Marine/Freshwater?
Fish Crazy
I'd really like to post this under the pinned topic section or at least something on this topic. I redid it so it would be at least somewhat coherent. Have not had any time lately. My family has been in and out of the hospital for the past month. Hope this is better.
Overview of Eels In Brackish Tanks.
There are many true eels that aren't restricted to saltwater environments. Some are only tolerant of freshwater. I can name you a few brackish and freshwater eels,
1· Gynothorax Tile (commonly called the Freshwater moray, really brackish though.),
2· Strophidon sathete (Gangentic River Moray, worlds largest moray, turns up in freshwater frequently.),
3· Pisodonophis boro (Rice Paddy Snake eel, freshwater,brackish,marine).
4· Anguilla rostrata (American Eel, lives in freshwater spawns in saltwater.)
The commonly offered "spiny eels" are not true eels at all. One of the major red flags that prove you don't have a true eel is the presence of gill flaps or the absence of protruding nostrils. If you are curious about whether or not your pet eel is tolerant of freshwater check it out on Fishbase.org. Fishbase.org is a site that can be useful when you need information about the very rare and obscure fish. In this thread I will include several commonly encountered eels, and some other eel like fish that occasionally turn up in brackish aquaria.
Anguilliformes-
In order to determine the salinity requirements of the different species of eels you will encounter as an aquarist you must determine what family the fish you have belongs to. Anguilliformes is the order that all true eels are in. Within the order Anguilliformes there are currently 15 different families.
Families- they are listed in order by suitability for brackish/ freshwater aquaria. On rare occassions a few unusual species get mixed in with shipments of Freshwater Morays (referring to Gymnothorax tile). Don't get your hopes up though.
Freshwater Eels- All members of this family are found in freshwater, brackish, and marine ecosystems. Females are more common in freshwater than males since I guess they must take longer to mature (not 100% sure why). There are also landlocked individuals, but they are often too large to keep(5-8 ft.) They mature in freshwater and spawn in saltwater. You can go your local lake or river and catch one yourself. They can be found just about everywhere except Antarctica. Since a lot of native North American freshwater fish wont touch squid or shrimp, it is a pretty effective bait for catching specimens of American Eel (Anguilla rostrata). Specimens of European Eels (Anguilla anguilla) can be captured similarly. If hook and line is too barbaric for you, try buying one from a bait shop. In Florida they use them to catch Cobia, and up north they apparently use them for Striped Bass.
Moray Eels- This family contains several species that are suitable for Brackish, and a few species possibly tolerant of Freshwater.
Snake Eels- This family contains a good number of species that are found in brackish, and freshwater. There is a lot of variation of size between species. They need larger tanks than morays because they hardly ever coil up. Also minimally abrasive sand substrate is a must! They burrow in sand. I've heard they are impossible to keep, but I kept a Shrimp Eel (Ophichthus gomesii) for 6 months in 100gallon before re-releasing it. Good natured, but watch the teeth they seem to have greater jaw pressure the most other eels of equal size.
Spaghetti Eels- Hypothetically quite a few species in this family are suitable for brackish tanks. Unfortunately have never seen a Spaghetti Eel for sale ever. Double check the salinity requirements on the species you have though. These eels are often kind of small and fragile. They also like to burrow. Definitely not something you should keep with mean fish. You can probably find more information in a couple years if they become as available as Freshwater Morays (referring to Gymnothorax tile).
Pike Conger Eels- several possible brackish species, just a few enter freshwater. Probably not available to anyone for a long time, if ever.
Cutthroat Eels- Most are deepwater but one species Shortbelly Eel (Dysomma anguillare) supposedly is often found near the mouths of large rivers. Iam not sure whether Shortbelly Eels live close enough to the mouths of rivers to feel any salinity changes. Supposedly it lives near the outlets of rivers because it prefers the fine sediment from the rivers. Probably not available to anyone anyway.
False Morays- No real good species for brackish just marine.
Conger Eels- No real good species for brackish just marine.
Below are several species of brackish eels available that I think are worth mentioning:
(Gymnothorax tile) Freshwater Moray- Often mislabeled as Gymnothorax polyuradon. This is dusky tan to brown colored eel that is covered with metallic gold flecks. It is the most commonly sold "Freshwater Moray". It in fact requires a salinity of 1.010+ to live a long healthy life. It can live for 15+years and grow to at least 36" or 90cm under expert care.
