Peacock Eel Injured, Need Advice.

[AngelTheGatekeeper]

Hey everyone,
I've tried looking around on the internet, but haven't been able to get any good answers. I need some help or advice on what I should do. Ok, my husband and I have made a make-shift fish tank out of a huge plastic storage container, it holds 26 gallons. We have it all set up nicely and seems to be working great. We have a filter that has a part that goes into the water, and the tip seems to come off at times, we'll find the tip floating around the tank. Well, the other day the tip came off and the eel got sucked up into the filter for less than a minute. I immediately unplugged the filter and the eel dropped out. He got 2 scratches (skinned, no gashes) along one side of his body and his nose got messed up too. Now a few days later, he is still breathing, he still moves around the tank a little, but his nose has now formed a white cotton-like substance around his nose. Someone told me that he may be healing, that his skin might start shedding. I honestly have no idea and hope someone on here can maybe help me out. Please, anyone if you have ideas, please reply. Below are the best 2 pics I could get of his nose to try and show you exactly what it looks like. Thanks.

 

[Gankutsuou]

Hey everyone,
I've tried looking around on the internet, but haven't been able to get any good answers. I need some help or advice on what I should do. Ok, my husband and I have made a make-shift fish tank out of a huge plastic storage container, it holds 26 gallons. We have it all set up nicely and seems to be working great. We have a filter that has a part that goes into the water, and the tip seems to come off at times, we'll find the tip floating around the tank. Well, the other day the tip came off and the eel got sucked up into the filter for less than a minute. I immediately unplugged the filter and the eel dropped out. He got 2 scratches (skinned, no gashes) along one side of his body and his nose got messed up too. Now a few days later, he is still breathing, he still moves around the tank a little, but his nose has now formed a white cotton-like substance around his nose. Someone told me that he may be healing, that his skin might start shedding. I honestly have no idea and hope someone on here can maybe help me out. Please, anyone if you have ideas, please reply. Below are the best 2 pics I could get of his nose to try and show you exactly what it looks like. Thanks.

I have kept multiple peacock eels.
One thing that will help him is sand. you have gravel right now.

As you might know, these guys love to dig! Sand helps with that. Gravel can hurt him and kill him over time if he keeps digging in it. please get him some sand

 

[AngelTheGatekeeper]

Getting sand is not a problem. Will that help with getting rid of that white cotton-like substance?

 

[Gankutsuou]

Getting sand is not a problem. Will that help with getting rid of that white cotton-like substance?

that white substance is not good IMO. I've seen that before on an eel and I think you can physically take that off if you can net him. it is from his skin healing IMO, but it's not good for him per say.

The sand could help take the substance off though, yes. While he is digging in it it might remove itself. Dont buy any sand, buy sand from a fish place (Super natural is good in my opinion)

 

[AngelTheGatekeeper]

Alright, thanks a lot. My husband and I just went to look for guppies one day and saw him. Never had an eel before I bought some freeze dried blood worms, I hope he is eating it. We also have a guppy, a bala shark, an upside down catfish, and an alge eater...they all seem to get along well, none of them attack eachother. Anyway, I'm going to try to net him later and try to wipe it off. Then I'll be going out to PetSmart or Petco tomorrow. Again, thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate it

 

[Gankutsuou]

Alright, thanks a lot. My husband and I just went to look for guppies one day and saw him. Never had an eel before I bought some freeze dried blood worms, I hope he is eating it. We also have a guppy, a bala shark, an upside down catfish, and an alge eater...they all seem to get along well, none of them attack eachother. Anyway, I'm going to try to net him later and try to wipe it off. Then I'll be going out to PetSmart or Petco tomorrow. Again, thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate it

your bala shark is way too big for that tank. He's going to get to a foot long eventually and can eat that guppy.
I think guppies prefer groups, like 6 of them. I think like 10 guppies and the eel would be ok with the upside down cat, but that bala shark needs to go back.

 

[AngelTheGatekeeper]

Well, not good news I calmly got the eel in a net. As soon as I gently touched the white stuff, he started freaking out and hit his nose all over the net. His nose broke, its just barely attached now. I let him go, I didn't want to have him freak out anymore. But none of that white crap came off. I'm afraid he is going to die now. I'm still going to go out and get some sand, I just got he some how makes it through.

 

[tuskancharger]

have you checked your water stats because from past experience when fish get to this state it is usually down to poor water quality test then do 50% water change . The guys on here will give you plenty of advice. i am only a beginner myself and this is always thefist course of action

 

[kizno1]

Its fungus so any sort of meds that help fungus should help ive use the interpet fungus which is number 8 and that worked well.
I dont think you can pull it off its best to treat with meds.
Do you have a spare tank he could go in? you will need to do daily waterchanges and hope his nose heels up.

 

[AngelTheGatekeeper]

To tuskancharger: The water in the tank isn't that old, but I will be changing it. Thanks.
To kizno1: Where can you find meds to treat the fungus...like PetSmart/Petco? I do have another tank, but it's a small tank. It's the hexagon shaped tank they sell at Walmart, holds like 5 gallons. My eel is pretty small still, maybe about 3-4 inches. That should be ok just to let him try and heal, right?

 

[kizno1]

Yh most LFS should have some.
Do you have a storage now or anything that you could put him in? the prblem with the hex is it wont give him much room to move. It will need to have a filter and heater and daily WC. Do you have a pic of his nose now? how much is hanging off?

 

[AngelTheGatekeeper]

Yh most LFS should have some.
Do you have a storage now or anything that you could put him in? the prblem with the hex is it wont give him much room to move. It will need to have a filter and heater and daily WC. Do you have a pic of his nose now? how much is hanging off?

Alright, I'll have to find another tank for him. I don't have any new pics yet, he has hidden himself under a rock. I can see him, he's still breathing, but I can't get a good pic. As soon as he comes out I'll take some.