ghost ribbon eel and black/blue ribbon eel mating?

[thesaiyans]

I did not know where I should post this so I'm posting it here. Were curious to see if our two eels could possibly be mating.



Based off of how closely related and from the same family that they be able to and have shown signs like they might. So when we first introduced the ghost ribbon eel to our tank, he/ she and our black ribbon eel intertwined and were lightly nipping at one another while they swam together around the tank. Now it's been a couple of weeks that they've been together and they continue to go into our pagoda that acts like a tube for them, and they keep swirling and balling up together multiple times throughout the day as if they are mating. Our other blue eel doesn't do this with either of them. Also the ghost ribbon eel didn't eat for a couple of days after the first time we saw them doing this so we're curious if they are mating. Also if they are how can we tell if one is pregnant?

 

[ichthyogeek]

So, not many people on this forum (if any) have bred eels. I asked a while back in the predator forum, and seems like there've been no accounts.

With that being said, look up moray eel spawning on youtube. I've found a fair number of videos showing spawning(?) acts, and what you're describing sounds like it.

From what little I know, it seems that eels are pelagic spawners, so they'll release gametes into the water column. They don't do the whole "let me harbor sperm and eggs inside of myself to grow babies" that humans do. If the female has eggs, then she'll probably get rounder. But after the spawning event, she'll be thinner again.

 

[thesaiyans]

So, not many people on this forum (if any) have bred eels. I asked a while back in the predator forum, and seems like there've been no accounts.

With that being said, look up moray eel spawning on youtube. I've found a fair number of videos showing spawning(?) acts, and what you're describing sounds like it.

From what little I know, it seems that eels are pelagic spawners, so they'll release gametes into the water column. They don't do the whole "let me harbor sperm and eggs inside of myself to grow babies" that humans do. If the female has eggs, then she'll probably get rounder. But after the spawning event, she'll be thinner again.

Thank you very much. This helps. Still curious though is it possible for a ghost eel and ribbon eel to be able to breed?

 

[ichthyogeek]

In captivity? Probably not. In the wild? Hybridization may or may not be feasible.

I was able to find one breeding account, but no successful rearing:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/zoo.21184?casa_token=5F7s_HSG-7UAAAAA%3AswgHVsM6QpUFAK0qKhucE5LZdeKEFcZ3yrLU8Tm3H0JYYr8axlQ1AQLwIp4lDwWw7IF9lox1T18iTylS

 

[ichthyogeek]

Aha! Here we go:

Moray eel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So hybridization is dependent on a lot of stuff. It depends on how far the two species in question have diverged from each other and a lot of other factors. Could it happen? Maybe. Do I think it's going to happen? No.

 

[thesaiyans]

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