snowflake, the destructor.

[eses]

Quick observation from last night I thought I'd share as someone may find this interesting.

Last night I was startled to see my snowflake eel (8") flying, bashing, spinning, and otherwise looking also very startled as it appeared it had one of my large turbo snails stuck to it's head. At first glance, from what I could see from the massive cloud of flying debris and flying eel was the trap-door had closed on the eel's head.

Imagine my shock to see my prize eel with it's head stuck in a snail.

Anyway, I quickly tore off the top of the tank, and after a few tense moments of trying to grab the eel was able to grab the snail shell itself; stopping the entire whirlwind of chaos the eel had created. The eels head wasn't stuck, it's jaws were firmly attached to the snail and it's trap-door, but only for a moment as the second I held onto the shell it gave the eel the leverage to rip the door off the snail, who was for a moment still rather alive, until the eel too ripped it out of the shell and ate it.

I've read they eat crustaceans, but I would never have thought one would be able to take down a large snail like that.

[Reinhold]

I am fascinated by eels. I don't have one right now. My LFS has a 7" Snowflake Eel, but I am nervous about whether it would be safe with my other fish inhabitants.

Would I lose most of my snails or crabs if I put one in my tank? Would it eat my Blue or Yellow Damsel or Oscellaris Clown?

[Firefish]

I HAD a S.F. Eel for about a week a while back. I brought him back to the lfs after he decided to decorate my tank the way he wanted to and not only that...the poor fish were always able to sleep in their special place within the rock work but after I put the eel in they would all go to one corner of the tank and stay there untill the lights came back on. So as much as I loved seeing the eel (when it decided to come out, very seldom) I returned it. IMHO they dont belong in a coral reef tank, more of a F.O. or speices tank...

[organicreefer]

snowflakes are generally pretty mellow.ive had one for a few months and he doesnt bother my snails/hermits /other fish/corals.my freind has a snowflake in with some damsels,and the damsels slap the snowflake in the face with there tails!of course this is usually right after feeding

[eses]

Reinhold - I have a "neon" dottyback, a percula clown, and a scooter blennie/dragonet in the tank with the eel, and there are no problems with them. I also have around 15-30 scarlett hermits, and 15-20 turbo snails. This is the first time I have seen the eel attack anything other than the food I put in the tank.

On feeding, the eel will sometimes checkout the other fish, but anything moving is really too much work for them and they don't bother. Even the slowest of fish can usually get out of the path of a curious eel. The only close call I've had is the eel once grabbed a puffer I had, but once it realized it had a fish, it took off. Mine dislikes fish, and won't eat anything fish-based.

I've also found them to be pretty mellow as long as they have adequate rockwork to hide in, and some on the sand-bed to burrow in and under. They spend most of their time finding a suitable den, so if you can accomdate them quickly their desire to wander is a bit less; also if you feed regularly they tend to just chill out more.

For their size though I've found them to be very strong. If I'm holding something and the eel wants it, it gets it. The eel literally ripped the trap door from the snail I was holding..so if you setup your tank with loose rockwork, or just set your rock "structures" ontop of your sandbed rather than in it, you'll easily end up with a redecorated tank.