Fire Eels and Discus

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Ok, as you may know my 300 gallon tank is just about done cycling. I am almost ready to stock it. Since I work at the UF Tropical Aquaculture Lab, I have access to some pretty cool fish. I might have the opportunity to get a few F1 Fire Eels. I have fallen in love with these fish. The adults are like dogs...personable and very responsive to your movement (in other words, cool fish). Has anyone here ever done this combination? The eels are 6-8" right now and they shouldnt pose a problem for eating anyone (if ever). I just wanted to see if it has been done and what other's experiences are with these fish.

-Ryan

[Rod]

Hi Ryan,

I doubt a fire eel would attack the discus, but feeding the discus will become an issue i would think. From my experience the fire eel will be totally dominant and eat all the food before the discus even gets a look in.

Great fish btw

[KDodds]

Fire eels are more accustomed to different foods, larger "grains" or bits and chunks, whatever. So it really depends on what you're feeding. If you feed a mix of large chunks, mid sized chunks and small chunks, they all should get enough desirable bits. HOWEVER, some Mastacemblids can be pretty aggressive at feeding time, whipping about the tank in a frenzy that might discourage the discus from feeding. Just something to watch for, otherwise I think it's worth a go.

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Thanks y'all. Worse comes to worse, give them a try and if they dont work out I can easily find a home for them since they are an F1 generation.

-Ryan

[brewmaster15]

Ryan,
After your post I did some digging as I was not familar with that species...Looks real cool...Just what I needed ...another fish on my.."have to try list",,,Gee Thanks!

seriously, keep us posted on how it works and if it doesn't... feel free to send them to CT..I'll be happy to take them!

-al

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Ryan,
After your post I did some digging as I was not familar with that species...Looks real cool...Just what I needed ...another fish on my.."have to try list",,,Gee Thanks!

seriously, keep us posted on how it works and if it doesn't... feel free to send them to CT..I'll be happy to take them!

-al

I was in the same boat as you Al....before I started working down at the Lab I never even heard of a Fire Eel. I have done a lot of research on them and I think they can be done fairly easily. Biggest problem is getting them to feed....but I wont have that problem since these are F1 that were spawned and raised there at the Lab. I will most definetly let you know what I do and updates if I get them.

-Ryan

[JFlo]

I had never seen one before and now that I have I must have one. The LFS has some nice ones ... I prob wouldnt get one there but was cool to see them close up. I soooo wish I could do one now, but my tank is only a 150 and it already has 12 discus, 50 rummy nose, and more. Not to mention it is planted. I read these things do best with a bunch of hiding places and no plants ... they will uproot them. I have been searching the house for a place to put a 180 gallon tank for one but I think my wife would kill me if a dropped the 3 - 4 thousand dollars it would cost to get everything running. Please post pictures once you get it. What size tank are you going to do?

[Ed13]

I don't know Ryan, recently saw one that was at least 1.25" in diameter and fairly strong too

[trplxj]

Don't know if this will help or not. But I kept a tire track eel (about the same as the fire just different markings) in my 90 with discus, angels, and redhead geos with no problems. Feeding was easy, the fish ate their food and the eel ate the night crawlers, sliver sides or whatever I was hand feeding him. I have since moved the angels and discus to a 180 with my motoro stingrays. My plans are to move the eel in there as well in the mear future. I should also mention the my eel is about 14" long and growning fast. he as about 4" long when I got him just over a year ago. Keep in mind that the fire eel will get 24" to 30"+ long and be about as big around as your forearm.

[Graham]

These eels have been around the hobby for years but always wild caught. I had the oppertunity when we were in Florida a few weeks ago to have a tour of this facility with Ryan...great couple of hours.

Here are the juveniles fire's that ryan will be able to get some of

[AquatiCreations]

I was wondering if the peacock eel might be suitable aswell it grows to a smaller adult size and would be better suited to smaller tanks. I have raised the peacock eel before it's a very shy fish,with a very small mouth. If anyone has any opposistion to keeping them with discus,Please do tell!

[AquatiCreations]

Giving this thread a bump!

We need some more info!

[lesser260]

Hello Everyone, I'm a first time poster here. I have recently acquired the aquaria bug and am in the process of installing a 120 gallon tank. (upgrading from 30 gal after 6 months). I will be keeping a school of discus, a couple angels, and I'm thinking some larger tetra species. The fire eel is one of the fish that I'm considering adding. Does anyone have an update since the last post on that little experiment? Also, it it possible to keep these with live plants? I understand that they can sometime uproot them.

-Scott

[cubert]

i had a fire eel with my discus for a little bit, after a while i noticed when i would feed the eel would swim right with the discus and compete for food, and i figured it just wasn't worth the discus possibly being stressed by not getting as much food.

[Herbicidal]

About 20 years ago I bought a small Fire eel and kept it with many other fish (no Discus) in a 135 gallon tank. I would feed it live tubifex worms from a turkey baster. Worked great! He grew to over 24" long before he escaped through the glass lid one night. I found him on the floor the next morning almost dried out. Got him right back in the tank, but he had been too long out of water and did not recover.

My wife has one now (5-6") in her 90 gallon tank (again, no Discus) and he hides in a ceramic log during the day, but does come out at feeding time and eats from a baster as well. Nowadays we use frozen blood worms thawed out in a cup of water, then sucked into the baster. I found the Fire eels to be more timid and peaceful then the Tire Track 'version'. Having a place to hide and lay low during the day is a good thing for the Fire eel too.

BTW - did you go with the Fire eel or the Peacock eel?