Yellow Spiney Eel

[Dori]

I havent seen my eel for about 4 days, he didnt escape, Ive looked all around the aquarium. He usually comes out. Im worried that perhaps he could of some how gotten under the under gravel filter. Could this be possible ?
Has anyone have their eel hide out for several days?

 

[FishDan]

Yes, the members of the spiney eel family are fairly noptorious for hiding. They enjoy burrying themselves in the substrate. often you will see the tip of their nose poking out from under your substrate. It is generally best to have a sand substrate of rounded gravel substrate without sharp edges when keeping these fish. If you do have an undergravel filter, this could be a problem. Try turning off the lights and waiting about 20 minutes. If he doesn't come out on his own, try adding some food to temp him to come out. Frozen or live bloodworms or blackworms are great, and you eel will love them and should find them hard to resist. They are primarily nocturnal, that's why you should wait a while before feeding them or looking for them. Good luck!!

\Dan

 

[Dori]

Thanks for the insite, I finally did spot him, but now he is back to hiding. Cant even see his nose
The first time I was looking for him, I stirred the gravel everywhere and could'nt flush him out, he's probably really mad at me now
The first week or two he was always out and about, but now he is always hiding!
I would feed him frozen bloodworms with the turkey baster, but now I cant even find him to do that!
Maybe he is staying to satisfied, because I have been purchasing ghost shrimp to put in there, just to make sure he is getting enough food.

I had a peacock eel for about 3mon. and it was quite socialable and swam all over the aquarium, but he died
Are yellow spiney eels shyer?

 

[FishDan]

I find it just depends on the eel. I had a zigzag eel previously that hid all the time, often for a week or more. My current zigzag eel is very active and social. He hides on occassion, but usually just under the driftwood, or behind some rocks. Almost always his hiding space is still visable. I often see him swimming hear the surface of my tank. This was the complete opposite with my first ZZ eel, he was a total bottom dweller. Again, I just think it's personality. Some are hiders others are not

You could probably try the bloodworms without the baster, but at lights out. I just drop mine in and the eel is at the buffet line with the cories and the angel fish. He just jumps right in there and grabs what he wants! That's a good thing too, since I started the frozen bloodworms for the eel to be honest. He wasn't eating the freezedried bloodworms, and he ignored any other sinking pellet as well.

\Dan