Ghost Ribbon Eel

[LB_Reef30]

I got a ghost ribbon eel on Wednesday and I am having a hard time getting him to eat. I have tried frozen shrimp and clam meat but no interest. He does, however, have this medium sized lump in his tummy and it’s been there since yesterday. I am wondering if he’s eaten something already, maybe!? Please help!!
Thanks.

[LB_Reef30]

Here’s a photo of my eel.

[Andy Sager]

Have you done a head count on the inhabitants of your tank? If everyone is accounted for, he may have eaten a stone or pebble by mistake or may have sucked in some air looking for a way to escape. Not much you can do with that but let it settle out itself.

Ribbon eels ( including Ghost ribbons) do best on a live diet in my experience so you might want to try adding a live shrimp or live fish ( i.e Molly, Guppy, Damselfish, etc) so if he didn't already eat one of it's tankmates, you might try one of these after the bump settles out.

[LB_Reef30]

Originally Posted by Andy Sager

Have you done a head count on the inhabitants of your tank? If everyone is accounted for, he may have eaten a stone or pebble by mistake or may have sucked in some air looking for a way to escape. Not much you can do with that but let it settle out itself.

Ribbon eels ( including Ghost ribbons) do best on a live diet in my experience so you might want to try adding a live shrimp or live fish ( i.e Molly, Guppy, Damselfish, etc) so if he didn't already eat one of it's tankmates, you might try one of these after the bump settles out.

Thank you so much for the advice!!
I recently got him some live food such as feeder guppies and ghost shrimp. He ate finally! Now, he takes raw cut up shrimp.
Again, thank you!

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by LB_Reef30

Thank you so much for the advice!!
I recently got him some live food such as feeder guppies and ghost shrimp. He ate finally! Now, he takes raw cut up shrimp.
Again, thank you!

That first meal is always important. Sometimes all it takes is some live food then they adjust to other foods. I suggest you keep the foods you choose to be as natural as possible to avoid any digestive issues.

[LB_Reef30]

Originally Posted by Andy Sager

That first meal is always important. Sometimes all it takes is some live food then they adjust to other foods. I suggest you keep the foods you choose to be as natural as possible to avoid any digestive issues.

Thank you sincerely!
He’s been eating raw shrimp since he’s eaten live however! I plan on getting him more live as soon as my mom and I go back over to the pet store that’s closest to us. )

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by LB_Reef30

Thank you sincerely!
He’s been eating raw shrimp since he’s eaten live however! I plan on getting him more live as soon as my mom and I go back over to the pet store that’s closest to us. )

That's great that it's eating the shrimp. I'd just suggest varying the diet a little so that should you not be able to get one item, you'll have other choice(s) that the eel is already eating. Once they are eating, it doesn't have to be live foods. What I mean by "more natural" is not man made items like pellets, etc. Have you tried frozen silversides ( fish) or frozen krill? These are also natural eel foods. I've also used squid from the bait stores ( most squid sold in pet shops is chopped and too small) that I cut into smaller strips for eels as well