snowflake moray eel : guidance

new_world_disor · #1 10/18/2007, 08:28 PM

well my mate is donating me a teeny snowflake eel tmoz. ive read about them on the net for the last few months. im going to be using my old 21g tank for now. the eel is only around 3-5" long at the mo. theres a few things i wanted to ask. that my mate wasnt to sure about ( he has a 6' eel tank ) do i HAVE to have a sand bed ? or can i go BB and have tubing and rocks around the place ? how fast will it grow. as i intend on upgrading to a bigger tank in the next few months. and is it easy to handle ? or will it take a finger off ??

thanx

adam

seakwon · #2 10/19/2007, 03:43 PM

they grow fast. in a year you will need a new tank. i dont know if they need sand but i know they like rocks. they always hide in them untill its dinner time. they also have a tendency to get out of tanks that dont have tops on them. so i hope you have a top. that would not be cool to see it on the floor. but thats only what i have ben told. they are really cool though. they eat alot and it has to be like mysis or something like that. good luck

new_world_disor · #3 10/19/2007, 05:32 PM

yeh ive got 12lb or LR at the mo. and about 2 metres of assorted tubing 3" and bends to make some tunnels for it

i have a sliding glass cover so theres no way its getting out. i also heard they are masters of escape. im deffo gna have the new tank in under a year. im mooving into my own house this month so i cn get as many/big tanks as i want

ad

russy pelican · #4 10/20/2007, 08:47 AM

They aren't really aggressive as morays go, but I bet yours is well over three inches! It's deceiving how long they actually are when stretched out, and wholesalers usually get them in no smaller than a #2 pencil. They are fast-growing and do well on grocery store shrimp as long as you suppliment that with some other organisms (shrimp meat alone doesn't supply much besides protein) -Selcon is great to presoak their food in!
It'll grow to around three feet, but they never get too unmanageable except at feeding time when they are REALLY hungry. Just never let them go too long without food or keep them in an uncovered tank and it should do fine. They are more tolerant to poor water conditions than bony fish and highly resistant to parasites and disease. Obviously, the tank must be cleaned and uneaten food removed, though! Good luck, you'll enjoy this!

FMarini · #5 10/20/2007, 10:26 AM

Heres my guidance, written out
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/fm/index.php

your getting good help anyway. I would also say to start stick feeding this eel now-so it won't become a problem later