SUPER RARE (Gymnothorax polyuranodon) True Freshwater Moray- An extremely rare moray. Gymnothorax polyuradon is yellow or white with large black spots that may resemble a leopard. This species is said to be much less hardy than Gymnothorax tile. This is why it is supposedly less likely to survive transport. However hypothetically would tolerate freshwater. Being on the safe side the salinity that they could be kept at should be near 1.005-1.025 . Only known to reach 24" or 60 cm.
DOESN'T USUALLY EAT OTHER FISH (Echidna leucotaenia) White Face Moray- I often see pictures of this fish labeled as Echidna rhodochilus. Echidna rhodochilus is known as the Pink Lipped Moray. This eel resembles the marine Snowflake Moray (Echidna nebulosa) in shape and acts similarly. It is an overall burgundy or brown with white marks on its lips. This is not as easy to care for as Gymnothorax tile, but an advantage is it will likely ignore fish. It prefers to eat crustaceans. It needs a salinity of at least 1.010 and appreciates marine conditions. It grows to 18" or 75cm.
VERY FRAGILE (Uropterygius concolor) Ghost Eel, Unicolor Snake Moray, Ghost Ribbon Eel- Rarely encountered as a marine fish. It is a shimmery silver color with a white edged dorsal fin. It also appears to have black dots on its face. This is a very petite slender eel. It is often sold in a saltwater settling, however it can be kept at salinities as low as 1.015. Acclimate it slowly to high end brackish. Warning: it can be easily confused with several saltwater only look alikes. These include: (Gymnothorax albimarginatus) White Margin Moray, (Gymnothorax phasmatodes) Ghost Moray, (Pseudechidna brummeri) White-ribbon Eel. Good luck on correctely identifing it.
Non-eels for brackish aquaria-
(Mastacembelus sp.) Spiny Eels- Very good fishes to keep. No real complaints about spiny eels just don't trust them with small fish, also get a tight fitting cover. Spiny eels don't really belong in brackish aquaria even though they do tolerate a higher P.H., 8.0 and seem to appreciate small amounts of salt, but anything over 1.005 would be damaging. Spiny eels do not, and will never belong in the same tank as a Freshwater Moray. Totally different water parameters and needs.
NOT AN EEL BUT IS QUITE HARDY (Congrogadus subducens) Green Wolf Eel-really a Pseudochromiod (dottyback). Salinity between 1.010-marine. Good choice for beginners but can be bad about eating its neighbors. Good match for medium and large Gymnothorax tile, not babies though.
Pretty Irratating, (Monopterus sp.) Swamp eel- I would recommend it for those who will keep it alone. They look similar to morays but they have gill flaps. They are often a molted brown color like a really sick Freshwater Moray. They are always getting sold at my LFS as Freshwater Morays. They are really, quite nasty. It bit fish that were twice the size of it head and taste tested anything that moved. I was glad I kept the receipt. Swamp eels would make great pets, but keep them by themselves in a large tank. Most species can’t tolerate saltwater but would be fine for brackish/freshwater. They are very hardy and strong. They even have auxiliary breathing organs. Be sure to weight down the cover they love jump. Old textbooks are good. WARNING: some species get huge!
BoisterousReasons Why People Fail To Keep Their Brackish Moray Alive:
1. Poor Water Quality
. A salinity above 1.010 for all morays.
. It is imperative that the tank is sufficiently cycled.
. Also the water temperature should not be too high, 78 F or 26 C. Females can become egg bound.
2. Poor Diet
. All eels should be fed frozen food
. Live food is full of nasty parasites
. Also morays in the genus Gymnothorax need fish ever once in a while, they cant just live off shrimp.
. Overfeeding can make most large predatory fish sick
. They should be fed no more than once every other day
3. Boisterous Tank mates
. Fishes like puffers and other Tetraodontiformes tend to harass morays.
. Monos, and Scats are good choices.
. Morays will typically eat gobies and blennies that fit in their mouths, however large individuals will beat on and evict morays.
4. Uncovered Aquarium
. eels are escape artists.
. For some large eels a weighted cover is a must.
. Also filters should not appeal to an eel's "natural curiosity", morays love to get trapped in filters
5. Lack of Attention/Maturity
. Morays are not for beginners
. Morays appreciate specialized species tanks.
