Beginning thoughts of possibly collecting myself a pair of Ribbon Eels

[OldManOfTheSea]

Many already know of my long wait in order to start one of my SPS reef tanks. Also, I been waiting in planning too when I might replace the pair of dragon eels which I sold too an aquarium zoo. The price for replacing the sold pair is $1,200.

Now I a good few times when responding too the topics on either the yellowhead or blackedge morays, I often said that these two can be manageable in a very large tank, with feeding every other day with huge water changes, for the two equals when adults in their aggressive abilities.

Now after responding to a ribbon eel topic else where, im now considering in maintaining a pair of ribbons, other then get myself a new pair of dragon eels, and I already have a price quote for the pair of $1,200.

Now one of the biggest issues in keeping ribbon eels is that they are difficult to be maintained on a non live food diet and live feeders in this case is not an option.

Now my idea is simple, I would first need to redo the setup inside the tank by first removing a good amount of LR and in adding a DSB. This would be one of the only times that I would have a DSB for any eel. Also, I would make this tank up with a number of soft corals by adding VHO lighting.

In all the years from the time I moved to NC from NY, and had this system setup, I had the tanks nitrate levels at untraceable levels at all time since after the cycle. Also, I would have to do is keep and maintain a small fish stock for the ribbon eels. Understand something in this, for you all know that eels in the wild are extremely healthy for they not feed all as often and must hunt for themselves. And in a home aquarium, this option is lost to all these eels and are also being feed more often then they would feed in the wild.

This idea will be put into plan, for after the holidays are over, sometime following after X-Mas, I will begin talk of this project with the new person I found to help me do my tanks right. Without the lighting cost I will need to do over, all the other work to be done on the 40 gal breeder and 180 is more then $1,800.

So the whole idea to this will be is that the ribbon eels will hunt for themselves, they will be feed no feeders for which was something I never done, but yes, only at the beginning, in my starting years did I do this, feed feeders. We all done some of the same things in starting our marine hobby and if some one not admit to it, their a person who you shouldn`t be listening too.

SO yes, I will begin plans on doing this and later get a total cost to what it might cost to kick it off. I will as well be needing a small tank for the live marine foods the ribbons will hunt for. I not know if I will be able to do all this in the 40 gal QT with housing corals and fish for the 180.

I feel that I have a huge step a head in doing this hobby and understanding in what it be, what Im looking to do. I will post a update plan on the SPS tanks, when I know it will be done for sure, for I had too many let downs from others, but feel for sure that the person im now in touch for this, will do just fine by me.

Buddy ><{{{{">

 

[Catpicklesdog]

I'm glad to hear that you have found someone "more reliable" to help with your tanks this time round. It's a lot easier if you know you can trust someone.:grinyes:

I saw my first ever Ribbon Eel at an LFS the other day (not my usual LFS) and was stunned by it. They look amazing. I would definately love to see pictures if you do get one.

Saying that, I also like the look of the dragon eels as well:dance2:

 

[Reefscape]

Buddy....This all sounds absolutly superb mate...Really happy that things are starting to fall into place...A pair of ribbons is very cool indeed..

 

[OldManOfTheSea]

What will depend on the project if its a go is that what the cost will be for the majority of their live feeding diet, and I will be looking to get them the wide selection a they should have. Even live shrimp, but I would need to get them a smaller size, and allow them time to grow in the QT. Im looking at a max of $150 a month, if less then that, great. But they do require a wide range of variety in their diet, and not do as so many others do, one I know now is feeding mostly shrimp. Im to get pair, but first is planning their diet, after that is the change over in the large eel tank for soft corals, and have the other live stock completed before buying the ribbons. Everything needs to be fully in place, and then it be up to the eels if their happy or not.

Buddy

 

[MonoSebaelover]

Hey Buddy, I remember the old days when we used to communicate on Reef Central talking about Eels. I used to keep Ribbons WIHOUT feeding live foods. I always started with the Black Ribbon's and had GREAT luck with getting them onto fresh/frozen scallops and shrimp from the grocery store. That might be worth a try before investing in bunches of feeders. My Eels would eat regularily between shrimp, scallops and crab meat and they did great. I had to get rid of my tanks before going to college so that trumped my Ribbon Eel keeping. I keep thinking about setting up another tank for one but I would need to give them so much time, and time I don't have at the moment . Someday I will keep them again but will live vicariously through you if you go through with your plan until I have the time to keep them again! GOOD LUCK!

 

[OldManOfTheSea]

Hey Buddy, I remember the old days when we used to communicate on Reef Central talking about Eels.

Those was the days, when I use to answer any and all questions to do with eel. I stuck out back then like a sore thumb on the subject. So, just how long did you manage in keeping that ribbon a live for?

I used to keep Ribbons WIHOUT feeding live foods.

Yes, that could be done, but depending on any number of issues, the eel could stop feeding at any giving time. There be no guarantee to how soon this would take place, then it be mostly down hill for most.

Myself, if their foods items make this project feasible in the cost, my thoughts are for the blue ribbons.

That might be worth a try before investing in bunches of feeders.

If we did talk so long ago as you seemed to remember, you should remember as well that I never use feeders, silversides or farm raised seafood products. Feeders would be extremely cheap to do, I wouldn`t then have to go and chat with the store owner on cost and quantity. And in doing this, not all this live food would be in their main tank. I like to get as better as I can and within a diet which consists mainly of other fish or cephalopods, as well as mollusks and crustaceans, I want to add all their variety if possible. This is very important to me.

