Question About Peacock Eel

[CaspianRain]

Hello,

I have a 40g tank filled with community fish and my peacock eel.

I feed him frozen bloodworms (same thing the LPS fed him and he ate it) every other day. I have never seen him even once touch the food. I am worried he dies of starvation.

My second question is: how long can eels live without eating?

Thanks to whomever can help.

 

[nmonks]

I've written about spiny eels several times in various magazines, as well as here, in part because what you report isn't uncommon. Let me reiterate the basics. Spiny eels are not good community fish. They do not do well in tanks with gravel because this scratches them, leading to infections. At the least, it frustrates them because they can't burrow or forage for food in their normal way. They cannot compete with loaches or catfish, and should only be kept with day-active midwater fish. Feeding is extremely difficult sometimes because these fish prefer live food. They won't eat flake or freeze-dried anything. Frozen foods are taken once settled, but initially, use live foods, preferably earthworms, which they love. Feed at night, or at least, in a shady tank so the fish isn't under bright lights. Use lots of floating plants.

One last thing: Macrognathus species are gregarious and shouldn't be kept singly. Mastacembelus species are territorial though. So it's important to identify your fish and act accordingly.

Most spiny eels quickly die in captivity because people don't know (and aren't told) how to keep them.

Cheers, Neale

Hello,

I have a 40g tank filled with community fish and my peacock eel.

I feed him frozen bloodworms (same thing the LPS fed him and he ate it) every other day. I have never seen him even once touch the food. I am worried he dies of starvation.

My second question is: how long can eels live without eating?

Thanks to whomever can help.

 

[always4lora]

sorry to hijack the thread, Macrognathus circumcinctus - on the fish index it says minimum of 30g and you have said they need to be kept in how many is required and is it like 10g for every one on top of the 30g minimum?

 

[nmonks]

Macrognathus circumcinctus is a very small species, supposedly 20 cm in the wild, but 15 cm seems typical in aquaria. In any case, three specimens in 30 gallons would be about right, but that emphatically does not mean one specimen in 10 gallons! It's 30 gallons minimum, starting with one to three specimens in that tank, and then another 10 gallons per additional specimen.

All Macrognathus are gregarious, and I'd recommend at least two specimens, and ideally 3-5 if you have the space. They like to hang about in groups, but they do also like to have space to spread out sometimes, so give them lots of caves and floating plants. If you have floating plants with long, feathery roots, they'll often hang about in the upper level of the tank.

Cheers, Neale

sorry to hijack the thread, Macrognathus circumcinctus - on the fish index it says minimum of 30g and you have said they need to be kept in how many is required and is it like 10g for every one on top of the 30g minimum?

 

[england]

Macrognathus circumcinctus is a very small species, supposedly 20 cm in the wild, but 15 cm seems typical in aquaria. In any case, three specimens in 30 gallons would be about right, but that emphatically does not mean one specimen in 10 gallons! It's 30 gallons minimum, starting with one to three specimens in that tank, and then another 10 gallons per additional specimen.

All Macrognathus are gregarious, and I'd recommend at least two specimens, and ideally 3-5 if you have the space. They like to hang about in groups, but they do also like to have space to spread out sometimes, so give them lots of caves and floating plants. If you have floating plants with long, feathery roots, they'll often hang about in the upper level of the tank.

Cheers, Neale

sorry to hijack the thread, Macrognathus circumcinctus - on the fish index it says minimum of 30g and you have said they need to be kept in how many is required and is it like 10g for every one on top of the 30g minimum?

I have one of these guy's in my three foot with my sp assam's, granted there is a gravel base,but it seem's to be fine, had it for 6month's....Eat's great and is alway's out and about, it hang's around with the sp's which is quite funny to see, love's to eat dried tubiflex worm and blood worm
It's around 6inche's