Just because it’s long and wriggly, that doesn’t automatically make it an eel. Tim Smith introduces a ‘long’ read…

Morays are eels in a true sense.

TIM SMITH

An ichthyologist and oddball aquarist, Tim has been involved with fi sh for 15 years from retail to academia.

SHUTTERSTOCK

NOT EVERY serpentine fi sh you stumble across in the trade will necessarily be an eel - not a ‘real’ eel, anyway. As far as scientists are concerned, true eels belong to the order Anguilliformes, and include classics such as the freshwater eels, morays eels, conger eels, and gulper eels.

All those other eels you’ve heard about? Riding on the coattails of the true title holders.

What is or is not a true eel doesn’t matter in the long run; the term ‘eel’ as is currently applied acts more as a descriptor rather than having any taxonomic weight.

And it’s not just the shapes that are copied. Many of the ‘eels’ we know and love, regardless of their relationships, share fairly similar lifestyles afforded to them by their elongated presence. This translates into their aquarium care, so once you get the hang of one eel, you’re well on your way to becoming a real eel wrangler with a host of other species.

Eel accommodation 101

Something shared between nearly all eel-shaped fi sh is the uncanny ability to not only locate the only hole in your aquarium’s lid, but the sheer audacity to make an exit through it. This has led to the dessicated, untimely deaths of many an eel.

While they may spend the entire day perched under a specifi c spot, they become true extroverts at night, exploring every nook and cranny - especially those that lead to freedom.

To make sure you don’t fi nd the husk of your loved pet on the carpet, you can hinder escapes by blocking up all unnecessary gaps - foam or sponge works well. By dropping the water level ever-so-slightly too, you put a little more distance between the water and any suicide holes, drastically decreasing the odds they’ll fi nd a way out. Glass covers and heavy lids are worthwhile investments, also.