Common to the Pacific northwest, these congers grow to about four feet in length. Longfins for example, breed only once in their lifetime. They prefer the shelter of coral reefs or rocky areas and are nocturnal hunters. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. Snowflake eels may be sold in fish shops as a freshwater species, and they can live in both freshwater and saltwater. If you are looking to get into the saltwater aquarium hobby, take a monument to learn the basics about these saltwater aquarium setups you will be glade you did.

The Electric eel is an ‘obligate air-breather’, meaning that it must rise above the surface every ten minutes or so to breathe. There are three types of fish only tanks: Just the same as any aquarium, regular water testing is necessary, You will need to periodically monitor the ammonia (NH3), nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3) and PH levels. Garden eels (Heterocongrinae) are a sub-family of the Congridae family of eels to which the previously discussed Conger eel belongs. The shape of the spots range from round to oval. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Full ecosystem which can reduce maintenance over time. Eels have poor eyesight, which is why they use their other senses (smell and feel) to hunt their prey. Eels prefer to eat live food. They’re also the only freshwater species native to the U.S. This species is known to grow up to 4-1/4 feet long but normally are only about 2-1/2 feet long. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.0"; Native to the Pacific Ocean, they’re most often found in coral reefs. Depending where a particular type is grouped, they also vary in ideal habitat and size. Also sometimes called the Clouded Moray, Starry Moray and Floral Moray, the Snowflake Moray (Echidna nebulosa) is one of the most beautiful of the Moray varieties and is perhaps the most popular type of exotic eel with home aquarium hobbyists. Some species live in freshwater throughout their lives and return to the oceans to breed, like the European Eel (Anguilla anguilla).
Each of them have their benefits and drawbacks, that should be considered before you decided which one is suitable for you. These strange eels have a lifespan of up to 12 years. (function(d, s, id) { On the other hand, various types of eels have been consumed by humans throughout the world as food for centuries. They prefer crustaceans, scallops, shrimps or any large and chunky food. The zebra moray gets its name from its black and white zebra-like stripes. Mankind has been fascinated by eels for centuries; the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote the first ‘scientific’ inquiry into the history of the eel around 350 BC in which he suggested that they were actually a sort of earthworm. At 18 to 20 years, they reach sexual maturity and return to the oceans to breed. Adults have black leopard-like specks and feed mainly on fish and crustaceans. Unlike other fish, most types of Moray eels do not have scales, pectoral or pelvic fins, and secrete mucus over their smooth outer skins, giving them a particularly slimy feel. Liveaquaria says they can be in tanks as small as 50 gallons. But they usually become brasher when the tank is illuminated. They make great aquarium pets when placed with larger fish. They will normally require a 150 gallon or larger tank with a secure lid, as they are particularly adept at escaping from open-top tanks. Commercially, the American eel is farmed on a very limited basis and used as bait for deep-sea bass fishing, and some culinary applications. You may be surprised to know there are more than 800 species of eel out there, as well as numerous fish species that are considered “honorable eels”. Sometimes referred to as polka-dot eels or spotted spiny eels, this is actually a species of spiny eel belonging to the family Mastacembelidae. If you were starting a 55 gallon aquarium you would be looking at $450 – 600 just in live rock. Oddly enough, their heads are so small, they’re very difficult to pick out and its tiny eyes are covered in skin. On the other hand, various types of eels have been consumed by humans throughout the world as food for centuries. They will generally have a serpentine shape and can be various shades of brown depending on their age (it is believed that the older they get, the darker they get) often with black spots throughout their body. They’re born in saltwater and migrate inland where they spend most of the first 20 years feeding and growing. “CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. I think snowflake eels are beautiful. All rights reserved.

Because of their size, if you plan of keeping one most exotic fish dealers recommend at least a 150-gallon aquarium with plenty of larger rocks on the bottom for the Zebra Moray to hide in. Fire Eels generally cost around $12-20, whereas others like Tire Track Eels will cost $16-20 and Electric Eels $300. In other parts of Europe – particularly Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, and Sweden – smoked eel dishes have been popular since the 16th century.

Most scientists believe that the ancestors of the modern eel developed in the middle to late Cretaceous Period (around 100 million years ago). Along with the Japanese variety, the European eel is one of the most economically important species on the planet, and are widely commercially farmed and fished throughout Europe. It lives at depths of 7 to 100 feet and feeds mostly on crustaceans and occasionally small fish. Generally living in the mud and soft sediment at depths between 2,000 and 3,000 feet, it rarely ventures close to shore and normally eats bony fish and shrimp. Another species of Anguilla, the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) lives in the US and is believed to be the true identity of Champ, the serpentine monster of Lake Champlain. Not to be confused with the American Conger, the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is a freshwater eel and can be found living in rivers, lakes and estuaries on the East Coast of North America including the Hudson and St. Lawrence River and Chesapeake Bay regions, as well as river systems further south, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. However, they are far more comfortable in saltwater and much more likely to thrive in a saltwater environment. For their colors, long fins usually appear in dark brown to grey blacks.

Also, it’s quite an aggressive predator, feeding on any fish it can swallow. These charges are strong enough to paralyze a full-grown cow, and capturing one requires the eel to be provoked into discharging its glands completely before the captor can safely retrieve it. Snyder’s moray eel, also known as the finespot moray lives in the Pacific Ocean. There are also marine Eels which for some months bre… They feed on live food like feeder fish, shrimps, small octopus, squids, etc. Also, they prefer to feed on crustaceans than fish. As far-fetched as this theory is, there’s now some evidence to support it. Some types of eels can reach a colossal size, even in captivity. They can also survive inland and in salty environments. Comprising of several subspecies, Snyder’s morays are the smallest of all eels, measuring a mere four inches in length. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. They are nocturnal feeders, usually spending the daylight hours in crevices in a reef or between rocks on the ocean floor. There are three defined types of saltwater aquariums, that you my choose from. They’re a hardy species that can grow up to one foot long and make popular aquarium pets due to their docile nature and 18 year lifespan. Interestingly, although the Zebra is considered one of the most ‘reclusive’ of all Moray eels and are rarely seen in the wild except by individuals on night dives, in the last several decades they have become one of the most popular types of eels with aquarium enthusiasts, due both to their unique appearance and the fact that they pose very little threat to most other fish in a home aquarium. They’re native to the Orient and live up to 15 years. They measure between a mere nine inches to over five feet in length and are generally found at depths around 12,000 feet.