Snowflake Eel Flipping Out!

[Altohombre]

So that 40g long tank I was setting up on concrete blocks is all done and set up and cycled and I got a snowflake eel for it who was doing just great. Exploring all the caves my big rock had and was eating shrimp and squid off my feeder tongs like a champ for about 3 weeks. I could definitely tell it had poor eyesight like I have read they do have because it sometimes takes a couple attempts to bite the food and not my tongs. Well just recently my snowflake has been completely flipping out and going into twitch like convulsions when I attempt to feed her. I mean it is flipping the F out! Anybody have any idea what might be causing it to happen. I am wondering if it thinks my tongs are a larger eel.

 

[Altohombre]

just read an thread on here about a similar problem and wanted to add that my food was soaked in garic and selcon.

I am wondering if my nitrates are too high so I am going to check them now.

 

[Sharkie]

hmm, i've never had kona "shake"...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rnJlc-puWs[/ame]

do you see the same behavior in that video?

and how often are you feeding your eel? they eat every 1-2 nights and i vary what he gets from squid, shrimp, silversides, and sometimes crab :) hopefully that'll help a bit? if you could post a video i might be able to help some

 

[Navarchus]

Fantastic video Sharkie!

 

[PufferGuy]

Sharkie, have you ever had your eel try to go after your fish? I've been thinking about getting another eel but im afraid of putting my fish in danger.

 

[Melosu58]

I never had that problem. He would eat pieces of shrimp off the knife.

 

[Sharkie]

Sharkie, have you ever had your eel try to go after your fish? I've been thinking about getting another eel but im afraid of putting my fish in danger.

just during the time that he eats he will sometimes chase after them but hes never been agressive towards them or eaten anyone, my mandrin slept right next to him and there was never a problem, i have a whole thread on eel care here:
https://www.livingreefs.com/care-and-keeping-snowflake-moray-eel-t23011p3.html#post290663

:)

 

[Altohombre]

no my eel goes into convulsions, but my feeding tongs are the big grabbers and look more like an eel than yours do.

 

[Sharkie]

it could be trying to establish dominance? :dunno: anyway to get a video of it?

 

[Altohombre]

I guess it was something serious because she passed away while I was at work. I checked parameters yesterday and the only thing that stood out was that Nitrates were at 10. I will make some adjustments and try again. The good thing about snowflakes is that they only cost about $25 bucks. I was kinda attached to this one since it was my first and it had a cooler pattern than many snowflakes I have seen.

 

[yote]

Sorry to hear that Alto.

 

[Sharkie]

aww sorry to hear that :( i dont think that would've affected them as they are pretty hardy in water conditions.... good luck with another. try to vary the diet, that may have something to do with it

 

[Bifferwine]

Maybe it had rabies or malaria? Both impact the brain and make the infected act crazy!

 

[SoccerPro522]

Look to see if you can get a small one for cheap, I mean like 10 bucks, they grow like a weed and they are really cool and enjoyable to watch in the tank i highly advise getting a new one your right you get attached to your eel, he is my fav .

 

[dcantucson]

Sorry about your loss Alto. :(
That sucks.

 

[Rcpilot]

I used to have a snowflake eel 20yrs ago when I was a teenager doing fish only tanks. I kept him in a 135g tank. Mine was named Slash (after the guitarist from Guns & Roses). When I got him he was the size of a standard #2 pencil. When I sold him about 5 - 6yrs later he was the size of a grown mans arm. Big around as a large coffee cup and 30++ inches long. He ate a LOT - which is why I had to get rid of him.

He ate a flame angel and 2 damsels when he was 20 inches long. I never tried to keep any fish with him after that except a 7" Niger trigger and a big Koran angel that he grew up with in the same tank.

IMO eels belong in an eel only tank or a tank with fish big enough that it can't eat them. Eventually they get big and then any fish it can catch and put in it's mouth is nothing but an expensive snack. They are super fast and VERY aggressive when hunting. No damsel or chromis is going to outrun or outwit a hungry eel.

 

[littleyea1]

me snowflake was a foot when i got him now hes about 2 feet hes eaten one clown one firefish 2 damsles and i think that about it, until i got him in his own tank. he usually ate the fish while they were sleeping so it was at night and he went after them only a little during the day especially when you feed, i feed mine very little 3 to 4 pieces of krill each week with flake food every 3 days

 

[Sharkie]

woah little, thats why he was eating everyone! lol. kona is a stuffed eel, if you keep em fed they dont bother their tankmates.... i always feed right before i turn out the lights so kona is full for the night and then doesnt bother anyone... i guess i got lucky with my eel? :dunno: hes never eaten anyone