4.5" Electric Eels not eating

[gmaniac]

I recently purchased 3x 4.5" electric eels, I received them on Tuesday. I have had them for 3 days now and have not been able to get them to eat. I have given them:

• mirco mealworms
• tiny pieces of raw shrimp
• live ghost shrimp are in there
• live feeder fish are in there

I plan on trying red wrigglers.

All of the previous I have put in before night where it is dark in their room and leave them in there all night. None of the eels seem to be interested if anything they run away from everything including the ghost shrimp and feeder fish.

The tank is running at 85F (29C) I am using the same water source as I keep my discus. They are currently in a 20L and doing water changes once to twice a day depending on if I have left food in there and trying not to kill off all the feeders in there since I know the eels can live in subpar water.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Typically I would not go searching this early for info on this since I know it takes time once you receive new fish, but they are pretty skinny and the feeders don't seem to get shocked so I am concerned they are too skinny. I have messaged the seller, but still waiting on a reply form them.

 

[jjohnwm]

Three days without food isn't ideal for such young fish...but it isn't surprising when fish have been shipped.

I think that placing all three fish together in 5 gallons (!) of water is a terrible idea. Water changes are almost always a good idea, but doing them in that tiny little box without further stressing the fish out is difficult.

Quite often, trying to get a predator to start eating by keeping it surrounded with live prey is counterproductive. In 5 gallons of water (!!!) live shrimp are probably always crawling over and around them; even if not touching them, the eels can sense the shrimp by means of their low-level electrical field, so they know they are constantly and closely surrounded by live creatures. A predator that is settled in and feeding might or might not react by eating a few; an already-stressed-out fish that is still on a hunger strike is much less likely to do so.

I think you need to place these fish into something more along the lines of 20-gallons, possibly each in its own tank. Dim light all the time...lots of hiding places...no stress, no disturbances...low water flow, best achieved with an air-powered sponge filter...and later that day carefully offer a small food item. "Offer" means drop it quietly in, no banging of lids or glaring lights or disturbing the tank, no shoving of food into their faces with tweezers. Not saying you are doing this, but many seem to think that's the way to do it.

Many people do too little for their fish; others do way too much to them. IMHO, these delicate little guys need you to do just enough of the right things...rather than try this, try that, try the next thing in rapid and disturbing succession.

Keep in mind too that many fish who are not eating may eventually reach a point where no amount of perfect husbandry will coax them to start. You have no way of knowing what or if these fish ate prior to your purchase, or how long they went without food up to that point.

 

[gmaniac]

Thanks for the reply! I have been trying to be good about not doing too much but still observant. So 2 of them have eaten now, they've got that notorious bulge going on. I did hear back from the seller and they said frozen bloodworms drop in frozen they will get, so that is what I am trying now for the last one. So far the feeders are chowign down on the bloodworms which I am okay with especially if they get snatched up.

As for the 20L it is just temporary I wanted them in a smaller space so I could observe them better and make sure everyone is eating. Once they get a little bit bigger I am going to move them to the next stage which is a 120G which then should last them about a year. I was planning on keeping them together though, as long as they are the same size. I think they are more comfortable eating and living together, my thinking is that in the wild they hunt in packs. I guess we will see if that is a good idea or not.

 

[Electrofunk]

I went through this same exact problem with my electric eel. Only thing I could get my dude to eat is live blackworms. They are a bit of a pain to find, so you will have to do some calling around.

 

[gmaniac]

When I got the frozen bloodworms I also got an ounce of blackworms and started a culture as my last resort if the holdout doesn't eat by tomorrow. I will try then to offer some of the blackworms. I am hoping eventually when they've been here a month or two that they will warm up a bit and try new things.

 

[Electrofunk]

When I got the frozen bloodworms I also got an ounce of blackworms and started a culture as my last resort if the holdout doesn't eat by tomorrow. I will try then to offer some of the blackworms. I am hoping eventually when they've been here a month or two that they will warm up a bit and try new things.

Did you ever get your little guy to eat? Have you tried the blackworms?

 

[gmaniac]

Electrofunk yes, over the weekend I did get him to eat live blackworms, thank you! He will eat a couple and then scurry off, but I have to drop the blackworms on his head pretty much. He is also in competition with the feeders in there that try to snatch up the blackworms. The other 2 eels however are snacking every night on either shrimp or fish, they may grow more than this guy and I will end up having to separate until they are the same size again.

 

[amazontank]

Awesome pick up! I had a giant electric cat many years ago. One of my favorite fishes!
Any pics of the eels! So cool at that size. Like baby aba knifes sweet at that age!
Keep in touch

 

[gmaniac]

amazontank here is one of them eating an earth worm.

 

[Electrofunk]

Since you are facing the same struggle I am with a picky eater, I thought I'd give you an update: I got my little guy to start eating red worms. The only issue I had was I wasn't cut them small enough once I figured that out he's devouring them. Which I am grateful for because red worms can be picked up at any bait shop, and are much cheaper.