[vmette]

Alright so I got a fire eel couple weeks ago and he will hardly eat
I have tried blood worms, krill and mysis shrimp and he
Has no interest in any of it tested tank
Multiple times everything is perfect tank is at
77-79 any suggestions?

 

[MEDHBSI]

try some live foods. expensive but it might get him eating

 

[vmette]

Alright any suggestion on what you think would be the best?

 

[Snugpuppies]

I have a few eels and they always come out and eat if I throw in a few very small pieces of market prawn (thawed, uncooked, peeled and deveined). Best of luck

 

[MEDHBSI]

maybe some live fish that are smaller than the eels mouth. How big is he?

 

[vmette]

Alright I'll try to feed him some shrimp thanks a lot

He is about 5" he is a pretty small guy I have some tetras he
Could fit in his mouth but he hasn't eatin them yet lol

 

[Diztrbd1]

If you can get some red wriggler worms, give them a try. Mine loved those guys

 

[vmette]

Alright thanks guys I'll have to try all of that can't have him not eating and getting sick

 

[vmette]

Just noticed 2 small lumps on the under side of his belly he didn't eat krill or shrimp put the food right in his face gonna try and track
Down some worms and really anything else I can get my hands on
I'll try and get pics later of the lumps but anyone ever had an eel with those and
Happen to know what they are
Anything helps thanks a lot guys

 

[mendoza.inc]

Mine doesn't eat only eats night crawlers or red wigglers ,tried everything else I'm starving him right now to try to eat any thing else but still a no go.

 

[vmette]

Yea myn has pretty much been starved for a month cause it's so damn picky but won't even look twice at anything

 

[vmette]

Earth worms were a no go he played with it
For a second and Swam away tried for 30 mins to feed him
Nothing gonna try and track down some
BlAck worms see if those will work.
Anyone in the Surrey area that has some or is selling them please let
Me know
Thanks

 

[stratos]

Skip red wrigglers. Get some dew worms (earthworms). Cut one in half, drop in tank. The blood and movement of the cut worm should induce reflex attack by the fire eel. I have found earth worms work much better than red wrigglers; maybe it is the dirt inside the earth worm that makes the difference. Fire eels have a great sense of smell.

 

[vmette]

I tried earth worms yesterday and he liked how they wiggled but never ate it he had no interest in it once it stopped moving

 

[vmette]

He has 2 lumps in his belly you think they could be parasites and that's why he isn't esting

 

[King-eL]

It's actually best not to introduce any worm type food. Unless you can still provide a large amount of worms when it get to 30"+. Fire eels usually starve itself to death once addicted to worms if you plan on stwitching to other foods when they get to 15-16"+. It's actually best to train juvenile fire eels or any spiny eels during lights off (complete darkness) and leave the room so it wont sense ur presense. Visit in about 3-4 hours if it ate the food. Remove if it doesn't. Try feeding cut up mussels and prawns/shrimps as well as fish. Once they recognize the food and happily accepts them, it will eventually become tame and get use to u around the tank. Will even beg or get petted once it gain confidence. Do not starve fire eel for more than a month. Once it get weaken it wont have any energy to eat and will starve itself to death.

 

[vmette]

Alright thanks that helps a lot I'll go buy some muscles and small fish today and see if that works
He ate for the first week I had him but after that I've tried about 6 different types of food now and no
Luck at all only problem with leaving the food is my stupid parrot fish eats everything in site but I'll try and build a cave
Only the eel can fit it
I appreciate it a lot thanks for the tips

 

[vmette]

Will just grocery store muscles be fine?

 

[stratos]

What King-El says is right, worms are addictive. But if that is all your eel will eat, then start with them. Once the eel is eating cut up earth worms for a few days, start mixing in Hikari carnivore pellets and bits of market prawn/mussel/fish with the worm blood. It is a "bloody mess", but it works to eventually get the eel eating food other than worms.

You mentioned you tried worms, but you don't mention whether you cut them up. I would try cutting them up.

 

[vmette]

Alright I'll try that , thanks
Yea I cut them up really good
He is going into a 30 gallon by himself for a little he has been
Itching himself in things and has lumps in his
Belly so imma treat him for parasites see if that will help him any
And I got him mussels and he wouldn't even bother with them at all
Left then there nothing but my parrot and datnoids sure loved it lol