Fire Eel being hand fed!

A

Antithesis123

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2010
172
1
0
Oregon
This is Boris my fire eel. When I brought him home 6 months ago I was wondering if he had any personality. I never saw him eat, I rearely ever saw him, period! A week ago I took a suggestion from a few people here and fed him earthworms and he's come alive! NOW, He comes to the glass when I walk by- He's like a puppy!

Here's a video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpRO1It6M-Y

He's in a 30 gallon for now but it's temporary. I have a garage/ fish room being set up now with ample space for him as he grows and I'm looking forward to keeping him forever.
 
T

toromp

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 28, 2011
5
0
0
u.s.a.
Nice vid!! I used to have a eel but it ate my rbp and I got pissed so I took it back to the lfs I got it from.. kinda regret it now.
 
J

Just Toby

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2010
2,434
175
66
Guildford UK
Hi, thanks for the vid.

My fire eel is getting to 18inches now and is about 3 inches in diameter.

Few things to help:

1 I can see what looks like a canister filter tube in the tank with no strainer or spray bar on it, if this is the suction side cover it now as fish will go up it OR is this is the pressure side then still add a cover as the power will go off one day and the eel will go up it.

2 now it is taking worms you need to feed one worm and then offer other foods from your hand as this will stop it fixating on one food and just keep trying every week...try lance fish, cockle, whitebait, chopped mussel and even chunks of defrosted blood work, krill etc...

3) you will need a bigger tank soon as they are really held back by tank size, mine just took off when it hit the 300gal tank.

Keep an eye on your nitrates as they can creep up and eels will die in over 100ppm.
 
A

Antithesis123

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2010
172
1
0
Oregon
Just Toby;5003060; said:
Hi, thanks for the vid.

My fire eel is getting to 18inches now and is about 3 inches in diameter.

Few things to help:

1 I can see what looks like a canister filter tube in the tank with no strainer or spray bar on it, if this is the suction side cover it now as fish will go up it OR is this is the pressure side then still add a cover as the power will go off one day and the eel will go up it.

2 now it is taking worms you need to feed one worm and then offer other foods from your hand as this will stop it fixating on one food and just keep trying every week...try lance fish, cockle, whitebait, chopped mussel and even chunks of defrosted blood work, krill etc...

3) you will need a bigger tank soon as they are really held back by tank size, mine just took off when it hit the 300gal tank.

Keep an eye on your nitrates as they can creep up and eels will die in over 100ppm.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input-

That tube is actually something else I have going on in there. It's a feeding tube. I drop bloodworms and krill in there so that when the fish eat at the cubes little pieces of bloodworm don't slip down all over into the pebble sub I have in the tank. Once you get your fish trained on it I've found it keeps my tanks cleaner! I have 2 hob's on there right now rated for twice the tank size.

Thanks for the food suggestions. I like to give em a variety.. the better variety the heathier and happier fish! he likes market shrimp too so far and occasionally bloodworms.

He'll get a bigger tank in the near future.. just not yet. But it's in the plans.
What tank mates did you have with the 300?
 
J

Just Toby

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2010
2,434
175
66
Guildford UK
Glad this helps.

I used to feed mine on many of the mixed frozen foods with bloodworm, krill, daphnia etc... And he soon learned to eat masses of it...if you push the size of food they soon learn to take bigger foods. Mine takes 4 inch fish now.

The feed g tube is a good idea, just make sure you close any gaps that the eel can get through, when they are small they escape, I used to stuff any gap with a plastic bag.

I have mine in the 300 gal(uk)with a pair of stingrays. One Pearl and one Marbled Motoro...the tank will soon be replaced with a 600gal
 
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