Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
You see that part on his fin where it looks damaged? He had a couple others that are pretty much healed now. What do you think it is?
Having Trouble Getting my Eel to Eat...
- Thread starter Sir Alex
- Start date
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
He could've just scraped himself on a rock at some point.
I know my fish forget how big they are sometimes and try to squeeze into a space that won't accommodate them anymore.
He looks good to me, too, though.
I know my fish forget how big they are sometimes and try to squeeze into a space that won't accommodate them anymore.
He looks good to me, too, though.
little_fish
Moderator
+1 Erin
Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
It's a good thing he's as strong as he is because he was always knocking the rocks down on himself before I found a way to make his cave sturdier. I have this piece of dead coral that stands up on the sand and he can't go one night without knocking it down.:grumble:
I've also seen him go after his tail. Could he have bitten himself?
I've also seen him go after his tail. Could he have bitten himself?
little_fish
Moderator
Always possible, but you would have seen more puncture like holes than a scrape. Funny though if he did go after his tale like a dog
Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
I just tried to feed him a silverside... He didn't eat it so I left it in there for my hermit crabs and star fish. (the starfish found it). So, I leave the room then come back and there's a bunch of sand floating around the tank and I'm like "?", so I looked and he had stolen it from the starfish! So maybe he's just afraid of me and doesn't like it when I'm standing next to the tank trying to feed him...
Sharkie
The Damsel Defender
He looks great to me, totally not underweight or malnourished.... Eels can go for months without eating.. until he starts to look sickly and REALLY uber tiny/skinny, THEN you'll know somethings wrong.
I'm at the point where Kona is eating way more than 5 silversides a day.... he's def not as big as your eel but he grows pretty quickly and eats as much as the entire tanks meal in a week by himself in like 5 mins! LOL.
I would use some PVC pipes and ziptie all your rocks to it, he won't be able to knock it over, keeps the glass safe too... kona has caused many o rock slides and i've had a few close calls so i've started to PVC all the rocks together :)
btw, you have a Dragon Moray Eel.... they tend to be a more fish eating type eel. try feeding him smelt? they sell it frozen in the grocery stores for like $4 a bag, pretty much the same thing as silversides but bigger and cheaper. That's where i'm at with Kona
I'm at the point where Kona is eating way more than 5 silversides a day.... he's def not as big as your eel but he grows pretty quickly and eats as much as the entire tanks meal in a week by himself in like 5 mins! LOL.
I would use some PVC pipes and ziptie all your rocks to it, he won't be able to knock it over, keeps the glass safe too... kona has caused many o rock slides and i've had a few close calls so i've started to PVC all the rocks together :)
btw, you have a Dragon Moray Eel.... they tend to be a more fish eating type eel. try feeding him smelt? they sell it frozen in the grocery stores for like $4 a bag, pretty much the same thing as silversides but bigger and cheaper. That's where i'm at with Kona
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Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
Update, I have good and bad news. The good news is that I got home after being gone for 3 days and he ate like 4 silversides. He hasn't eaten that much in one meal for a long time. The bad news is that when I got home and tested the nitrates and they were at like 70ppm??? They where like 20 when I left. The only thing that changed was that my father emptied out the protein skimmer and didn't adjust it afterward, so it was a little low the level. I also haven't been able to clean out the filter either but I only do that once every few days anyway. I'll be doing a 25% water change tomorrow.
little_fish
Moderator
Big fish have big mess poops, hence the nitrates. Do a water change like normal and i wouldnt be too concerned unless they continue to rise or the water change has no effect on them.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I think since you caught the nitrates early, they will be easy to bring back down with water changes. I'm glad the fish is eating better!!
Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
The weird thing about the nitrates is that they were actually going down. They where over 30 and they dropped to below 20.
michaellee
Reefing newb
Did you ever try feeding rather large half clams? I know mine loves them - never turns them down, but mine is a small Snowflake.
Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
I don't think he would be very interested in that...
Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
So, he's been eating pretty well lately. I got back after being gone for four days and expected to find him very hungry. I was able to get him to eat one silverside...
So I cut him a piece of rockfish I had in the freezer...
:shock::shock::shock::mrgreen::mrgreen:
So I cut him a piece of rockfish I had in the freezer...
:shock::shock::shock::mrgreen::mrgreen:
michaellee
Reefing newb
I notice my snoflake will go 5 days without taking full interest in food, then hitting the food rather fast after that. He is in with 2 lions and a clowntrigger. Since the lions and clown trigger have been with him, his interest seems at least competitive. So he eats more than usual, every chance he can get. I wonder if Eels go through growth spurts. this one will care less about food till he's ready, then eat like there's no tomorrow. Glad to hear you Eel is eating
