Peacock Eel

[JohnRossDele]

hi, im getting a Peacock eel tomorrow in my 240L & i need a little advice

any takers ( the 240L which is in my signature below)

 

[england]

Don't do it, to many big fish in there already, the black shark will grow huge...oscar to big

 

[JohnRossDele]

Don't do it, to many big fish in there already, the black shark will grow huge...oscar to big

im taking the black shark out when it gets too big!
also the tank isnt at all over crowded theres actually a lot of hiding places and the substrate is gravel sand i think imo he'll be fine

 

[england]

That's not primarly the problem, think the oscar may be a bit to boistrious for it, but maybe not....
As long as your aware of your fishe's max size's

 

[JohnRossDele]

That's not primarly the problem, think the oscar may be a bit to boistrious for it, but maybe not....
As long as your aware of your fishe's max size's

Ive planned ahead im gonna get rid of the fish that outgrow the tank its common scence also any tips and i know they normally only eat worms will they exept the catfish pellets i have for the other fish?
Thanks

 

[dave_oddballs]

i think a full grown oscar would see it as food. I think that would be the least of your problems. It would probably die from starvation before the oscar even knew it was there! It would be very difficult getting food to it with them fish. It will only eat at night whereas all your other fish would eat all day and night given the chance. You will do what you want anyway, its just a good job there aint a law against fish murder!
David

 

[JohnRossDele]

That's not primarly the problem, think the oscar may be a bit to boistrious for it, but maybe not....
As long as your aware of your fishe's max size's

Ive planned ahead im gonna get rid of the fish that outgrow the tank its common scence also any tips and i know they normally only eat worms will they exept the catfish pellets i have for the other fish?
Thanks
The oscar is a nice 1 sometimes boisterous but not highly and i rarely see him chasing the other fish in the tank

 

[JohnRossDele]

Sorry guys, the oscars a kind hearted juvi 3" and wouldn't hurt a danio (fly)lol the lfs is ordering hime in at 4-5" and by the time the oscar grows to be a meany the peacock will by able to stand up to him in a fight!!

 

[nmonks]

Bunch of comments to make here.

No, an Oscar isn't an appropriate companion for a small spiny eel. Even if he isn't particularly aggressive (and most aren't, outside of spawning) they do feed primarily on benthic invertebrates. So their instinct is to bite at things crawling about on the substrate. Because spiny eels have vicious serrated spines on their dorsal and anal fins, even if the Oscar didn't swallow the spiny eel, simply manhandling the eel could cause some nasty wounds.

Spiny eels absolutely not will be able to "fight" with an Oscar! I'd get that idea of your head right now! Spiny eels hide from predators, and failing that, they use their spines. Neither outcome will work in your favour.

Oscars make good companions for big spiny eel species (Mastacembelus spp.) though, given sufficient space. I just wouldn't risk keeping the smaller (Macrognathus spp.) keeping with Oscars.

Spiny eels across the board are difficult to feed. I always recommend people keep the spiny eel first, get it feeding readily, and then add possibly competitive tankmates. Adding a spiny eel to a tank containing loaches, catfish or anything else that forages at night-time usually ends up with the eel starving.

I cannot really state too strongly how inappropriate Macrognathus siamensis would be for your system. Or rather, a groups of them (they're gregarious) would be a good choice for a 240 l aquarium, provided you didn't have any aggressive or nocturnal fish in the system. Choose day-active, midwater fish that won't steal the live/wet-frozen foods you have to put out for them.

Cheers, Neale

 

[JohnRossDele]

Hi all, i was at my LFS 2day & I thought the order would have came in but it didn't they probably got confused along the line & were too stressed out to even remember so i made a new order!

X1 Fire Eel
X1 Black Ghost Knife
X1 Peacock Eel

so theres a good list i probably will end up getting 1 so for the mean time can anyone writing back just give alot of info on em sorry guys if i was being a bit pushy but i really love these fish!

Bunch of comments to make here.

No, an Oscar isn't an appropriate companion for a small spiny eel. Even if he isn't particularly aggressive (and most aren't, outside of spawning) they do feed primarily on benthic invertebrates. So their instinct is to bite at things crawling about on the substrate. Because spiny eels have vicious serrated spines on their dorsal and anal fins, even if the Oscar didn't swallow the spiny eel, simply manhandling the eel could cause some nasty wounds.

Spiny eels absolutely not will be able to "fight" with an Oscar! I'd get that idea of your head right now! Spiny eels hide from predators, and failing that, they use their spines. Neither outcome will work in your favour.

Oscars make good companions for big spiny eel species (Mastacembelus spp.) though, given sufficient space. I just wouldn't risk keeping the smaller (Macrognathus spp.) keeping with Oscars.

