True Freshwater Eels?

[Cincygoewey]

I was going to buy an eel from a LFS yesterday but was told from a buddy of mine that there are no true freshwater eels besides spaghetti and one other kind. He also said that there are NO freshwater Moray eels, and of course my spiny eels are just fish. Is he correct? I really wanted a true eel so I'm hoping he is wrong, thanks for any info.

 

[JML1997]

He's wrong there are many freshwater species of eels. My favorites being Fire, and Tire Track Eel.

 

[Chub_by]

He's wrong there are many freshwater species of eels. My favorites being Fire, and Tire Track Eel.

Wrong. Spiny eels are not true freshwater eels.

And OP, your buddy is also wrong. The only "true" freshwater eels, are anguilla species - european eel, american eel, etc.

 

[puffykid]

Sorry I don't believe there are any fresh water moray eels. I think snow flake eels are the moray species that gets sold incorrectly as a fw eel, but they are full marine.

 

[Kennethlee]

The african ropefish?
I think i saw fw morays once at an exotic petstore. They didnt look like sw morays but they were big, green and certainly eels.

 

[Matt724]

what about the Mastacembelidae eels of Lake Tanganyika?

 

[tantrick]

What about New Zealand longfin eels? I would think those would qualify as well.

 

[HexHammer]

I don't remember of any true freshwater eels, eventually all eels living in freshwater will migrate to saltwater, even those mentioned earlier such as Fire and European.

 

[pharmaecopia]

Wrong. Spiny eels are not true freshwater eels.

And OP, your buddy is also wrong. The only "true" freshwater eels, are anguilla species - european eel, american eel, etc.

Pretty much this. I would also point out that the anguilla species of eel migrate to the sea to spawn and the elvers are what migrates back up rivers and live out most of their life in freshwater.

 

[Chub_by]

The african ropefish?
I think i saw fw morays once at an exotic petstore. They didnt look like sw morays but they were big, green and certainly eels.

Probably american eels.

what about the Mastacembelidae eels of Lake Tanganyika?

Spiny eels so no. They are fresh but not true eels.

What about New Zealand longfin eels? I would think those would qualify as well.

Yes they do, those are an anguilla species.