Are Snowflake Eels Safe?

Cliff

Active Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Location
Canfield, Ontario
I am thinking about what kind of fish I would like in the future. And I was going to go for a eel in my next tank. Just a snowflake I think. My question is has anybody ever been bitten by one? I think they are fairly safe; no? I don't want something in my tank that I have to worry about every time I put my hand in there. So what is your experience? I know it's possible for them to bite. Just like it's possible to get stabbed by a large tang. But is it probable? LOL
 
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Location
Hanover, Ontario
from my experience I had one years ago and it was perfect tenant never ate any fish even the chromis and clowns ate out of my hand and never showed and aggression.. although seemed protective of his cave and never dared to reach into it... just my experience every animal has its own personality and temperament...
 

dale

Active Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Location
Sarnia, Ontario
ime they usually hide and only bite at things they think is food,, but , they dont see very well so if you were feeding them and put your finger in there you could be mistaken for food,, mine puts his mouth on any fish that comes near him when feeding but never bites down unless its food...
 

Jewel

Guest
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Location
Wingham Ontario
Like any animal, If it has a mouth, It can nibble on fingers, I think you should be aware of it but that wouldn't stop me from getting one, My Clowns used to bite hard if they thought I was too close.
 

chief hill

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2013
Location
Windsor, Ontario
I have one. Hides in caves most of the time. Feeding time is strips of squid. I use long tongs to feed mine as they snatch the food and it's easy to get a finger in the way. As far as small fish it leaves them alone. Their vision isn't good but their sense of smell is amazing. My sailfin bats at it with its back fin a lot when it comes out competing for food. The eel is a model citizen in my tank. I highly recommend one.
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pulpfiction1

Reef Scavenger
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Location
42.418807, -82.174073
i used to hand feed my 3' zebra,loved the way it moved in the water,but like any moray they do have a bacterial component to their bite,be carefull.
only thing is they can be a bulldozer,make sure your rockwork is good and stable

:)

moray eel.jpg
 

yveterinarian

Super Active Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Location
Innerkip, Ontario
Our snowflake doesn't bite but we do use tongs just in case because then he gets a hold on a piece of food he shakes his head in the whole tearing motion and gets quite excited about the food. He is trained to eat frozen food and has never eaten a fish or shrimp in the tank. We love him. We put a few lengths of white PVC under the rocks to be his tunnels so he wouldn't accidentally topple the rocks and he spends his time in there.
 

Cliff

Active Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Location
Canfield, Ontario
That's a good idea! I was thinking maybe a clear tube right by the glass. Do u think he would use it? That way u could see home in there! That would b sweet
 

yveterinarian

Super Active Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Location
Innerkip, Ontario
That's a good idea! I was thinking maybe a clear tube right by the glass. Do u think he would use it? That way u could see home in there! That would b sweet
Not sure if he would because he wouldn't feel hidden. Our PVC has a couple of "T" connectors in it to give him channels to peek out of and he is usually peeking out of one of them. Maybe do the PVC under the rocks (ours is 4"diameter) and a clear tube near the glass just to try. That way you get the best of both worlds.
 

walshliam

New Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Location
London, Ontario
I've had one for a few months. The first few weeks he stayed well hidden, but now he's out and about all the time. He's approached me a few times when my hands are in the tank, but hasn't taken a nip at me yet. I believe they have poor eyesight, so the getting a bite wouldn't surprise me. So far he's a great tank mate, very friendly. I even noticed my Cleaner shrimp working on him the other night.
 

scubasteve

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 4, 2014
Location
Cambridge, Ontario
i have had a snowflake in with coral for awhile now also have 2 bloods 2 peppermints and a cleaner he eats clam strips cut into bits i fed him with my extendable baster with a feeding spike on the end... he will chow the mysis too only got bit once while target feeding and was more of a shock but didnt really hurt.... and snowflakes dont have teeth its a hard bony mouth like a beak
 

AdInfinitum

Super Active Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Location
Thorndale, Ontario
They have plenty of teeth but the morays that have evolved to eat hard shelled crustaceans (snowflake and zebra) have relatively blunt hard surfaced teeth designed to grind through or crack shells not the needle sharp fangs for seizing fish and soft bodied prey like squid that the viper morays have.
 
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