I've got a 4 foot salt water tank at home with a pretty interesting mix of fish. There's a blue and yellow damsel that can be a bit feisty with new additions, a yellow bi-coloured dwarf angel that's basically the boss, a wrass that's also a bit aggressive, and two black and white clownies that just entertain themselves.
Recently, I added a lawnmower blenny and a dotti-back to the tank. Now, I'm eyeing a small White ribbon Eel and I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I'm worried the other fish might attack it. When I introduced the blenny and dotti, the other fish were really territorial, but the dotti managed to carve out its own spot and even stood up to the wrass and damsel within a day. So, I'm wondering if it's safe to keep the Eel? Has anyone had any experience with them? I've done some research, but I'd love to hear from people who've actually kept them.
By the way, I've got a bit of a mystery on my hands - the Blenny has been MIA for 5 days now. It was just chillin' on some piping in the tank and then it vanished. I've tried feeding the tank all sorts of food to lure it out, but nothing's worked so far. I've checked all the small caves in the rocks, but no sign of it. I don't think it's been eaten, and it definitely hasn't jumped out of the tank. Is it possible it's just hiding, or is it dead? If anyone's got any ideas, please let me know.
keeping white ribbon eels
-
flame9x - Posts: 150
- Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2022 2:54 am
Re: keeping white ribbon eels
Ribbon eels are indeed one of the more fragile species out there. I'd advise making sure it's eating well at the store before taking it home. However, I have my reservations about adding a ribbon eel to your setup. Your tank mates, particularly the damsel and wrass, seem quite aggressive, and I fear they might not make the best companions for such a delicate creature.
To better understand your tank's dynamics, could you please specify its volume? A 4-foot tank can vary greatly in terms of water capacity and swimming space - we're talking anything from 55 to 120 gallons, or even a 210-gallon cube. This information would be helpful in assessing the feasibility of introducing a ribbon eel to your environment.
To better understand your tank's dynamics, could you please specify its volume? A 4-foot tank can vary greatly in terms of water capacity and swimming space - we're talking anything from 55 to 120 gallons, or even a 210-gallon cube. This information would be helpful in assessing the feasibility of introducing a ribbon eel to your environment.
-
Vitalo - Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:52 pm
Re: keeping white ribbon eels
Not sure about the eel, but I'm wondering if the blenny might have slipped into a sump or overflow, I've had a similar experience with my goby. It vanished for seven days and I thought for sure it was gone for good, or at least hiding in its cave. But then it turned up in my sump, so it's definitely possible that's where your blenny is.Fable45 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:16 am I've got a 4 foot salt water tank at home with a pretty interesting mix of fish. There's a blue and yellow damsel that can be a bit feisty with new additions, a yellow bi-coloured dwarf angel that's basically the boss, a wrass that's also a bit aggressive, and two black and white clownies that just entertain themselves.
Recently, I added a lawnmower blenny and a dotti-back to the tank. Now, I'm eyeing a small White ribbon Eel and I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I'm worried the other fish might attack it. When I introduced the blenny and dotti, the other fish were really territorial, but the dotti managed to carve out its own spot and even stood up to the wrass and damsel within a day. So, I'm wondering if it's safe to keep the Eel? Has anyone had any experience with them? I've done some research, but I'd love to hear from people who've actually kept them.
By the way, I've got a bit of a mystery on my hands - the Blenny has been MIA for 5 days now. It was just chillin' on some piping in the tank and then it vanished. I've tried feeding the tank all sorts of food to lure it out, but nothing's worked so far. I've checked all the small caves in the rocks, but no sign of it. I don't think it's been eaten, and it definitely hasn't jumped out of the tank. Is it possible it's just hiding, or is it dead? If anyone's got any ideas, please let me know.
-
Fable45 - Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:59 am
Re: keeping white ribbon eels
I'm not sure about the eel, but I'm wondering if the blenny might have somehow got into a sump or overflow. I had a similar experience with my goby - it was missing for seven days and I thought it was hiding in its cave, but it ended up being in my sump.Fable45 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:16 am I've got a 4 foot salt water tank at home with a pretty interesting mix of fish. There's a blue and yellow damsel that can be a bit feisty with new additions, a yellow bi-coloured dwarf angel that's basically the boss, a wrass that's also a bit aggressive, and two black and white clownies that just entertain themselves.
Recently, I added a lawnmower blenny and a dotti-back to the tank. Now, I'm eyeing a small White ribbon Eel and I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I'm worried the other fish might attack it. When I introduced the blenny and dotti, the other fish were really territorial, but the dotti managed to carve out its own spot and even stood up to the wrass and damsel within a day. So, I'm wondering if it's safe to keep the Eel? Has anyone had any experience with them? I've done some research, but I'd love to hear from people who've actually kept them.
By the way, I've got a bit of a mystery on my hands - the Blenny has been MIA for 5 days now. It was just chillin' on some piping in the tank and then it vanished. I've tried feeding the tank all sorts of food to lure it out, but nothing's worked so far. I've checked all the small caves in the rocks, but no sign of it. I don't think it's been eaten, and it definitely hasn't jumped out of the tank. Is it possible it's just hiding, or is it dead? If anyone's got any ideas, please let me know.
-
Fable45 - Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:59 am
Re: keeping white ribbon eels
Thanks for the idea, I hadn't thought of the filter. We've got a filter with two pipes, one for filtering and the other for return. When we added the clownies, we put a smaller pipe inside the intake to stop any fish getting sucked in, so I don't think the blenny's in there, but I'll double-check.Fable45 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:16 am I've got a 4 foot salt water tank at home with a pretty interesting mix of fish. There's a blue and yellow damsel that can be a bit feisty with new additions, a yellow bi-coloured dwarf angel that's basically the boss, a wrass that's also a bit aggressive, and two black and white clownies that just entertain themselves.
Recently, I added a lawnmower blenny and a dotti-back to the tank. Now, I'm eyeing a small White ribbon Eel and I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I'm worried the other fish might attack it. When I introduced the blenny and dotti, the other fish were really territorial, but the dotti managed to carve out its own spot and even stood up to the wrass and damsel within a day. So, I'm wondering if it's safe to keep the Eel? Has anyone had any experience with them? I've done some research, but I'd love to hear from people who've actually kept them.
By the way, I've got a bit of a mystery on my hands - the Blenny has been MIA for 5 days now. It was just chillin' on some piping in the tank and then it vanished. I've tried feeding the tank all sorts of food to lure it out, but nothing's worked so far. I've checked all the small caves in the rocks, but no sign of it. I don't think it's been eaten, and it definitely hasn't jumped out of the tank. Is it possible it's just hiding, or is it dead? If anyone's got any ideas, please let me know.
-
Fable45 - Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:59 am
Re: keeping white ribbon eels
I think its a 75g. Yeah thats what i was worried about because when we added the dotti back the damsel and wrass attacked it straight away after sizing each other up. They still fight a little but our angel acts like a police for new fish, its pretty funny actually. AtMarks all the fish, and protects the little new ones.