. You cannot cut corners with morays, there are no shortcuts
In closing I must say don't always believe what pet shops say! Google or better yet look the fish species up on Fishbase.org. In fact don't just read this article, search the net. Do not be intimidated into buying a fish that you are not familiar with.[/b]
Overview of Eels In Brackish Tanks.
There are many true eels that aren't restricted to saltwater environments. Some are only tolerant of freshwater. I can name you a few brackish and freshwater eels,
1· Gynothorax Tile (commonly called the Freshwater moray, really brackish though.),
2· Strophidon sathete (Gangentic River Moray, worlds largest moray, turns up in freshwater frequently.),
3· Pisodonophis boro (Rice Paddy Snake eel, freshwater,brackish,marine).
4· Anguilla rostrata (American Eel, lives in freshwater spawns in saltwater.)
The commonly offered "spiny eels" are not true eels at all. One of the major red flags that prove you don't have a true eel is the presence of gill flaps or the absence of protruding nostrils. If you are curious about whether or not your pet eel is tolerant of freshwater check it out on Fishbase.org. Fishbase.org is a site that can be useful when you need information about the very rare and obscure fish. In this thread I will include several commonly encountered eels, and some other eel like fish that occasionally turn up in brackish aquaria.
Anguilliformes-
In order to determine the salinity requirements of the different species of eels you will encounter as an aquarist you must determine what family the fish you have belongs to. Anguilliformes is the order that all true eels are in. Within the order Anguilliformes there are currently 15 different families.
Families- they are listed in order by suitability for brackish/ freshwater aquaria. On rare occassions a few unusual species get mixed in with shipments of Freshwater Morays (referring to Gymnothorax tile). Don't get your hopes up though.
Freshwater Eels- All members of this family are found in freshwater, brackish, and marine ecosystems. Females are more common in freshwater than males since I guess they must take longer to mature (not 100% sure why). There are also landlocked individuals, but they are often too large to keep(5-8 ft.) They mature in freshwater and spawn in saltwater. You can go your local lake or river and catch one yourself. They can be found just about everywhere except Antarctica. Since a lot of native North American freshwater fish wont touch squid or shrimp, it is a pretty effective bait for catching specimens of American Eel (Anguilla rostrata). Specimens of European Eels (Anguilla anguilla) can be captured similarly. If hook and line is too barbaric for you, try buying one from a bait shop. In Florida they use them to catch Cobia, and up north they apparently use them for Striped Bass.
Moray Eels- This family contains several species that are suitable for Brackish, and a few species possibly tolerant of Freshwater.
Snake Eels- This family contains a good number of species that are found in brackish, and freshwater. There is a lot of variation of size between species. They need larger tanks than morays because they hardly ever coil up. Also minimally abrasive sand substrate is a must! They burrow in sand. I've heard they are impossible to keep, but I kept a Shrimp Eel (Ophichthus gomesii) for 6 months in 100gallon before re-releasing it. Good natured, but watch the teeth they seem to have greater jaw pressure the most other eels of equal size.
Spaghetti Eels- Hypothetically quite a few species in this family are suitable for brackish tanks. Unfortunately have never seen a Spaghetti Eel for sale ever. Double check the salinity requirements on the species you have though. These eels are often kind of small and fragile. They also like to burrow. Definitely not something you should keep with mean fish. You can probably find more information in a couple years if they become as available as Freshwater Morays (referring to Gymnothorax tile).
Pike Conger Eels- several possible brackish species, just a few enter freshwater. Probably not available to anyone for a long time, if ever.
Cutthroat Eels- Most are deepwater but one species Shortbelly Eel (Dysomma anguillare) supposedly is often found near the mouths of large rivers. Iam not sure whether Shortbelly Eels live close enough to the mouths of rivers to feel any salinity changes. Supposedly it lives near the outlets of rivers because it prefers the fine sediment from the rivers. Probably not available to anyone anyway.
False Morays- No real good species for brackish just marine.
Conger Eels- No real good species for brackish just marine.
Below are several species of brackish eels available that I think are worth mentioning:
(Gymnothorax tile) Freshwater Moray- Often mislabeled as Gymnothorax polyuradon. This is dusky tan to brown colored eel that is covered with metallic gold flecks. It is the most commonly sold "Freshwater Moray". It in fact requires a salinity of 1.010+ to live a long healthy life. It can live for 15+years and grow to at least 36" or 90cm under expert care.
