Will a snowflake eel eat my fish???

[jasonrusso]

I did a tank transfer over the weekend and due to the stress I lost my beloved dwarf golden moray. I had him for 4+ years. When I got him, I had a 75 gallon so I didn't want to get a full size eel. I've since moved up to a 150, and now to a 225. Now that he is gone I need to have another eel.

All the LFS usually stock snowflake eels. How fish safe are these eels? I have trained various lions, anglers, and my DGM to eat prepared food off of a stick or tongs. I plan on doing the same with a snowflake.

In the tank right now is a BIG porcupine puffer, 5" harlequin tusk, 3-4" Kole Tang, 4" foxface, and a 2-3" angler.

I plan on getting a dwarf to medium size lion, but will a small (for now) snowflake bother my current fish? If I teach him to eat off a stick, will he learn that? After the lion is added, I plan on buying some small green chromis from time to time to add to the tank for the angler, lion, and eel to hunt.

 

[r.bergonia19]

As long as u feed it well u won't have problems.

 

[JaimeAdams]

they eat frozen food just fine. My only concern would be the angler, but getting a smaller eel I think you would be fine. Just a fyi every LFS I have ever gone to will special order you anything you want within reason.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Snowflakes are pretty safe with fish, they are more of an invert eater. The biggest issues they have with tankmates is biting during feeding time, due to poor eyesight as a case of mistaken identity.

 

[tyler1503]

Snowflakes are usually fish safe. But "usually fish safe" doesn't mean always fish safe.
You can never trust an eel, however snowflakes are usually ok.
Your larger fish will be safe, however I would be wary of the angler.
Either the angler will be small enough to potentially become lunch to the eel, or the other way around. Eels use their sense of smell to find food, something even the best anglers camouflage cannot hide
I'm not saying there is definitely danger in this, but be cautious.

The eel will learn to eat from the stick if you're consistent with it. She'll be the one begging hardest when she sees it come out

 

[jasonrusso]

The angler is a little guy, about 3." He's the one I would be concerned about. Sometimes the store has really small eels. I'd get a little one and let him grow up with the tank mates learning to eat from me.

That being said, anything can happen. I understand that. I was also told that my puffer might flip out one day and kill everyone

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Ours was a model citizen. Then in year 10 he ate everyone and had to be evicted to his own tank.

 

[colesjensen]

I had a snowflake eel that was good for about 6 months and then out of no where he ate my goby and took a chunk out of my fox faces tail.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

I did a tank transfer over the weekend and due to the stress I lost my beloved dwarf golden moray. I had him for 4+ years. When I got him, I had a 75 gallon so I didn't want to get a full size eel. I've since moved up to a 150, and now to a 225. Now that he is gone I need to have another eel.

All the LFS usually stock snowflake eels. How fish safe are these eels? I have trained various lions, anglers, and my DGM to eat prepared food off of a stick or tongs. I plan on doing the same with a snowflake.

In the tank right now is a BIG porcupine puffer, 5" harlequin tusk, 3-4" Kole Tang, 4" foxface, and a 2-3" angler.

I plan on getting a dwarf to medium size lion, but will a small (for now) snowflake bother my current fish? If I teach him to eat off a stick, will he learn that? After the lion is added, I plan on buying some small green chromis from time to time to add to the tank for the angler, lion, and eel to hunt.

I have one that I’ve had for almost a year, he’s around 2 ft long and he decided recently he enjoys live fish better than silversides, shrimp or scallops. He literally refuses to eat them, today I woke up to see my beautiful potters angel on the verge of death and the only thing in my tank that could have done it is my eel. After this experience even though I loved my eel and used to hand feed him, he is a jerk and I now know where the other little fish disappeared to.

 

[jasonrusso]

I have one that I’ve had for almost a year, he’s around 2 ft long and he decided recently he enjoys live fish better than silversides, shrimp or scallops. He literally refuses to eat them, today I woke up to see my beautiful potters angel on the verge of death and the only thing in my tank that could have done it is my eel. After this experience even though I loved my eel and used to hand feed him, he is a jerk and I now know where the other little fish disappeared to.

Digging up my old thread, lol.

I ended up getting another GDM. The LFS had one, I waited a little while and made them an offer on the eel and another fish.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Digging up my old thread, lol.

I ended up getting another GDM. The LFS had one, I waited a little while and made them an offer on the eel and another fish.

