Baby snowflake eel not eating

[mikewest]

Hello, I recently bought a baby snowflake eel from petco 4 days ago. He is loving his new home and testing out ALL the hiding spots in my LR. I feed my system thawed mysis shrimp and he doesn't seem to be eating any of it, he will look at it and get real close but has never eatin any. All of my water parameters are good. When I was acclimating him he had jumped out of his container after 20min so I freaked out and just put him in his main display. Please help if anyone can!

[joy13]

You might have to get some live food for him. They can be trained to eat frozen but usually have to be started out on live. When getting a fish like this always ask them to feed them to make sure they are eating before you take them home, if they refuse ask them when the next scheduled feeding is so you can be there. Myself if I know a fish is difficult to feed and they refuse to show me it is eating I just leave the store.

[mikewest]

So today I went by petco and got him some live feeder fish and I put it right infront of him and he ate it right out of my hand!!! So I f'ed him another just to get his belly full. So now my question is how do I get him to start eating frozen mysis shrimp? I had a dwarf lionfish that would only eat live food and it was a pain. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[mikewest]

Anyone any advice?

[Marquis]

Originally Posted by mikewest

So today I went by petco and got him some live feeder fish and I put it right infront of him and he ate it right out of my hand!!! So I f'ed him another just to get his belly full. So now my question is how do I get him to start eating frozen mysis shrimp? I had a dwarf lionfish that would only eat live food and it was a pain. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Feeders only contain protein very lil nutrients and if their freshwater feeders the eels stomach can only handle every so often... I cant see him eating mysis i used to feed mine strips of squid the odd shrimp live ghost shrimp iv heard the like earth worms but never tried

[militaryminded1]

I use to have a snowflake eel and the only thing mine would eat would b frozen krill. Give that a try. Because mine would "Never" eat mysis shrimp.

[Marquis]

Originally Posted by militaryminded1

I use to have a snowflake eel and the only thing mine would eat would b frozen krill. Give that a try. Because mine would "Never" eat mysis shrimp.

I forgot krill that's true also they can go for a week or 2 without eating

[mysticeel]

My eel loves black tiger shrimp, scallops, silver siders, squid...ect. I would defiantly try frozen krill and scallops...if he does not eat try adding garlic guard

When I was weening my lionfish onto frozen I would soak the live food in garlic guard so the live food would smell like garlic guard...i would feed live garlic smelling food and right after feed frozen and he ate it...it did not take long before he associated frozen food as food...the only problem is now is that as soon as he sees my fingers he thinks food...

[clark4feathers]

I have a snowflake. loves silver sides and shrimp. I thaw them first He eats them right up.

[mikewest]

Thanks for the help guys! I'm defiantly going to try frozen krill! Now if he doesn't eat it should I soak them in garlic?

[clark4feathers]

Originally Posted by clark4feathers

I have a snowflake. loves silver sides and shrimp. I thaw them first He eats them right up.

Try feeding him with tongs. I do with mine because I have a saddleback clown who loves to steal food

[mysticeel]

You can try adding garlic it won't hurt them. My new zebra eel is very shy so I have to put his food into a jar and place it at the entrance of the cave so he will eat it. I have to put it into a jar so the other fish will eat the food. He has just started to eat all the food I have placed into the jar. I will begin introducing the same food using tongs. I would suggest feeding your eel at night since they are nocturnal. Eventually you should be able to feed during the day when the eel gets use to his new home.