Eel Not Eating!

JawsA10 · Mar 27, 2008

I just bought a freshwater eel, Gymnothorax tile http

/www.petnet.lv/dinozoo/images/stories/Image/19.13.jpg and he isn't eating.. does anyone know how I can get him to eat ?

Mr._Fishy · Mar 27, 2008

Newly imported fish, eels especially, will not eat for a while after being given a new home. Also, the name "freshwater moray" is a little misleading, they aren't freshwater at all. Your species can live in brackish most of their life, but as adults they prefer full marine conditions. If they aren't put into proper water conditions, they will often go on a hunger strike until they die. But good foods to feed him are silversides, prawns, mussels, squid, etc.

Ryan

JawsA10 · Mar 27, 2008

Oh lol thank you hes in brackish, whne exactly do I go all the way to marine? 20 inches? cuz i dont know how old he is, but hes around 16 inches

Mr._Fishy · Mar 27, 2008

16 inches is a pretty nice size eel. I would love to see pics. What size tank is he in? But yes, I would recommend you put him in strong brackish or marine. If you had him in a marine tank you could use live rock which is a huge plus, so I would put him in a sw tank. As for him not eating, I would give him a week and a half or so before you should start becoming worried.

Ryan

JawsA10 · Mar 28, 2008

Thank you :] Ill post em up in the pic section when I can

Unfortunately hes in a 40 gallon...my 55 gallon was used up by my ornate bichir, peacock eel, bala shark, pleco and knife fish lol...but hes in the tank alone. I hope he can share a tank with a snowflake eel in the future

simonas · Mar 28, 2008

my sg for mine is 0.012 if that is how its written down... in any event as I have slowly raised salinity they seem happier and coloured better.

I have two of about 15 16 inch size and share a tank that is probably too small with 2 toadfish but they seem to be very happy and eat as much lancefish as I can give them including prawns. I don't feed every day for obvious reasons but very good fish and the two of mine get on like a house on fire with no signs at all of teritorialness

good luck

CFC · Mar 28, 2008

1.012 is how is should be written.

Their appetites are linked to salinity, if their isn't enough salt they stop eating, when their is enough salt their appetites should be ferocious.

simonas · Mar 28, 2008

CFC said:
1.012 is how is should be written.

cheers always get that wrong

Their appetites are linked to salinity, if their isn't enough salt they stop eating, when their is enough salt their appetites should be ferocious.

ferocious is definately the way to describe it

Marine/Freshwater? · Mar 29, 2008

What do you mean by brackish? 1.001 or 1.010?

JawsA10 · Mar 30, 2008

1.001 is a little salt you spilled into the aquarium by accident lol
1.005 is low brackish
1.010 is medium brackish
1.015 is high brackish
1.020 is low marine
1.025 is perfect marine
1.030 is too high marine lol

nemirn · Jun 17, 2008

JawsA10 said:
1.001 is a little salt you spilled into the aquarium by accident lol
1.005 is low brackish
1.010 is medium brackish
1.015 is high brackish
1.020 is low marine
1.025 is perfect marine
1.030 is too high marine lol

I hope your eel is okay. I just found this forum tonight.

And I finally witnessed my eel eating for the first time tonight (I'd had him for a month already.)

Same species as your eel. Yes I'm sure.

I got a Marina Micro LED light from Petsmart, and put it into the tank-- the light spread well.
I made sure there was no light leaking into the room.
Immediately my eel poked his head out.
So I put some fresh squid on a prong and let the puffers take a few bites, then I showed it to the eel.
He ferociously devoured a nice size chunk of eel and went back into his little hole to swallow it.

Good luck to you!