id this eel

[madyarlady]

I haven't got a picture yet, But I do have a good description. Please help me name this eel.

I just noticed this eel in my tank. Must have hitchhiked in.
Last time I bought live rock was about a year ago. Maybe on a coral. I don't know, but it's definetly an eel and I didn't buy it.

The eel is noctural, I have found it's hole it comes out of. It's about 6-7 inches long now. I haven't fed it, but since the pile of empty crab shells is growing in the sand, I assume that's what it's eating. It has an all black body with yellow/white spot/stripes near the head. Further down the body it's for sure stripes not spots and they are yellow/white. Hard to tell in the flashlight light. I think yellow. It does have the side fins and the raised fins on top and bottom. I have looked and looked and all the eels have banded stripes not lengthwise stripes. I just can't find this one. Maybe the colors are different in a juvenile. It is not a ribbon eel. The head is blunt not pointy.
Any ideas anyone?

Thanks
Sally

[Curtswearing]

I don't have a clue as to the type of eel you have yet. However, I wanted to say

WELCOME TO REEFSANCTUARY!!!

[sharks]

Does it look like this?
http://www.reeftalk.com/reviews/show...p?product=1480

Just a thought. The engineer goby turns from black and white to black and yellow as it gets older.
But then it defiantly isn’t eating crabs. And it would have a home under the rock. They love to dig…hence the name…
Just a thought

Also ….
Welcome to RS!

[brian_e]

anything like this

[Maxx]

Sounds like it could be a type of Conger eel, with the fins....can you bum a camera?
Nick

[brian_e]

u beat me to it sharks

[sharks]

Yeah but you found the adult pic I was looking for
Nice work

[brian_e]

thats in my tank and boy do i wish i could get him out he spits sand all over my corals

[sharks]

I hear that
I had one in a FO tank and they are sooo much fun to watch.
In a reef they can be APITA. And forget about a DSB they love to go deep
Good luck removing him…and keep the turkey baster close to blow the sand off the corals

[madyarlady]

Thank you for the replies so far. It is not the eel with the yellow bands.Brian - the stripes run vertical.

BUT, I did buy 3 engineer gobies about 12-18 months ago. they were maybe 1 inch long - never thought they would survive.

It could be it. How big do they get? This thing is a good 6-7 inches long and fat! But unlike the photo given the stripe does not run the entire length of the body - more broken up. And several of them.

And I do have piles of sand appear from time to time in several locations.

I do have a camera - it just runs to fast to catch. I haven't been able to get a photo yet.
Thanks again.

[brian_e]

the pic i posted is a engineer gobie that i have hadover a year now he is about 8 inches long yours could still be a engineer gobie just his strips have not changed yet

[sharks]

That sound like an ID to me
They are all slightly different and the sand piles are a give away to me. Adults don't get that large maybe 8 inches from the one I had for 2 years. Look at the link I posted above.

Description: The Engineer goby is also commonly referred to as the Convict Goby. It is in a separate family from the gobies and blennies. Its markings change throughout its life. Consistently, the colors involved are dark blue to black on white. As a juvenile, the markings are horizontal, running the length of the body. With age, they become vertical bands.

Notice the last line?
True eels are vary rarely a hitch hiker IME
S

[madyarlady]

You guys are amazing! I think you are right! It is the goby just in between your two pics. I got a good look at him tonite and the stripes are just breaking up and the ones near the tail do look like they are going around him now. I can't believe he's been in there all this time. I have no idea what he's eating.

Thank you so much!

[sharks]

No problem and again Welcome
Mine almost never came out. He would just grab whatever food floated buy his borrow.
S