New Tank, rescue Eel tankmates advice

[Supalah17]

So after a lot of financial distress over the past couple of years I am finally at a stable and comfortable point. I have bought a 125 gallon tank and it's currently cycling and will be for around the next few weeks. I got a peacock Eel from a friend who bought it on impulse and had neither the means not the desire to truly care for it. It's currently in a 20g tank (it's only like 4" long so this is fine until my 125 is set up). Now that I'm basically stuck with the eel, I kind of grew to like him but I don't want to change my original tank idea too much. The tank set up would be as follows:
3x peacock eels (I like him, I want more)
2x featherfin squeaker (getting my brothers sibling cats, they are quite close, only about 4" long at the moment)
2x green Severums
The tank is dimly lit with 2 large sections of driftwood, one at each end. A few scattered smaller pieces of driftwood and a bunch of fake plants through out. Sand substrate (around 3-4" deep) and the filter is a fantastic canister filter my father bought for a 250g tank, sand bottom, with a TT eel. If this setup and tank mates are good or bad I would love to hear comments/criticism (or additional tank mates if you feel the tank will be barren)

 

[Supalah17]

I have been thinking that this setup would feel a little empty, so now I'm thinking a school of around 6 dwarf rainbow fish. Too much or now enough? The filtration on the tank is going to be absurd overkill so I'm not worried about waste management so much as ensuring the fish have enough room to be happy and not get into territory disputes. Thanks for any responses!

 

[eddiegunks]

Our 125 finally has fish. We have a small school of 15 of denison barbs in with a half dozen blue balloon rams.

The barbs are great fish. I wanna add another dozen! But the boss is giving me the no look.

Get some dension barbs!

 

[kno4te]

The setup sounds fine and tank size is good. Even with the other additions.

My suggestion would be keep a tight lid. The other would be to add some leaves to the tank and add floating plants. Helps to deter the fish.

Consider adding some leaves to the tanks. Sensitive to infection and the tanins prevent it. Need clean water.

Feeding will be tough as any food added will be eaten away. May need to feed at night or spot feed where it's hanging out.

The other is eels can be aggressive to their own kin. So keep an eye out.

 

[Supalah17]

The setup sounds fine and tank size is good. Even with the other additions.

My suggestion would be keep a tight lid. The other would be to add some leaves to the tank and add floating plants. Helps to deter the fish.

Consider adding some leaves to the tanks. Sensitive to infection and the tanins prevent it. Need clean water.

Feeding will be tough as any food added will be eaten away. May need to feed at night or spot feed where it's hanging out.

The other is eels can be aggressive to their own kin. So keep an eye out.

Thanks for the response! I have thought about the feeding issue and frankly I think the challenge will just add more fun to the tank!
I had heard that the smaller spiny eels were good tankmates for each other, I know the large ones can harass and kill each other but though I would be fine with the peacocks... guess I will wait and see (I have emergency back up tanks that are already running if I need to separate them).
I have a very tight fitted glass lid and the lighting rests on it, that said the lighting has two settings between blue dim light and bright UV light if I want it. Will keeping the lights blue and having a secure lid be a good enough prevention tool? I have a 40g planted tank and frankly that's my wife's bag, I hate the live plants and don't want any in the 125g, even floating ones, silk plants all day lol.

 

[Supalah17]

Our 125 finally has fish. We have a small school of 15 of denison barbs in with a half dozen blue balloon rams.

The barbs are great fish. I wanna add another dozen! But the boss is giving me the no look.

Get some dension barbs!

View attachment 1264734

They are really neat looking fish! I will have to see if my LFS has or gets them in stock, their stocking seems relatively random excepting a handful of regulars!

 

[Supalah17]

Thanks for the response! I have thought about the feeding issue and frankly I think the challenge will just add more fun to the tank!
I had heard that the smaller spiny eels were good tankmates for each other, I know the large ones can harass and kill each other but though I would be fine with the peacocks... guess I will wait and see (I have emergency back up tanks that are already running if I need to separate them).
I have a very tight fitted glass lid and the lighting rests on it, that said the lighting has two settings between blue dim light and bright UV light if I want it. Will keeping the lights blue and having a secure lid be a good enough prevention tool? I have a 40g planted tank and frankly that's my wife's bag, I hate the live plants and don't want any in the 125g, even floating ones, silk plants all day lol.

For reference, this is my first eel, my father has a 250g with a TT and several other larger fish, as well as an 800g with 4 Fire Eels, each of them picked a corner and the other fish in that's massive tank keep them from bothering each other. He's never kept any smaller species so he was no help on the peacock/zebra eels haha