Electric eels get huge. Have you considered the max size and the monster tank it will need? It’s going to need a tank of at least a 1,000 gallons or so. Or at least that sounds about right, I’ll fact check myself after the coffee kicks in! Lol!
Baby electric eel care.
- Thread starter Vancerefrigeration
- Start date
Just to get a tank for the fish to have one body length in depth and 2 body lengths in length will require a 1500 gallon tank, and that’s not really sufficient room at all. What are your plans for when it grows?
Yeah from what I can read they can get up to 8ft long which is wild and they are very dangerous at that size too, water and electricity is a great mix. As for providing for this eel I have it all planned out. My dad is an electrician and routinely works with 480volts and I am an apprentice electrician doing the same. As for tank size I have an unfinished basement that is just dying to be turned into an eel room. I don’t think I’m going to use a tank at all I think this fella will require a full pond. I am already constructing the pond (mostly gathering the materials, I’ve bought a lot of wood lol) the basement is ready to be moved into it just needs finishing touches such as a dehumidifier and the things that go along with having a giant tank of water in your house.
I won’t lie this is the first time I will be constructing a tank of this size BUT I have kept smaller tanks and reef aquariums and the same basics apply as far as parameters and water quality. The only difference is I’ve never kept a fish that gets THIS BIG so I will be building a pond for the first time but other than that keeping this eel in conditions where it will thrive will be relatively easy. Basically I have to build a giant giant tank for him and after that it’s just business as usual.
Ponds aren’t really that hard, just a big water container. Check out the diy section, this has been done plenty of times. I researched it a little bit when I was thinking of a 300g stock tank pond (you could use a metal one and ground it lol) as a pond for a fahaka. Yours is going to be pretty good, if you start a build thread you can get plenty of help. Of course I’m assuming you haven’t done this…..
That’s a good idea I should check out the diy section, sometimes I try to re invent the wheel too much
. And yeah your assumption is correct I have never built a pond this big, I’ve had fish tanks for years but nothing this massive. I think it will be worth it though I’ve wnated an electric eel for years 
Electric eels don't grow that fast so why not just set up an appropriate size tank for your planned 3-4 inch eel now?
Ohio Fish Rescue has a 3 foot electric eel in a 6 foot long 125G tank and it looks just fine.
Ohio Fish Rescue has a 3 foot electric eel in a 6 foot long 125G tank and it looks just fine.
Are all of your bases covered legalwise though if something happened? i find lungfish more pleasant to work with and be able to clean the tank if needed. An electric eel theres just too many issues.
That’s the plan, I have. Multiple smaller aquariums and tubs that he could live in while I grow him out, I just want to make sure I have a bigger place for them once they are ready.
