Eels And Puffers

[Derpeder]

Can i have a spiney eel in with figure 8 puffers? Or any other eels for that matter.

Thanks

 

[AMS]

If the eels are large enough the may eat the puffers. Though it may be difficult for the eels due to their mouth size in comparison to the puffers size, the puffers speed, and the puffers abililty to "blow up" like a balloon. If by chance the puffers are swallowed, the eels will certainly die as the puffers contain a deadly poisions called tetraodotoxin and analogues (If I remember correctly the analogues is usually only contained in certain marine puffers). The tetraodotoxin is toxic enough to prove deadly in humans. Im not sure as to how much tetraodotoxin Tetraodon biocellatus contains, but many puffers have enough poision to kill up to 25 people . Figure 8's may nip at the eel's fins. So all in all I wont say they are ideal tankmates, but they will probably work out well together.

BTW- Macrognathus aculeatus/Macrognathus siamensis are not brackish eels, they are hardy and may tolerate small amounts of salt but are truely 100% freshwater. If you get an eel specimen such as Macrognathus aral, it is often found in brackish waters, so will withstand the salt. The chances of you getting Macrognathus aral over Macrognathus aculeatus or Macrognathus siamensis are quite slim as identifying these eels from each other is near impossible.

 

[Dave Legacy]

I'm going to be trying a Green Wolf Eel(Congrogadus subducens) in my GSP tank in a couple of weeks. I'm just waiting for my SG to reach 1.015+ which will actually be this comming weekend, but I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to try a Gree Wolf Eel in salinity that low. I've been thinking about this for a few months now and have figured as long as the Eel and Puffer have the same habitat and salinity requirements, aren't big enough to kill eachother, are equally aggressive, and have enough rock to form their own territories, that it should be ok.

My puffer is 3" in length. Another aquarist told me that he's keeping a 11" GWE with a 3" GSP and he's doing just fine. He did warn me that any fish under 2" in length falls victim to the GWE. Seems to me that if the eel happens to grow faster than the puffer there will be problems.

If AMS is right about the spiny eel and F8 not having the same water requirements then you may be out of luck. I'm not sure but maybe a Spaghetti Eel might work out?

 

[AMS]

If AMS is right about the spiny eel and F8 not having the same water requirements then you may be out of luck.

The most commonly available spiney eels are 100% freshwater (Aside from Macrognathus aral) but due to their hardy nature can tolerate brackish water with a specific gravity up to 1.005, the figure 8 fits right in there at tolerating waters with a specific gravity of up to 1.005. The problem is that though the eels tolerate the salt, the will not thrive or even be comfortable.

 

[Derpeder]

Could you suggest an eel that would do good in brackish of 1.003-1.005. That is what I will keep my tank at because I am going to do figure 8's. I don't care what eel it is. I would just like to try and keep an eel as well as my puffers.

Let me know

 

[AMS]

Im not expert on eels, but according to nmonks, there is a spaghetti eel (Moringua raitaborua) that can be kept in brackish waters of 1.005-1.010. The two would make good tankmates as the eels mouth is just too small for the puffer to be swallowed. The only problem is that the eel like waters at least 1.005, and the puffer likes waters up to 1.005, so one fish is going to be uncomfortable depending on the SG. There are more than one species of spaghetti eels, so be sure you can get a hold of Moringua raitaborua.

 

[Fella]

Slightly off track, but I keep a freshwater eel with a freshwater puffer without incident so far.

 

[nmonks]

I've seen spaghetti eels and South American puffers kept together in a retailer's aquarium, and the eel seemed to have mastered the art of discretion. Given marine eels and puffers usually get along, I'd guess they'd be fine together.

AMS is absolutely right about spiny eels. There are some species that go into brackish water, but identifying them isn't easy, and they're frankly happier kept in freshwater aquaria. If I were keeping a spiny eel in brackish water, it would be at SG 1.001 to SG 1.003, and alongside gobies, glassfish, halfbeaks, and so on, rather than a puffer. Spiny eels are quite docile and like peaceful aquaria. Lots of plants are crucial if you don't want them to do suicidal leaps from the tank. In fact, if you want them to swim about during the day, I'd consider floating plants mandatory. In short, not a good choice for a pufferfish aquarium.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Derpeder]

Thanks ya'll....this has been very good. It sounds like whats best is to not keep them together. Unless in my research I can find an eel that likes that brackish water of 1.003-5. and is fairly aggressive.

If anyone has a success story of keeping and Eel in a puffer tank with low SG. Let me know.

Thanks