Help with fire eel !!!

[Justin144]

Ok I picked up a fire eel at aquarium adventure Columbus yesterday afternoon on there huge sale ! I have been trying to feed frozen bloodworms but so far he Hasant eaten but he seems to be acclimating well , loves to swim through all the gaps in my driftwood but any ideas on how to get him to eat ??

 

[Justin144]

Another thing any suggestions for a top swimming centerpiece fish ? Right now it's just the fire eel and some gold barbs , would a pair of angels work ? I'm open to suggestions !!

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

What size tank?

 

[Justin144]

100 gallon , I know I will have to upgrade for the eel eventually but he is just a baby and he is practically alone in the tank , I am just looking for some kind of top swimming fish that would always be in your face

 

[Bichir Bro]

What's your setup like? Scarcely planted, heavily planted? Live plants fake plants, lots of rocks or driftwood. Also what's your substrate

 

[Justin144]

I have a sand like substrate , alot of driftwood , I have 5 live plAnts . And some fake ones ... I'm slowly getting into the love plants . I'm looking for somthing that won't out compete my eel for food but somthing interactive , I was thinking maybe a pair of angels ?

 

[Bichir Bro]

Yes that can work, you Have a 100 gallon and it's not too stocked, anything else you want or are lookin at?

 

[manbeast]

Ok I picked up a fire eel at aquarium adventure Columbus yesterday afternoon on there huge sale ! I have been trying to feed frozen bloodworms but so far he Hasant eaten but he seems to be acclimating well , loves to swim through all the gaps in my driftwood but any ideas on how to get him to eat ??

I had a fire eel for years and the only thing I ever got him to eat was earthworms, I used the little ones when he was young and eventually moved up to night crawlers as the became larger, he would always get excited when I took the worm container out of the fridge

 

[Bichir Bro]

Yes earthworms work although you gotta scrub them like no tomorrow

 

[manbeast]

I have no idea what you mean by scrubbing them

 

[Bichir Bro]

Like scrub, to get the germs and debris off. With like, a toothbrush or something.

 

[manbeast]

Always bought mine in sporting goods at Walmart, never had any issues taking them straight from the container to the tank

 

[Bichir Bro]

Hm ok, I just always did that as a precaution, didnt want anything to happen to the fishes.

 

[Justin144]

Maybe a large school of tetra ? Anyone else have any ideas ?

 

[Justin144]

And I haven't tried feeding earthworms , I have been feeding frozen bloodworms , I just got him so he Hasant eaten very well yet ? Anyone know any tricks to getting them to eat ??

 

[Justin144]

And one more question !!!! How to I get my eel to be more active during te day time ?

 

[Babakapusta]

I haven't had a fire eel, but I've had tire track eels and Peacock eels which are in the same family. They are nocturnal eaters. You may not see them eat with the lights on especially when they are new.

I just got a young Peacock eel. He has gotten used to eating in the morning when I get up.

The LFC that sold him to me, is very reliable. He told me to put in some live black worms or frozen if that is all you can get and let them sit at the bottom of the tank.

It is working very well with live worms. They are gone in the morning and my eel is growing very quickly so that even if I don't see him eat I know he is.

He has begun to get more adapted to the tank and I've watched him eat. I have feeder guppies in the tank that are much to large for him to eat. I have seen babies in the tank, but then they disappear. It could be that the guppies are eating them, but I have a hunch that the eel gets them at night when I'm sleeping.

I wanted to get a fire eel. They had two for sale at the pet store. They only wanted $20. They were huge, I would guess close to two feet long. They were both in the same 20 long tank. I felt sorry for them, but their size convinced me I should stick with the smaller eel.

I have a bircher that is around 13 years old in another tank. I never see him eat. I rarely see him at all, but he will eat sinking carnivore tablets. My Tire Track at them too. The Peacock isn't eating them. I hope it will learn.

 

[Justin144]

20 $ is a great price !!!!! And I have seen people hand feed them ? I'm going to go try to pick up some live black worms tommorow , the lfs said they were feeding frozen bloodworms so I would think he would eat them ? I think I got him to eat some from my hand today but not sure he is really shy... Third day in the tank though

 

[Justin144]

What about gouramies as tank mates ?

 

[Babakapusta]

Don't push him, give him time. He's under stress moving to a new tank. I don't know much about gourami's I've never kept them.

I had my Tire Track with Tin Foil Barbs and yoyo loaches