Please help me with my Eel .. .. ..

[1FatFish]

Hi All,
I recently purchased an Eel about 1 week ago.. He is active and all and seems healthy (he is about 3" long).

Problem is that I can not feed him.. I alternate my tank with frozen BloodWormies,
Fozen Brine shrimp and flake food.
I have not seen him eat since I got him. He swims around and does not come to the top for food. And if he does he just ignores it. What am I doing wrong? Is there something else I should try. He swims around the other fish and they do not harass him. So I know it's not that..

What can I do please?
Thank you all.
Richie

 

[Toirtis]

A spiny eel of some sort, I assume?

 

[1FatFish]

yes.. of some sort :+)

PLEASE HELP.

 

[TankGirl]

Sounds like a stressed fish to me. I don't know specifically about these fish but he may need some place to "hide" like rocks or some kind of cave. He needs to feel secure and in the absence of that he will behave like you describe, and soon take ill and perish. A scientific name would help, then you can google it and find out what specific requirements they have.

These are "specialized" fish that have needs that must be met, unlike many of the more common community fish, which tend to be more adaptable. He also might be accustomed to live food, so if you can inquire from wherever you got him as to what they were feeding him that might help. All this is assuming the tank is large enough for him and the water parameters are under control. Infor regarding tank size, water parameters and tankmates might be helpful, as well.

 

[Melody]

FOr my peacock eel, I had to take a pinch of live black worms and more or less shove them in his face, he finely figured it out and started eating them... then the pet store ran out and I had to find something else he may eat. I discovered that he liked the freeze dried tubifex worms. I get the cubes and smash them one the inside of the glass. Once my tiger barbs found out how yummy they were I had to hold them in my fingers to keep them from eating the cube before the eel could get any. Now he eats out of my fingers and will actually wiggle himself into my cupped hand when I put it just under the surface of the water. try the tubifex worms, and keep putting the cube right in front of him...... Good luck!!!

 

[1FatFish]

Please check this link for pics of my Eel..

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=33954

 

[Fruitbat]

1FatFish....

Check that other post for the correct ID on your 'eel'. Chances are good that your fish won't be interested in the flake food at all and maybe not the frozen brine shrimp either. I'm surprised you haven't seen it taking the frozen bloodworms, however...that's the favorite food of all my small Polypterids. If you can get some, you might try small pieces of frozen beef heart and/or frozen 'krill'.

He may still be settling in a bit and I wouldn't be overly concerned if he hasn't eaten yet. Once he starts eating you'll have a hard time getting him to stop!!

Oh....and one other thing....what kinds of other fish are in this aquarium? Your 'eel' is going to get about a foot long eventually and you're going to start noticing that any small fish in the tank are going to be absent at roll call!

 

[1FatFish]

Thank you fruittbat.

Maybe I will keep him.. I am just worried he will die since he has not eaten for 1 week.
Housed with him in a 55gallon tank are

3 angelfish
3 headlite tetras
2 Golden Wonder' Killifish
3 neon tetras )started with 6 but my pictus catfish has begun feasting on them.
1 gold algae eater
1 'eel' <--- isn't really an eel

How can I get food down to the bottom for him? I usually put a little frozen blood worms on a toothpick and drop them in little by little byt all the other fish eat them before they get midway tank.

Any suggestions?/

Thank you again.
Richie

 

[1FatFish]

Also, where can I learn more about these Golden Wonder' Killifish??
I have 2 and they fight.. I don't know why..

 

[Fruitbat]

At this point in time...the only fish I would worry about are your Neon Tetras...but it sounds like they're going by the wayside anyway!

If you don't mind getting your hands wet you could always take a pinch of frozen bloodworms and actually put them on the aquarium bottom near the Polypterus. A pair of long tweezers will also do the job. Generally I thaw the bloodworms out first in warm water and then put them in the tank. Most of my P. senegalus will actually come up to the surface and take the bloodworms from my fingers but it took a while before they learned to do it. You could also save some of the bloodworms and put them in the tank after you turn the lights out. Polypterus do some of their best work at night!

Oh...another thing to note....it has been my observation that Polypterids in general hunt their food more by smell than by sight. You may see yours swim right by a nice, fat, juicy bloodworm without even noticing it only to have it stop....turn its head a bit until it locates the source of the delicious aroma...and then go right to the waiting snack.

 

[Fruitbat]

Didn't see your second question until after I posted the above reply. Try a google search on either Golden Wonder Killifish or Aplocheilus lineatus and you should find plenty of information. Chances are you have two males and they will fight quite a lot, unfortunately.

 

[Toirtis]

Precisely what Joe said....plus, the angels are about the only things in your tank that will be safe from being consumed, although they will likely get shredded to some degree.

 

[1FatFish]

likely get shredded by who?

Richie

 

[Toirtis]

likely get shredded by who?

Richie

Very possibly by the bichir once he hits 8"+, which will not take long.