Ribbon eel Q

[Cstar_BC]

Hey !

I currently have a ribbon eel living in a giant conch shell , he ate two fish for me so far

Do they need a large tank for water quality since he doesn’t leave the shell , or is he ok in a well maintained smaller tank

 

[lion king]

He will eventually need a 6 foot tank. I gave my black/blue ribbon eel away after I had to relocate him into my 90g, 4 foot tank, he eventually was just not happy being constrained. They will cruise in the night and will reach almost 4 feet in length.

 

[Cstar_BC]

I have a 240 gallon where the smallest fish I have is some chromis .

However for ease of getting the mollies and minnows to him and trying to introduce frozen I have him in my 60

 

[Cstar_BC]

Here is the setup

 

[lion king]

Oh I see, he is going to be fine in there long enough for you to get a feeding routine down, you've got plenty of time, he looks to be a itty boy. You may find it challenging to keep a dead only diet with these guys, they a have a tendency to be difficult to feed, forever. And sometimes a live molly from time to time keeps them interested. There's net feeding, where you put a molly in a net and submerge to his den area, and let him take the molly from the net. Here's something I wrote up on my experience keeping one.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-chronicles-of-a-rhinomuraena-quaesita.621786/

 

[Cstar_BC]

Oh I see, he is going to be fine in there long enough for you to get a feeding routine down, you've got plenty of time, he looks to be a itty boy. You may find it challenging to keep a dead only diet with these guys, they a have a tendency to be difficult to feed, forever. And sometimes a live molly from time to time keeps them interested. There's net feeding, where you put a molly in a net and submerge to his den area, and let him take the molly from the net. Here's something I wrote up on my experience keeping one.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-chronicles-of-a-rhinomuraena-quaesita.621786/

Hi Lion King - I just wanted to say thank you because I think I followed your net protocol for my dwarf fuzzy to eat and I’m happy to say he now eats anything I put in the tank and is nice and chunky .

However - I tried the net to bring the molly to the den - however the dwarf fuzzy thinks that’s his molly and followed my hand - so there was a few close calls . In the end I had to feed the dwarf fuzzy his meal first , and let the molly just free swim until it happened to cross in front of the den .

The eel only comes out about 6 inches and is the width on my ring finger maybe - unsure of length

 

[ZoWhat]

You'll eventually wake up at 3:37am with it lying on your chest staring at you.... Lololololololololol

 

[lion king]

Hi Lion King - I just wanted to say thank you because I think I followed your net protocol for my dwarf fuzzy to eat and I’m happy to say he now eats anything I put in the tank and is nice and chunky .

However - I tried the net to bring the molly to the den - however the dwarf fuzzy thinks that’s his molly and followed my hand - so there was a few close calls . In the end I had to feed the dwarf fuzzy his meal first , and let the molly just free swim until it happened to cross in front of the den .

The eel only comes out about 6 inches and is the width on my ring finger maybe - unsure of length

Trick to feeding multiple predators in the same tank, and getting everyone enough food. Take a rigid airline and use as a tool to block the pig in the tank, while getting the food to the one you're trying. Gently use it to push them away.

 

[ichthyoid]

I used a scraper handle with rubber band twisted a few times around it, to hold a live minnow by the tail with one of the band’s wraps over the tail. Works like a champ! They have really poor eyesight and literally need you to hold the food right in front of their noses. Once you get them acclimated to this they become little pigs ;)

There is a little bit of a trick getting the wraps & tension just right, to hold the minnow but not too tightly.

 

[RC79ATC]

This is our ribbon eel, Ursula. She is about 4' long. We have had her for about 3 years and one thing I have learned about them in the time we have had her is if she is comfortable in her home (in her case, this pvc maze) they won't move much.

Safety is the biggest factor for their success and once they feel comfortable and start eating readily they will thrive.

No copper, good water quality and try to stay away from tank mates that will nip at the tips of their tails and the leaf like nose flaps (triggers, angels and damsels especially).

Good luck! They are awesome fish!

 

[RC79ATC]

I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a place of safety for them. A PVC maze is ideal.

Also, keep that lid on. If they don't feel comfortable, they will wander and have a tendency to think your floor is interesting.

 

[Cstar_BC]

I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a place of safety for them. A PVC maze is ideal.

Also, keep that lid on. If they don't feel comfortable, they will wander and have a tendency to think your floor is interesting.