Spiny eels across the board are difficult to feed. I always recommend people keep the spiny eel first, get it feeding readily, and then add possibly competitive tankmates. Adding a spiny eel to a tank containing loaches, catfish or anything else that forages at night-time usually ends up with the eel starving.

I cannot really state too strongly how inappropriate Macrognathus siamensis would be for your system. Or rather, a groups of them (they're gregarious) would be a good choice for a 240 l aquarium, provided you didn't have any aggressive or nocturnal fish in the system. Choose day-active, midwater fish that won't steal the live/wet-frozen foods you have to put out for them.

Cheers, Neale

Thanks i'll let u know!! whats your account pic of i can hardly make it out!!

 

[nmonks]

X1 Fire Eel
X1 Black Ghost Knife
X1 Peacock Eel

I wouldn't mix Macrognathus species (which are small and gregarious) with Mastacembelus species (which are much bigger, more predatory, and highly territorial). Choose a single spiny eel suitable for your aquarium, and then if it's a species of Macrognathus, keep more than one specimen.

whats your account pic of i can hardly make it out!!

It's Kosh, a Vorlon, from the show "Babylon 5". Or more specifically, it's the head of his encounter suit that he wears so you won't recognise him.

Cheers, Neale

 

[simonas]

I have to agree with the others here. Your oscar will grow so quick that he will soon be larger and more powerful than the eel.

I keep a fire eel with two oscars and if I just put food in generally the eel would get nothing as the oscars are right at the top ready for anything that comes in. I target fed the eel in his pipe, he comes to my hand to take it which is quite cool but then he is about 13 inches at the moment

I found peacock eels being a smaller eel shier than the larger types and harder to feed and as Neale said it is likely to starve no matter how hard you try in a tank that houses greedy cichlids and clown loach

and in my opinion and I think Oscars are one of best tank fish hence the two I have, once they are established they are aggressive with fis tht are added afterwards

forgot to add fire eels can be really aggressive with other eels. In all my years of fish leeping one of the most vindictive fish behaviour I have seen was when I added another eel to my tank housing the fre eel. He chased bit pecked and pestered the other until I moved it for his own good.

 

[nmonks]

I think you've summed this up brilliantly. You don't "keep" spiny eels; you "baby sit" them. It's really important to understand their needs, and like your fire eel, my tyre-track eel was hand fed because that's the best way to keep them. It does make them fantastic pets, but you do have to build your aquarium around this fact. Most spiny eels starve to death simply because people don't undertake the extra effort they need to survive.

Cheers, Neale

I keep a fire eel with two oscars and if I just put food in generally the eel would get nothing as the oscars are right at the top ready for anything that comes in. I target fed the eel in his pipe, he comes to my hand to take it which is quite cool but then he is about 13 inches at the moment

 

[JohnRossDele]

Hi all,
the LFS said that the fire eel is almost imposible to get so i don't think ill end up with it!!
also the oscar & black shark (I think) are getting swapped for the peacock eel & BGK
Black Shark:4-6'' approx
Oscar:4.2'' approx
theres been a little fighting goin on oscar & black shark have both worked to gether to bully the acaras and some of the scales have been biten off
both the fish oscar & black shark have been put in a bucket so that the fighting will stop (buckets in a heatedish room so i think it will be ok)
the peacock eel is comin in at around 4-5'' approx
BGK is comin in at around 3-6'' approx
will every thing go ok now
i will update when i get the fishies!!

PS: any more info r tips on the peacock eel & BGK will be gladly appreciated!!

 

[nmonks]

both the fish oscar & black shark have been put in a bucket so that the fighting will stop (buckets in a heatedish room so i think it will be ok)

No no no... this isn't what you do! For one thing, unless that bucket is filtered as well as heated, you're exposing these fish to harsh conditions, and they'll get sick. Black sharkminnows are food fish, and honestly, if you can find a new home for it, do so. It'll just get more and more aggressive. Take some time to visit Fishbase, and look at how big these fish get.

the peacock eel is comin in at around 4-5'' approx
BGK is comin in at around 3-6'' approx

I assume these are going in *another* tank than the one with the oscar and the black sharkminnow? Keeping them in a "war zone" isn't the best idea I've heard today!

PS: any more info r tips on the peacock eel & BGK will be gladly appreciated!!

Where to begin really... peacock eels and black-ghost knifefish do have very specific needs, and you need to review these before you throw all these fish together. Peacock eels need the soft sandy substrate and floating plants, as well as very peaceful tankmates. Black ghost knifefish come from shallow, fast-flowing water habitats. They'll enjoy a sandy substrate, but they also need rocks with vertical clefts, because these make the ideal hiding places. Water quality has to absolutely perfect for these fish, or they quickly sicken.

Cheers, Neale