Yeah dude Good call, I hate that I have this snowflake now. He cost me $35 at the store and probably hundreds of dollars of fish he ate

 

[Fishurama]

They aren't too bad with fish, but they will let you know when they are hungry and will/can eat fish. My smallest fish is a clown goby and some dragonets and they are fine. It did eat 1 2-3 inch orange spot goby so i got its bigger cousin the Diamond spot goby which is a little larger (about 4-5 inches) and it leaves it alone.

Here is a video I took when I was recording my new wrasse first coming out, during it you can see the eel go after my 8 inch sailfin who then bodies and tails him back into the rocks. Mine is very active, some say they never see theirs. Keep them fed. I feed 2 full krill a day and then sometimes he still steals food when he can. Just watch the left side of the screen, youll see his head pop out then the "fight."

EDIT: Also mine for lack of a better word formed a symbiotic relationship with my green brittle star. Since the eel regurgitates its food the brittle star loves to be around him and grabs larger peices of food the eel will steal some times/steal the food it spit up back lol. (it sometimes bites the tips of the brittle stars tips trying to steal food, but otherwise funny to watch them right next to each other all day)

 

[Reefkeeper12]

They aren't too bad with fish, but they will let you know when they are hungry and will/can eat fish. My smallest fish is a clown goby and some dragonets and they are fine. It did eat 1 2-3 inch orange spot goby so i got its bigger cousin the Diamond spot goby which is a little larger (about 4-5 inches) and it leaves it alone.

Here is a video I took when I was recording my new wrasse first coming out, during it you can see the eel go after my 8 inch sailfin who then bodies and tails him back into the rocks. Mine is very active, some say they never see theirs. Keep them fed. I feed 2 full krill a day and then sometimes he still steals food when he can. Just watch the left side of the screen, youll see his head pop out then the "fight."

EDIT: Also mine for lack of a better word formed a symbiotic relationship with my green brittle star. Since the eel regurgitates its food the brittle star loves to be around him and grabs larger peices of food the eel will steal some times/steal the food it spit up back lol. (it sometimes bites the tips of the brittle stars tips trying to steal food, but otherwise funny to watch them right next to each other all day)

My eel isn’t the same man, he refuses to eat the fresh shrimp and scallops I got him.

 

[Fishurama]

My eel isn’t the same man, he refuses to eat the fresh shrimp and scallops I got him.

If Krill isn't working I would suggest silversides, cut them up to sizes yours will eat and spot feed it. On my turkey baster the extended end has a tooth pick on it, and thats how i feed mine, trained/knows to go right up to it and eat/pull right off it. Its not good at getting food thats broadcast fed since they are basically blind. Bloodworms they seem to love aswell although to small IMO and hard to sustain a diet like that but a good treat/thing to get them eating

 

[Reefkeeper12]

If Krill isn't working I would suggest silversides, cut them up to sizes yours will eat and spot feed it. On my turkey baster the extended end has a tooth pick on it, and thats how i feed mine, trained/knows to go right up to it and eat/pull right off it. Its not good at getting food thats broadcast fed since they are basically blind. Bloodworms they seem to love aswell although to small IMO and hard to sustain a diet like that but a good treat/thing to get them eating

I always feed mine by hand, he never bites my finger. He actually lets me pet scratch his head.

 

[Fishurama]

I always feed mine by hand, he never bites my finger. He actually lets me pet scratch his head.

Made me think of this.

 

[S2G]

It's a risk 50/50. I have a backup plan jic I fully expect some casualties as mine gets bigger.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Made me think of this.

They are very intelligent, the only time he’s aggressive is when my tang attacks him when I feed him cause my sailfin tang also eats out of my hand and gets jealous of the eel. The first few months I thought he was going to bite me every time but he was actually just inspecting my fingers then one day after I finished feeding him he went into my hand and I pet him and he seemed to like it and now whenever I finish feeding him sometimes he will stay out for the scratch on the head sometimes for a few minutes before he goes back to his hole.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

I also had an emperor angel that died that wasn’t scared of hands at all, didn’t let me pet him but he would eat out of my hands. My sailfin isn’t as affectionate as that fish but he does let me touch him.

 

[S2G]

I re-read. Sorry but that angle is toast. I'd worry about the porcupine eating the eel tbh

I've had a zebra, chainlink, and now a smaller snowflake. Snowflake is def the most spastic but things were usually ok if they moved. Gobies and crustaceans that were stationary usually didn't last long. Eels are always a fam & company favorite