Eel

[bludlust]

Hi all
I have had a freshwater eel for about 1 1/2 weeks and I have not been able to get him to eat anything. I have tried feeder guppies, dried krill, ghost shrimp and frozen blood worms and he does not seem to mess with any of it. I also have a freshwater gar in the tank and he has no trouble eating this stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions....

Thanks all for your time !!!!!

[spence0416]

Eels are usually nocturnal so you won't see them going after food. When it get comfortable in the tank it will pick off some of the feeders or ghost shrimp when it get hungry.

Just make sure the Gar isn't eating all the food because eels are not aggressive eaters.

[Toirtis]

What sort of 'freshwater eel' do you have? a moray or a spiny?

[bludlust]

[/quote]What sort of 'freshwater eel' do you have? a moray or a spiny?[quote]

Well, When I bought him it said he was a moray however I have done some reading and have found that they are often mislabeled. I could not get a good pic of him however here is a pic I found on the net that looks a lot like him..... http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwmorayfaqs.htm

I am going to convert my take to a brackish environment as soon as I get a chance as I have read he will be happier.

[spence0416]

I was assuming it was a spiny since Moray should be kept in brakish tanks. Either way if its not eating its because the tank conditions are not up to par. An eel that is comfortable in its tank will eat. Keep caves and a soft substrate.

[bludlust]

so you think he may not be eating because I don't have any salt in the water... I got some directions off this site for how to change from freshwater to brackish water... i will set that up this weekend if this is what could be keeping him from eating. Thanks for the good advice

[spence0416]

Not having salt isn't helping any. Sometime it just takes a while for them to get situated. Just give him time and don't try to shove food in his face as this may stress him even more. Try not to keep the light on in the tank either.
I have heard of eels going more than a month without eating so I wouldn't be to worried yet.

[Toirtis]

Start converting to brackish [acronym:1f1cce1268="As soon as possible"]ASAP[/acronym:1f1cce1268], but increase the salinity slowly...make sure you have a decent hydrometer to accurately measure the increases. Use a marine salt for this, and provide the eels with a choice of 2-4 good hiding 'caves' as well. You may have to try some live foods to get him eating, but first get an eel-feeding tongs or stick from a marine [acronym:1f1cce1268="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:1f1cce1268] and try him on thawed krill, silversides, etc.

[Fluff]

I agree he will be happier in saltwater with lots of hiding areas. I have a banded moray ([acronym:cdcbcd2989="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:cdcbcd2989]) and I feed him from a feeding stick. He eats thawed fish, raw shrimp and even soaked freeze dried krill. My eel doesn't hunt and will lay in wait for the food to come to him. I've put feeder guppies in the tank to feed other fish and the eel will lay in his cave and watch. Good luck with him.

[bludlust]

I have started converting over to Brackish and have been adding a little salt each day. Right now I am at [acronym:3ac2b88130="Specific gravity"]SG[/acronym:3ac2b88130] 1.0005 I believe.
My Ammonia and Nitirites are at 0 and my Nitrates are at about 10-15

Now ever since I got my eel he has been flipping over on his back occasionally but he is doing it more and more now and I tried some shrimp and he has not ate any of that either....

Please any suggestions - I am worried that he is going to die