In any case, you know the far majority in this has meet up in this in failure, I know that in even offering the best possible diet for them, offers no guarantee of a long term success. I readied often from others through the years when keeping these eels, and as always, they were all a great success, just as one who I not remember which forum link his in, but he often boasted when his eel feed on feeders, and I told him to feed his eel marine foods, live or dead, and keep that eel for years to come. And then I can say that he was with great success. His posting stop soon after that.

I came to this project in mind for often, the ribbon eel always comes up. I sold my pair of dragon eels, after keeping for more then 14 years. I was however making plans to replace those eels with a new pair, and one day it hit me. Why not do the larger eel tank, as a ribbon eels and soft corals. And in the ribbon eels tank itself, I will as close to never be placing my hands into their tank and when making a huge water change, I will do this only in the 70 gal tank. I not know if you remember that I the two eel tanks as one system, on a 40 gal sump.

Before seeing if this project will be feasible, im waiting to when this new aquarium person to go and pick up that 150 gal tank, that I was to use as a QT as well. About that tank, is a long story and being that im not to keep it, no sense to go into it.

So, for how long did you maintain the ribbon you had?
But I thought, I keep dragon eels for a long enough time frame, I wanted if I could think of something, to do another kind of tank, with eels. So hopefully, I not will have to go back with the idea of getting the dragon eels.

It is nice to speak with you again. :grinyes:

Buddy

 

[MonoSebaelover]

I had two Ribbons, the first one I had for a year and it was just beginning to change from Black to Blue and I made a stupid mistake one night and the lid didn't close all the way which left a gap for him to escape and he did . The other one I had for 2 years but then had to shut down my tanks to go to college so I gave to a friend and never heard from him again, somehow I don't think it survived long in his care . Good luck with yours when you decide to do it!

 

[OldManOfTheSea]

left a gap for him to escape and he did

Im sorry of that, eels like the ribbon are able to past through the most narrow cracks that you not ever think of.

The other one I had for 2 years but then had to shut down my tanks to go to college so I gave to a friend and never heard from him again, somehow I don't think it survived long in his care

That sort of thing, if you really had to rid yourself of the responsibility of caring for the eel, you should have then looked to sell it to a more experienced person, I would I know that you must had felt responsible for that eels demise, but sometimes I figure that we just can not fully control.

Along with the non live food, what did you feed it most of the time? I will not be surprised any if you did feeders for most who kept this eel did just that. But where all those failed to realize is that this kind of diet will take its toll on the eels liver/body fat in the years to come. I want to offer these eels the very best I can, just as all the eels that were under my care, only these eels will cost me a bit more.

Buddy

PS. And if I not made this clear as well, the tank will be fully set and stock with soft corals and the eels main food chain. This will be fully completed prior to getting these eels.

 

[OldManOfTheSea]

I not the time to go back to post this in its correct thread

I just spoken to James today on rather to rebuild the 180, we see how much the 240 would run me. Times as you all know has become difficult with the economy, and not just here in the states, but all over the World. Now I still however in mind to have both my 180 and 240 as SPS tanks, but after starting one, it may be as better then five years before I could think of rebuilding the other.

In any case, I wanted the 240 as my main SPS system, but the most huge problem be is that Jeff of fish world had put in a 60 gal tank, right under a tank stand that has the height of 24". that just happens top leave me with about 6.5" to get anything over the top of that tank sump.

But today, James has told me of his idea because of the money issue be is that I cannot afford at this time to spend so many extra thousands to rebuild what if it was done right as requested, I would then had been enjoying them now.

So James idea is that he would drain the tank sump of its water, and drag it too the edge of the stand to get the skimmer in it. It sounds as it could work, and would however cut the cost to rebuilding the system by nearly another $1,000 to $1,500.

Also, the skimmer I was first dead set on having, cost more then $1,800, and James is suggesting the Octopus 250 and says he could get it for cost. So if I could rebuild the 240, rather then rebuilding the 180 as my first SPS tank, I would rather do so, for it was the 240 to been my dream SPS reef tank system.

I told James that I would still do the 180 later on, but now it looks as that may be a little more then five+ years from the starting of the 240.
In any case, I told James that if this be the case as it is now, I would then start the other tank as either a eel tank, or F/O, but again, this would be only until I can rebuild the 180 for my second SPS tank.

All my plans as to what I been wanting to do for these two tanks as SPS tanks, has no change what-so-ever, other then perhaps I have to change the gem tang to a least expensive fish, Im looking at one now that cost like $500, instead of a $3,500 fish.

These days im far more busy with helping my family with my grandchildren. Like last Friday, their school closed at non and I had to dress them for the halloween party, the classrooms were dressed for this, with different games for the children and they each gotten candy for it.

So without making a long story out of this, in the next week or so, James should gotten everything from that other store who was to been my Lfs provider. Now when the time comes for starting with corals, James will do this in a large order/scale by $1,000 or more at a time.

So now what I need to do is wait to see what cost he will say that the 240 will run me. If this idea on not changing the sump that is there now would keep the cost down somewhat. But still, I will have all the same issues that require rebuilding. There be no cooling fans in place, this I told that Jeff of fish world. I also need to have the chiller on a separate line of its own, so that the turnover rate could be there to meet up with the tanks challenges.

My eyes for reading while im typing has worsen somewhat, a long with my other health issues. But this in noway means that im out as yet, I would like to enjoy the hobby to my final days and hopefully, my granddaughter would take over the tanks, she has dreams in becoming a marine biogist.

Buddy