Snowflake eel. What should it eat and how often?

[fishfreek]

I will probably be picking up a snowflake eel from a local guy who got sold one by the LFS under incorrect info. (They told him it would not eat his pepermint shrimp)

I plan on putting it in the 45 show tank I set back up and before I get it I need to know more about its feeding habits and such.

I know they are known for excaping tanks and I plan on using eggcrate over the top of the tank to help prevent this.

 

[ReefRaff]

I need to know more about its feeding habits and such.

Well we know he has a taste for peperment shrimp

 

[pufferlover]

Snows tend to like to eat such things as silversides and sand eels, plus some will eat krill and even people pre cooked shrimp. Of course as with all fish that tend to gobble their food one must be careful not to use too big a piece. I did lose a Banded eel after feeding it to large a silversides (that I believe got caught). I currently have 3 eels including a golden moray, large snow, and one I have no idea of what it is (neither did the lfs). They are great to have and yes keep the tank covered as well as possible or they tend to carpet surf on you. I also find sometimes during feeding they will come to the top and if not careful out they come and that is not a good thing to have happen. Best of luck!

 

[fishfreek]

Well I got the eel tonight. It appears to be approx the lenght of a ziplock frezer bag as thats what it was brought over in. Its in drip acclomation now and until I can get some frozen krill or silversides I will try it on my blender mush.

 

[d9hp]

Sounds cool, cant wait for pics

 

[loganj]

We feed them krill at the store. Sometimes they get some grocery store shrimp. These are fed every day. I'm not sure that is necessary...they eat like they were starving to death though. Of course, if you feed them again 5 minutes later, they still eat as though they were starving.

 

[Hara]

They go absolutely bonkers for squid, it is also their favorite food in the wild.
My baby used to eat bay scallops quite readily. My big one eats the squid, whole medium sized shrimp, silversides and lancefish.

 

[reefrunner69]

They go absolutely bonkers for squid, it is also their favorite food in the wild.

Remind me sometime to tell you about the time I sold a guy a Snowflake Eel and a small Octopus, before I knew their gluttony for such....LOL, I guess I just did Minus all the cursing, of course.

 

[fishfreek]

Well im happy to report the eel likes my blender mush. Best part is all of the chunks are small enough for it to eat. I used a long syrenge tube with some stiff plastic tube on the end. I filled the syrenge up with food and slowly squeezed it out infront of its lair. Once I started this the eel came out and gobbled up the food.

 

[fishfreek]

Update:

Here is a photo of the eel

So far its eating blender mush, and frozen krill.

I have seen many debates on how much and how often to feed thse guys. Some feed once a day some feed twice a day some feed once a week.

 

[Hara]

He is a nice lookin fella....
I am thoroughly convinced these guys are hardy. My eel is the only thing that
survived the "memorial day tragedy" as I am referring to it now.....
He is on a hunger strike tho, I hope it ends soon.