Pink Paddletail Eel

AndiPants

AndiPants

AC Members
May 25, 2007
148
0
0
Canada
:grinyes:
So...I went to the pet store to just buy some crickets, and I ended up walking out with a pink paddletail eel for just $2...a deal I couldn't refuse!
I've been having trouble getting some solid general info on these guys, anyone have experience or knowledge?
Thanks!
 
Research first, buy later. How do you know it wouldn't eat all of your fish as soon as you put it in the tank? Wouldn't be such a good deal then. . . .

here's something. . . hope you have a big tank, no guppies or small tetras, and you migth want to go brackish:

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/Eels/PurpleSpaghettiEel.php
 
I know I shouldn't have, but I was misinformed at the store and he was being sold as a loach. Otherwise I really would have waited... thanks for the info though
 
my buddy has a few and they are feeding great on live tubiflex worms.growing everyday
 
Paddletails can be touchy when young. Go with as soft of a substrate as possible too.
 
I was on a wait list for 3 years for something I had seen in a fish store called a "silk eel" -- I believed this eel was Moringua Raitaborua (Pink Paddletail/Purple Spaghetti) I bought one that died the 1st day. I did a very quick drip acclimation but after I added him I did a cold water change that killed him.

I asked for one more but they couldn't find any of them in the store or through dealers for years. Eventually they called me and they presented a tiny one to me. I bought him and put him in a diff. tank and later noticed he was a loach. I'm pretty sure that's the same family of loach you're looking for (skinny, long, skinny body, comes from a hillstream) -- I'm glad I have him he keeps my java moss free of food.

Anyways 3 years after ordering, I got a call that they found one of the original batch eels they ordered 3 years ago. He was huge and I acclimated him into a 10G tank of tap water (which is what the LPS used).

I monitored him by putting a clear hose in there for him as cover and keeping the lights completely off. The eel felt like he was always in a small tunnel and it was dark so after about 3-4 days he started eating. I fed him live black worms. He of course made it look like the most difficult hunt ever and was a bit clumsy... but then again he has survived in a petstore for 3 years and gotten bigger and fat.

I tried feeding him frozen brine shrimp and frozen blood worms (red mosq. larv.) -- he took these with no complaints... again cocking his head back and snapping forward like a snake on the hunt.

I acclimated him throughout the next month to my 55G tank by doing tiny water transfers.

I made another clear hose that looped under a big long peice of wood in my tank and the ends of the hose would stick out of the ground, on the sides of the wood. He stayed in the tube for a week or 2 because I could see him when I would gently syphon water out of his tunnel. He even repositioned himself which means he swam out of the tunnel then back in the other way.

Eventually I discovered he was no longer in the tunnel and removed it. Months later, I discovered something moving under the gravel and saw him under the substrate through the glass. He had apparantly formed a bunch of tunnels under the substrate by burrowing. A part of his tunnel was formed against the glass and as he slid through the tunnel I could see his body getting pressed up agains the glass in that spot.

I noticed he has several tunnels accross the front glass but I have never seen him in any of those ever since that day. Although sometimes when I crush them when I vac. the substrate, he forms some more in the same places. So that's why I assume he has an complex network of tunnels under the substrate. My tank is completely covered with cave-like peices of wood and plants. So many of my "burrower" fish have NEVER burrowed in my tank because it's easier to hide in a dark cave.

LoL I've seen my eel 1x in 1 year. I've heard another report where someone has had his 5 years and running and has only seen it 2x.

I feed excess live black worms once in a whilein the front of the glass to make sure my eel can eat. This guy knows what he's doing cuz he survived in a crappy petshop for 3 years+
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom