| This is true, the clowns perhaps will no longer have to worry about becoming eel fodder. It is always possible the clowns "gank'ed" your eel - they are DAMNsel's in disguise after all and can be highly territorial. They may have hounded the eel into deciding that life in the tank was not worth the constant stress of the clowns!
The eel could still be in there, give it a few days, perhaps look for him with a flash light once the lights go off. It's only been a few hours - that long slithering predator could still be there. Of course, if you start smelling decay and stench in your fish room you are going to have to go looking for his corpse! Lets hope he's still in the tank! Keep an eye on your monster hermit as well, if the eel is still in the tank, perished, that hermit will head for the remains, if he can get to them, to consume them!
Kind Regards, | 
