How Big do Zebra Eels Get?

[Sir Alex]

On liveaquaria it says that they can get up to 5' long and need 125 gallons. But from other things I've read they don't tend to get much larger than 3'.

So I was wondering if I would really be pushing it putting a zebra moray eel in my 110 in the future?

 

[Reef Nutz]

Length/Diameter of fish: Adults can grow to 144 cm (57 inches), but usually only attain about 90cm (36 inches) in captivity.
Maintenance difficulty: The Zebra Moray Eel is easy to keep once they are established in the aquarium.
Foods: The Zebra Moray Eels are carnivores. Having blunt teeth suitable for grinding, they primarily eat crustaceans in their natural habitat, such things as crabs, snails, urchins, and mollusks. For this eel a good choice is crab meat, blue crabs with their carapace cracked works well. Also fiddler crabs are readily available. They will also eat other meaty foods such as shrimp, clams, squid, scallops and fish flesh.
Though a very docile fish they can become a bit more aggressive when feeding and they do have a very strong bite, so it is best to feed with a feeding stick. Juveniles will eat more readily than adults and will take a wider variety of [COLOR=#009600! important][COLOR=#009600! important]foods[/COLOR][/COLOR], however most specimens that are available are already over 17 inches (43.2 cm). Use a feeding stick if necessary at first to place the food right in front of its mouth. You can gently tap the eel's snout with the food laden stick to encourage it to eat. Don't worry if it doesn't eat for a while at first, they can go for several weeks without food (and often do).

 

[Reef Nutz]

 

[Sir Alex]

Length/Diameter of fish: Adults can grow to 144 cm (57 inches), but usually only attain about 90cm (36 inches) in captivity.
Maintenance difficulty: The Zebra Moray Eel is easy to keep once they are established in the aquarium.
Foods: The Zebra Moray Eels are carnivores. Having blunt teeth suitable for grinding, they primarily eat crustaceans in their natural habitat, such things as crabs, snails, urchins, and mollusks. For this eel a good choice is crab meat, blue crabs with their carapace cracked works well. Also fiddler crabs are readily available. They will also eat other meaty foods such as shrimp, clams, squid, scallops and fish flesh.
Though a very docile fish they can become a bit more aggressive when feeding and they do have a very strong bite, so it is best to feed with a feeding stick. Juveniles will eat more readily than adults and will take a wider variety of [COLOR=#009600! important][COLOR=#009600! important]foods[/COLOR][/COLOR], however most specimens that are available are already over 17 inches (43.2 cm). Use a feeding stick if necessary at first to place the food right in front of its mouth. You can gently tap the eel's snout with the food laden stick to encourage it to eat. Don't worry if it doesn't eat for a while at first, they can go for several weeks without food (and often do).

Hmm, thanks, but it doesn't say minimum aquarium size...

 

[Reef Nutz]

[COLOR=#009600! important][COLOR=#009600! important]Aquarium[/COLOR][/COLOR] Parameters:
A reclusive fish, it needs to have plenty of rock with holes for hiding its entire body in to feel comfortable.
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
A minimum 75 gallon (284 liters) aquarium for an adult Zebra Moray Eel.
Light: Recommended light levels
No special requirements.
Temperature:
No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish is between 74 ° and 79 ° Fahrenheit.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
No special requirements.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
Will generally stay in the bottom of the aquarium. Will find a cave or crawl under a rock and spend most of their time there with only their heads sticking out.
Social Behaviors: Sociable and peaceful, can be considered a community

 

[Sir Alex]

[COLOR=#009600! important][COLOR=#009600! important]Aquarium[/COLOR][/COLOR] Parameters:
A reclusive fish, it needs to have plenty of rock with holes for hiding its entire body in to feel comfortable.
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
A minimum 75 gallon (284 liters) aquarium for an adult Zebra Moray Eel.
Light: Recommended light levels
No special requirements.
Temperature:
No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish is between 74 ° and 79 ° Fahrenheit.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
No special requirements.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
Will generally stay in the bottom of the aquarium. Will find a cave or crawl under a rock and spend most of their time there with only their heads sticking out.
Social Behaviors: Sociable and peaceful, can be considered a community [COLOR=#009600! important][COLOR=#009600! important]fish[/COLOR][/COLOR] as long as the tank mates are not ornamental [COLOR=#009600! important][COLOR=#009600! important]crustaceans[/COLOR][/COLOR], they will readily snack on those. Because of their need to retreat, they are best kept in a [COLOR=#009600! important][COLOR=#009600! important]reef [COLOR=#009600! important]aquarium[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR], or an aquarium with lots of rock.

Hmmm... :roll:

I think I'll turn my 110 in to a predator tank when I get back from college. That's umm, 10 years... :sad:

 

[Reef Nutz]

Yikes. Why the wait?

 

[Sir Alex]

Yikes. Why the wait?

I'm 12 :sad: and I'm making $40 a week (pretty good :D), so I can hardly afford one tank. (it's going to take me a year and a half to save up enough money for my 75 gallon reef...)

I guess if I'm going to wait that long I might as well do something bigger, like a 180 or 240.

 

[Reef Nutz]

If your gonna do it do it right I suppose. Craigslist do ya any good?

 

[Sir Alex]

If your gonna do it do it right I suppose. Craigslist do ya any good?

I got the tank off of craigslist and that's the only thing I have so far. I'll get as much used stuff as I can but some things are pretty hard to find. Such as the skimmer I want.

 

[Reef Nutz]

Skimmer you want?? Should say---Skimmer I need----

 

[Sir Alex]

Skimmer you want?? Should say---Skimmer I need----

Oh, yah, I meant skimmer I need..

 

[Reef Nutz]

:bowdown: :rofl:

 

[little_fish]

I would bet if you waited long enough and hunted hard enough on cragslist, you would fine a nice big zebra eel someone is desperate to get rid of you try adding to your tank. I think he would do fine in there, and hopefully if did some re-arranging and a blackout your current eel would adjust to the new comer.

 

[Sir Alex]

I would bet if you waited long enough and hunted hard enough on cragslist, you would fine a nice big zebra eel someone is desperate to get rid of you try adding to your tank. I think he would do fine in there, and hopefully if did some re-arranging and a blackout your current eel would adjust to the new comer.

I think I'll turn my 110 in to a predator tank when I get back from college. That's umm, 10 years... :sad:

Little Fish, there is no way I would put two big eels in my tank.

 

[little_fish]

I guess i missed why you are looking for one then. A wee bit of confusion on my part.

 

[Sir Alex]

I'm just thinking ahead of time. Very ahead of time...