Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

jeez I scare myself sometimes, had another brain fart and thought about breeding eels. would they grow in Souff Orz

No.

I think they would grow, just not breed.

Hey Tonzz, Stuart and Matt are right - no you can't breed them, but you could possibly grow them out. Here is some info on the breeding habits of Australian Short Finned Eels. The young eels, elvers, migrate up the Hopkins River falls near Warrnambool, Vic - it was something to see when I was going to Uni down there a long, long time ago...

http://www.nativefish.asn.au/sfeel.html
Short finned eels have an interesting life-cycle. The mature adults migrate from fresh water to the sea in order to spawn after which it is believed they die. Where they actually spawn is uncertain but is believed to be in the South Coral Sea off the coast of North Queensland. Mature females about a metre in length have been found to contain more than 3 million eggs.

The eel larvae, known as leptocephali because of their leaf like flat shape, are carried south by the East Australian Current from their spawning grounds until they reach the continental shelf. At around this time they metamorphose into the normal tubular eel shape although devoid of any pigment and so are known as glass eels.

When the glass eels begin to migrate into fresh water they may be anywhere from one to three years old. Migration begins in the autumn in Northern regions reaching Western Victoria by mid spring. Whilst in the estuarine waters the glass eels quickly develop into fully pigment elvers and adjust to fresh water.

Subsequent migrations from the estuaries into fresh water involve both elvers and glass eels and may happen after, during or before the main migration from the sea. These migrations are know as "eel fares" from which the term "elver" is derived. Generally these occur at night and may involve as many as four different age classes.

The upstream migration continues well into the upper reaches of the river systems and elvers and glass eels (and adults) can overcome even large obstructions such as dams and waterfalls by the simple expedient of traveling overland in damp conditions, with a motion much like snakes.

Eels can live for a long time and females may reach the age of 35 years before feeling the urge to begin the cycle all over again. Males may live for 25 years. However females as young as 10 and males as young 6 may begin the downstream migration to breed.

Not such a silly idea at all. These guys exported 64 tonnes of wild caught eels last year and can't keep up with demand, but they take ten years to grow in the wild so they are planning to raise them in aquaculture.

http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2015/s4189067.htm

from little things (Dreams) big things grow.
Nothing is impossible, just having the right conditions.

Immagine telling Edison that electricity could be created from wind. He'say " Tell em theyre dreaming".

No, it is impossible... (well certainly for a backyarder)

No one has ever even seen them spawn, they breed at great depths in the ocean and no one has bred them in captivity.

Yes they would grow but keeping them in the tanks is a serious challenge.

In aquaculture circles if you can breed eels then your name will be as famous as Edison's.

It may possible but do you have the talent and resources to make it happen?

Just housing the breeding stock would be a major effort.

Sorry, I meant raising them, not breeding them. Apparently the Eels in Centennial Park in Sydney swim to the waters off Noumea to breed.

Ive caught a few in the rivers around my local area and they are a ugly creature. Ive never eaten one but Ive heard their terrible. We just knock them on the head and leave them on the river bank like carp.

Hi
Sorry Charlie
Smoked or jellied they are highly regarded in many high class restaurants.
Not to mention a few of my Chinas ( plates = mates) in London with eel and mash.
Adding value to AP products seems to be one way forward.
I am reminded of a chapter in a book by Robert Harris titled, Pompeii.
He lives a few miles away in Hungerford
The hero is a plumber in Pompeii at the time of the volcanic eruption.
Very AP related!
In one chapter a gigantic conger eel is the center piece in a decadent Roman dinner.
This eel was grown to maturity in an artificial pen.
So prized the Emperor adorned it with gold chains and precious jewels.
Mind you it tasted like Sh****

East Coast Eels has been operating here in eastern Victoria for many years. They wild catch the eels and purge them in tanks before shipping them live to Asian markets. They used to do a lot of smoked eel which was very nice - their smoked eel pate was delicious, but I haven't seen it around for a while. http://eatanddrink.com.au/details_food_ ... fm?ID=9362

My Grandma liked boiled eel. We would catch them in the Gippsland Lakes, and after dispatching them we would nail their heads to a tree and use pliers to skin the slippery suckers, then cut them into sections and boil them. The flesh is quite oily and very meaty.

The Department of Primary Industries in NSW has produced some info on the potential of eels for aquaculture which you might find interesting http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/aqu ... -prospects

THAT IS SO ILLEGAL AND SUCH A WASTE.

They are a native animal why would you just kill them and waste them?

Plus well cooked eel is one of the best tasing fish out there.