fire eel in quarantine

[Onyx4476]

I recently purchased a 14” fire eel. It has been in quarantine for about 2 weeks. Still will not eat, and has a small fleshy growth on the base of the pectoral fin. Not sure what i should do. i water test every day (always 0) i do water changes with prime 2 times per week. the tank is 60 gallons. I try to feed night crawlers, cut up frozen shrimp from kroger, blood worms, and carnivore pellets.

 

[kno4te]

Looks like a growth of some kind. I’d keep the water changes going but reduce to once daily if water parameters allow. Eventually it should eat.

 

[Onyx4476]

are growths catchy to stingrays or other fish? i want to put the eel in my display tank, but i dont know what that thing is

 

[Fishman Dave]

Assume the eel has pipe or similar cave to hide in and behave normally, otherwise getting it to behave normally and eat will take longer.

 

[Onyx4476]

pvc pipe yes

 

[Onyx4476]

this is his temporary home

 

[phreeflow]

It could be lymphocystis…nothing dangerous but it comes and goes and there’s no cure. Probably flared up from shipping stress? Could be contagious if another fish has an open wound and somehow comes in contact with the growth….unlikely.

 

[Onyx4476]

update: after moving him to the 450 gallon, his skin and the fleshy growth have gotten better. sadly he is still not eating yet.

 

[Fishman Dave]

He would appreciate a longer narrower pvc pipe. Then try dropping an earthworm or cooked mussel near the entrance.
good that his condition is cleared up.
you may need to keep trying different feeds, at 14” if he was not fed a varied diet before he may have one food he “likes” or rather has always been used to. With mine it was cooked mussels and they would not accept anything else for a long time. Have to admit the moving earth worms always made them give in, good luck.

 

[Onyx4476]

He would appreciate a longer narrower pvc pipe. Then try dropping an earthworm or cooked mussel near the entrance.
good that his condition is cleared up.
you may need to keep trying different feeds, at 14” if he was not fed a varied diet before he may have one food he “likes” or rather has always been used to. With mine it was cooked mussels and they would not accept anything else for a long time. Have to admit the moving earth worms always made them give in, good luck.

i drop in night crawlers, frozen shrimp from kroger, and carnivore pellets every day. there are small fish in there as well. i will try the mussels next.