He has not moved from the shell - and was in the shell at the LFS for a few weeks (so I bought both)

Beautiful yellow colour !

 

[Cstar_BC]

This is our ribbon eel, Ursula. She is about 4' long. We have had her for about 3 years and one thing I have learned about them in the time we have had her is if she is comfortable in her home (in her case, this pvc maze) they won't move much.

Safety is the biggest factor for their success and once they feel comfortable and start eating readily they will thrive.

No copper, good water quality and try to stay away from tank mates that will nip at the tips of their tails and the leaf like nose flaps (triggers, angels and damsels especially).

Good luck! They are awesome fish!

Well I think I lucked out - 2 days ago he ate 3 mollies , tonight he ate 1 minnow and two mollies .

How often/much should you feed ? He seems to be over 2ft long

 

[Tired]

Oh my goodness, he's so cute! Just that little bitty guy in a big ol' shell. He looks like somebody's pet baby dragon hanging out in their helmet.

 

[lion king]

Well I think I lucked out - 2 days ago he ate 3 mollies , tonight he ate 1 minnow and two mollies .

How often/much should you feed ? He seems to be over 2ft long

In the wild eels maintain a gorge/fast eating habit. So feed him his full about every 3 days. that;s a good rule of thumb. Have you noticed him cruising around yet, at 1st it may just be in the middle of the night. Once he figures out the feeding routine he should start letting you know when he's hungry. I would refrain from feeding minnows, they contain high amounts of thiaminese, which binds vit B1; mollies and guppies are good. Did you read my thread, they will take to a variety of dead foods, there's just a trick to get them to take it.

 

[Cstar_BC]

In the wild eels maintain a gorge/fast eating habit. So feed him his full about every 3 days. that;s a good rule of thumb. Have you noticed him cruising around yet, at 1st it may just be in the middle of the night. Once he figures out the feeding routine he should start letting you know when he's hungry. I would refrain from feeding minnows, they contain high amounts of thiaminese, which binds vit B1; mollies and guppies are good. Did you read my thread, they will take to a variety of dead foods, there's just a trick to get them to take it.

I did read your thread , and unfortunately he is too slow on the dead food and my puffer moves right on over to take it (even after feeding her a whole scallop about the size of my thumb tip)

I will keep trying with dead , he is also scared of the tongs I have so will need to but something smaller

Having said that - I’m happy to not feed him for about 5 days and then he should be more motivated ?? Maybe .

Thanks for the advice !

 

[lion king]

I did read your thread , and unfortunately he is too slow on the dead food and my puffer moves right on over to take it (even after feeding her a whole scallop about the size of my thumb tip)

I will keep trying with dead , he is also scared of the tongs I have so will need to but something smaller

Having said that - I’m happy to not feed him for about 5 days and then he should be more motivated ?? Maybe .

Thanks for the advice !

I found long skinny tongs that were less evasive if I find where I got them I'll let you know. It can be tricky feeding when there's an aggressive eater near by. Find a tool that works, I use a rigid airline tube, and block and gently push away the puffer. It takes an enormous amount of teasing to get the ribbon to take the dead food, he will likely take thinner strips more easily.

 

[lion king]

I did read your thread , and unfortunately he is too slow on the dead food and my puffer moves right on over to take it (even after feeding her a whole scallop about the size of my thumb tip)

I will keep trying with dead , he is also scared of the tongs I have so will need to but something smaller

Having said that - I’m happy to not feed him for about 5 days and then he should be more motivated ?? Maybe .

Thanks for the advice !

I don't know what you are using now to feed with mow, but I found these didn't spook my ribbon as much.
Amazon product ASIN B01EFYG5HS
LILYS PET Straight and Bend Stainless Steel Super Thick Tweezers Set,Pliers Aquarium Tool Fish Tank Aquatic Plants Forceps Clip

 

[Cstar_BC]

I don't know what you are using now to feed with mow, but I found these didn't spook my ribbon as much.
Amazon product ASIN B01EFYG5HS
LILYS PET Straight and Bend Stainless Steel Super Thick Tweezers Set,Pliers Aquarium Tool Fish Tank Aquatic Plants Forceps Clip

Very nice !!! I will definitely try and find some . Did you notice any rusting?

 

[lion king]

Very nice !!! I will definitely try and find some . Did you notice any rusting?

Keep them clean and they hold up well, they are stainless but sw is brutal. I've had other name brand stainless not hold up as well.