Daily: Check filter, water temperature and other equipment.Water care: Maintaining great water quality with regular water changes and adequate filtration is important to help keep your eels healthy.Eels typically feed at night, when other fish are less active.Things to remember when feeding your eel: Décor: Eels like to hide, so rocks, caves, hollow logs or other safe hiding spaces should be providedįreshwater eels are primarily carnivores, but some may accept small amounts of vegetative matter. A well-balanced eel diet consists of high-protein foods, such as frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms, krill or brine shrimp, and live foods, such as earthworms and black worms.Substrate: Provide about 2” of nonabrasive substrate for eels to burrow in that won’t hurt their soft, skin-like scales.Do not allow specific gravity to fluctuate more than 0.001 in either direction in a 24-hour period Freshwater eels tolerate freshwater salt in the aquarium the specific gravity should be kept at 1.004 if housed with other aquatic life.An aquatic heater should be used to stabilize water temperature, ensuring it does not fluctuate more than 2 degrees in either direction in a 24-hour period.
If you are unsure of your water quality, bring a sample to Petco for free testing. Stable water quality (pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite) and water temperature are critical to the health of aquatic life.Moderate to strong water circulation should be provided to mimic water currents and high oxygen levels found in the eels' natural habitat. Provide proper filtration to ensure optimal water quality to help maintain health.Keep freshwater eels in an appropriately sized aquarium based on the adult size of the species selected these can range from 29 gallons for smaller species or juveniles to 125 gallons or more for larger species. A well-sealed aquarium lid is mandatory as eels can easily escape. Some can be aggressive and eat smaller tank matesĥ–18 years when properly cared for, depending on species.Live in holes and caves or bury themselves in nonabrasive substrates.Primarily nocturnal (active at night) but may venture out under lower lighting as they become comfortable with the environment.Typical freshwater eel appearance and behavior This care sheet covers a variety of freshwater eel species, including:įreshwater eels, for the aquarium, are not true eels but are eel-like tropical freshwater fish with pectoral fins. Freshwater eels are nocturnal predators with poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell. These eels have an elongated, snake-like body and vary in size and coloration, with an incredible ability to squeeze through the smallest of openings. Freshwater eels are a carnivorous, bottom-dwelling species requiring well-filtered, heavily oxygenated habitats.