SUPER RARE (Gymnothorax polyuranodon) True Freshwater Moray- An extremely rare moray. Gymnothorax polyuradon is yellow or white with large black spots that may resemble a leopard. This species is said to be much less hardy than Gymnothorax tile. This is why it is supposedly less likely to survive transport. However hypothetically would tolerate freshwater. Being on the safe side the salinity that they could be kept at should be near 1.005-1.025 . Only known to reach 24" or 60 cm.
DOESN'T USUALLY EAT OTHER FISH (Echidna leucotaenia) White Face Moray- I often see pictures of this fish labeled as Echidna rhodochilus. Echidna rhodochilus is known as the Pink Lipped Moray. This eel resembles the marine Snowflake Moray (Echidna nebulosa) in shape and acts similarly. It is an overall burgundy or brown with white marks on its lips. This is not as easy to care for as Gymnothorax tile, but an advantage is it will likely ignore fish. It prefers to eat crustaceans. It needs a salinity of at least 1.010 and appreciates marine conditions. It grows to 18" or 75cm.
VERY FRAGILE (Uropterygius concolor) Ghost Eel, Unicolor Snake Moray, Ghost Ribbon Eel- Rarely encountered as a marine fish. It is a shimmery silver color with a white edged dorsal fin. It also appears to have black dots on its face. This is a very petite slender eel. It is often sold in a saltwater settling, however it can be kept at salinities as low as 1.015. Acclimate it slowly to high end brackish. Warning: it can be easily confused with several saltwater only look alikes. These include: (Gymnothorax albimarginatus) White Margin Moray, (Gymnothorax phasmatodes) Ghost Moray, (Pseudechidna brummeri) White-ribbon Eel. Good luck on correctely identifing it.
Non-eels for brackish aquaria-
(Mastacembelus sp.) Spiny Eels- Very good fishes to keep. No real complaints about spiny eels just don't trust them with small fish, also get a tight fitting cover. Spiny eels don't really belong in brackish aquaria even though they do tolerate a higher P.H., 8.0 and seem to appreciate small amounts of salt, but anything over 1.005 would be damaging. Spiny eels do not, and will never belong in the same tank as a Freshwater Moray. Totally different water parameters and needs.
NOT AN EEL BUT IS QUITE HARDY (Congrogadus subducens) Green Wolf Eel-really a Pseudochromiod (dottyback). Salinity between 1.010-marine. Good choice for beginners but can be bad about eating its neighbors. Good match for medium and large Gymnothorax tile, not babies though.
Pretty Irratating, (Monopterus sp.) Swamp eel- I would recommend it for those who will keep it alone. They look similar to morays but they have gill flaps. They are often a molted brown color like a really sick Freshwater Moray. They are always getting sold at my LFS as Freshwater Morays. They are really, quite nasty. It bit fish that were twice the size of it head and taste tested anything that moved. I was glad I kept the receipt. Swamp eels would make great pets, but keep them by themselves in a large tank. Most species can’t tolerate saltwater but would be fine for brackish/freshwater. They are very hardy and strong. They even have auxiliary breathing organs. Be sure to weight down the cover they love jump. Old textbooks are good. WARNING: some species get huge!
BoisterousReasons Why People Fail To Keep Their Brackish Moray Alive:
1. Poor Water Quality
. A salinity above 1.010 for all morays.
. It is imperative that the tank is sufficiently cycled.
. Also the water temperature should not be too high, 78 F or 26 C. Females can become egg bound.
2. Poor Diet
. All eels should be fed frozen food
. Live food is full of nasty parasites
. Also morays in the genus Gymnothorax need fish ever once in a while, they cant just live off shrimp.
. Overfeeding can make most large predatory fish sick
. They should be fed no more than once every other day
3. Boisterous Tank mates
. Fishes like puffers and other Tetraodontiformes tend to harass morays.
. Monos, and Scats are good choices.
. Morays will typically eat gobies and blennies that fit in their mouths, however large individuals will beat on and evict morays.
4. Uncovered Aquarium
. eels are escape artists.
. For some large eels a weighted cover is a must.
. Also filters should not appeal to an eel's "natural curiosity", morays love to get trapped in filters
5. Lack of Attention/Maturity
. Morays are not for beginners
. Morays appreciate specialized species tanks.
. You cannot cut corners with morays, there are no shortcuts
In closing I must say don't always believe what pet shops say! Google or better yet look the fish species up on Fishbase.org. In fact don't just read this article, search the net. Do not be intimidated into buying a fish that you are not familiar with.[/b]
