Freshwater Peacock Eel and Dwarf Puffers

The_Wolfman

AC Members
Dec 26, 2008
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Hey guys I'm thinking about adding a Peacock Eel to my Dwarf Puffer tank.

Right now I have:

4 Dwarfs
3 Ottos
? Ghost Shrimp
1 Wood Shrimp

My Dwarfs are pretty docile, they dont like each other but they've never messed with anything else in the tank. Do you think it would be safe to add a eel to the mix?
 
What size of a tank?
 
Peacock eels can get over 2 FEET long. Your tank just simply isn't big enough to support one. Some people have been able to keep a group of kuchli loaches with them but your results may vary.
 
Peacock eels can get over 2 FEET long. Your tank just simply isn't big enough to support one. Some people have been able to keep a group of kuchli loaches with them but your results may vary.

Peacock eels get to be 12" AT MOST. A 30 can easily support 1. I looked into getting a peacock eel for my 29 gallon but decided to go with a different more out going species. I'm not sure how big dwarf puffers really are but aren't they pretty small? An eel will eat anything it can fit in it's mouth. It would also depend on the puffers. Some puffers get along with tankmates better than others.
Also while eels are a pretty neat fish they hide a lot so you may not see it very much.
 
Peacock eels get to be 12" AT MOST. A 30 can easily support 1. I looked into getting a peacock eel for my 29 gallon but decided to go with a different more out going species. I'm not sure how big dwarf puffers really are but aren't they pretty small? An eel will eat anything it can fit in it's mouth. It would also depend on the puffers. Some puffers get along with tankmates better than others.
Also while eels are a pretty neat fish they hide a lot so you may not see it very much.
According to these sites:

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Mastacembelus_armatus.php
http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile96.html

They can reach 3 feet in length. A 12 inch peacock eel is HORIBLY stunted and even a 12 in fhish shouldn't be kept in a tank that is only 12 inches front to back (on the outside so the internal width is 11.5 inches).
 
In that case as long as you are ABSOLUTLY sure you are getting a Macrognathus siamensis, it sould be ok. Many stores (at least in my area) sell tire-track eels as peacock eels so that was my main reasons for saying no.

Just remember that the tag on the tank isn't always right. I would start by looking up the differences between the two and make sure you can tell them apart.
 
I've never seen that around here. I see zigzags and tiretracks mixed up a lot which makes sense because they look so similar. Petsmart sells peacock eels that are in fact peacock eels. They are pretty easy to tell apart IMO.
Peacock eel
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Tiretrack eel
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The spots on the tail is a great indicator of a peacock eel.
 
I think the possibility of the eel eating the puffers is good given the extreme inactivity of the puffers at night. That possibility doesn't bode well for the longevity of the eel given that the puffs are toxic...

I wouldn't do it.
 
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