Snake or Eel?

[melev]

First of all, I realize these pictures aren't going to provide a lot of information, but perhaps someone like LeslieH has come across these in the past...

Several months ago, I brought home a tiny snake from the Port Aransas collection trip. I didn't know if it was an eel or a snake, but it was so tiny and cute, I had to bring it home. I released it in the suncoral tank that night, and never saw it again.

Until two nights ago! I was feeding the suncorals, and I saw what I thought might have been a peanut worm. However, it didn't retract suddenly like they do when spooked. And this worm had a head! I watched with fascination realizing it was the little guy I thought I'd lost into my system's plumbing long ago. He apparently lives in the sand, and comes out to get a meal of mysis when I walk away. So for the past couple of nights, I've been trying to capture it on film.

He moves quickly, so these are rather weak shots, but you can make it out. I had to take both shots with a flash due to low lighting as that is what draws him out (as well as the smell of food).





I was told any saltwater snake is poisonous, so it would be good to find out if this is an eel or a snake at some point.

[greenbean36191]

It's an eel. There aren't any sea snakes in the Atlantic and all of the real sea snakes breathe air, so you would have seen it again long before now. This guy is one of the many species called worm or snake eels. There extremely common in the Gulf and can be a big annoyance when you're fishing. My friends tell me they're great eating though (once they get bigger).

[melev]

Thanks! Any idea about how it will interact with some of my livestock some day? Not that I intend to keep it until it is huge or anything, just curious.

[greenbean36191]

There are lots of species and I haven't got a clue how to tell them apart. This one may not ever get big enough to eat anything in your tank, but I think most of them eat crustaceans. That certainly seems to be what I always catch them on at least.

[melev]

Update:

Tonight as I was testing out a Fuji 5100 that I might be buying, I noticed the little eel was completely out! Two pictures was all it took to get him wriggling for cover. Still, isn't he cute?





I'd really like to put a Yasha Goby and Shrimp in this tank. I think they'd make a nice addition. Should I worry about the eel? It is very timid currently.

[billsreef]

Marc,

Can you try and get a good head shot of the eel?

[melev]

I'll keep trying, but he's really very shy. When he's out the most is when he's unaware that I'm there and the lights are out. I kind of think he's blind, due to how he searches for food. I've target fed in his direction and he didn't take any of it, swimming away while hunting for dinner. When he touches stuff, he retracts quickly as if unsure, then repeats the same action again, like when finding food on the dendrophyllia polyps.

These pictures were pure luck, as I was merely taking pictures of the suncorals to see how much I could zoom in macro mode. After I took the shot, the LCD displayed the picture and I saw the eel was in it. That's when I hurried to get another picture; then he was gone for the night.

[Pea-brain]

I don't eels usually eat things tat they can't eat in one bite. I think a goby/shrimp combo would be fine as long as they aren't small enough to get eaten by it (doesn't look like it)

Dan