbon eels are born as males (opposite of other morays) and when they grow to adulthood they turn blue with a yellow dorsal fin. Once a ribbon eel reaches full maturity, it will turn into a female (also opposite of other morays) and turn yellow with a black anal fin. Once she mates, she will lay eggs and die within a month. I'm certain they have very short lifespans even without mating. This is why yellow ribbon eels aren't seen often, and why I would never suggest buying one.
An eel I would suggest for a beginner is the snowflake eel. Very hardy, very easy to get eating, inexpensive and not very likely to go after fish. Altho, there is a risk with any fish an eel can fit in its mouth. Just make sure, as with any eel, that you have a tight fitting weighted lid. Remember eels are strong, and escape artists. Snowflakes especially, their nature is to slither along the beach at low tide from pool to pool looking for fish and crabs. They do not under stand that your aquarium isn't just another tide pool and there isn't another one on the other side of the room they can jump into.
In my experience, if an eel feels comfortable, and is well fed, it will not bother fish or try and escape. Crabs and shrimp, fair game. Just expect some losses.
Thank you for this info yea I read that the ribbon eels were extremely difficult to get eating.
Ribbon eels are very difficult, I've had one for almost 2 years now, he started as an itty bitty 12" black and has been changing blue for several months now. Although ribbons eels wouldn't be considered an eel for your 1st eel, it really doesn;t matter, I know very experienced eel keepers that can't successfully keep a ribbon. They are different and takes a special touch, so if you are up to the task, do your research. I've made a few post on my feeding routine, and although I usually don't like using pvc for eels, the ribbon seems to be especially fond of a pvc den.
Here's some pics of the rock set up for my jeweled eel, there's a path behind so he can cruise the length of the tank. Probably hard to really see, it's just a matter of building an area where the eel can contain his entire body with a spot for him to poke his head out. 2 or three openings and using the back wall as the rear of the cave or pathway is a good choice.
Here's some pics of the rock set up for my jeweled eel, there's a path behind so he can cruise the length of the tank. Probably hard to really see, it's just a matter of building an area where the eel can contain his entire body with a spot for him to poke his head out. 2 or three openings and using the back wall as the rear of the cave or pathway is a good choice.
Jvesche20
Valuable Member
I have a question about the lids for eels. I currently have glass lids for my tank but they get salt all over them and get this hard water look on it. I got the lids used so they had this hard water stain on it. I tried to scrub it with soap really hard but didn’t work so I’m thinking about using this@EHaddad, I like the scape. Looks great. I circled a few areas where I believe an eel would like to stay. The green are definite eel homes, the yellow are areas where it might like to swim thru, but I wouldn't expect it to stay. The area on the far right with the branch, looks like a very nice cave.
I generally try and steer people away from ribbon eels. They are EXTREMELY hard to get eating prepared foods and usually starve in captivity. Black yellow and blue ribbon eels are actually all the same, just different stages of their life. Juvenile ribbonneels are black with a yellow dorsal fin, and if you are dead set on getting one, I would suggest getting one of these as they are more likely to accept prepared food. All ribbon eels are born as males (opposite of other morays) and when they grow to adulthood they turn blue with a yellow dorsal fin. Once a ribbon eel reaches full maturity, it will turn into a female (also opposite of other morays) and turn yellow with a black anal fin. Once she mates, she will lay eggs and die within a month. I'm certain they have very short lifespans even without mating. This is why yellow ribbon eels aren't seen often, and why I would never suggest buying one.
An eel I would suggest for a beginner is the snowflake eel. Very hardy, very easy to get eating, inexpensive and not very likely to go after fish. Altho, there is a risk with any fish an eel can fit in its mouth. Just make sure, as with any eel, that you have a tight fitting weighted lid. Remember eels are strong, and escape artists. Snowflakes especially, their nature is to slither along the beach at low tide from pool to pool looking for fish and crabs. They do not under stand that your aquarium isn't just another tide pool and there isn't another one on the other side of the room they can jump into.
In my experience, if an eel feels comfortable, and is well fed, it will not bother fish or try and escape. Crabs and shrimp, fair game. Just expect some losses.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/clea...MIi-OnoqOI4AIVh4CfCh0oTA1zEAQYAiABEgKIsvD_BwE
Would this work with eels? It’s 1/4” so not sure if they would be able to slip between the holes. Brs also sells 1/8 inch if it comes down to my eel being able to slip out
If you can weigh that down somehow, I would get the 1/8" net. BRS had a video out a while ago that showed the smaller mesh used on the 1/8" screen let more light thru even tho the hole size was smaller. They just sit on top of the tank with tabs or sit on the plastic rim on rimmed tanks. I keep dwarf morays, so I dont really have to worry about a large eel pushing a screen up. Altho, eventually I would like to get a skeletor eel... then I'll be in your boat.
welsher7
Active Member
I always used pvc for my zebra eel. I painted it black and it had multiple openings. then built the scape over and around it. As the eel grew I used larger diameter pvc. I used pvc because a big eel is very strong and could topple rockwork while moving in and out especially around feeding time.
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