Advanced Nursing Advice? Fire Eels

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heatherbeast

heatherbeast

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 3, 2009
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Atlanta, GA
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Heyya, folks, I'm looking into tapping the MFK hive mind for some help with a pair of rescued fire eels. A friend heard I was having really good luck with my own Noodleface, and has since delivered these two to me.

I know fire eels normally don't get along, so I did not put them in the tank with Noodleface. Ghost 1 and Ghost 2 are about 6" long, and are in their own 30 gallon (they will be moved as they grow) tank. They seem to have been held captive together (learned they were at the LFS for about two weeks), and are kind to each other, cuddling up together despite there being multiple hiding spots. There are no other residents in this tank, aside from some trumpet snails that have kept the tank cycled. pH is 6.8, Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 20, temperature is 78*F.

I have prazipro and intend to treat them. From what I can understand, they haven't eaten the entire time they were at the store (they are from same batch that Noodleface came from), so that is two, maybe three weeks that I know of that they've not eaten. So far for food I have unsuccessfully tried frozen bloodworms, live cut up earthworms, and brine shrimp. My next food will probably be live blackworms (provided I can find them in this area!).

Is there anything else I can do? The variability in success drives me crazy -- Noodleface lives in a very busy growout tank and has eaten fine since day 1. I've read tons of horror stories in this forum about fire eels never eating and wasting away after months. I don't want that to happen to these two. :(
 
so u have a fire eel already in your 30 gallon??? And if u just got them give the, sometime to get used to the new place...
 
The existing fire eel is in in a 75 gallon grow up tank with a few bichirs and small pbass. His final destination is a 300 gallon. The two that aren't eating are isolated in the 30 gallon with the water parameters that I listed in the original post. I have had these two for 5 days now.
 
heatherbeast said:
The existing fire eel is in in a 75 gallon grow up tank with a few bichirs and small pbass. His final destination is a 300 gallon. The two that aren't eating are isolated in the 30 gallon with the water parameters that I listed in the original post. I have had these two for 5 days now.
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ok well the other reason they could be not eat is cause u are treat them with meds...
 
Prazi-pro them NOW... chances are they are full of IPs... particularly if they look healthy... they may be eating at night? or are you postive they are not eating at all? Live black worms at that size would be my suggestion... and ghost shrimp may also work if you get some tiny ones. BUt worming them would be my first play... make sure the tanks lights are off 24/7 OR on a set timer ( steady "natural" time, or pitch black works best ime w/ spineys)

I would do a 1/2 dose the first time... then do a full dose 1 month later. wormers can take up to 14 days to work their magic.. and oddly enough killing all the worms in a heavily infested fish can cause blockages and death.

imo the next key thing after the worming is to get them eating... and offer them food 24/7 which is where live blackworms will come in handy ( ime prazi-pro will not harm the black worms) get more then you think they will eat. a portion is generally 1 tbsp... I'de suggest 4-6 between the 2 every week or so.. they should only eat light at first but quickly become pigs.

also make sure they have plenty of safe ( non-abrasive) hide spots, pvc is my personal choice but any deco thats got smooth edges and even small clay flower pots will work.
 
And to go w/out saying do lots of water changes ( 2+ 50% a week imo) and keep the water perameters perfect.
 
Thank you Monster Minis. I will do my best with these guys. I have some flower patches in the front yard that won't mind getting all that juicy water. :ROFL:

To LovesSeverums: Yes. The substrate is less than optimal for him. I have added two PVC pipes of different sizes so he has smooth resting spots. As of yesterday, I've moved him on to red wigglers -- I am ASTOUNDED at how wide their little mouths can stretch! Maybe I'll make a Noodleface grow-out thread. :)
 
Yippee they're eating! I felt bad for the red wiggler when they played tug of war with it. :/

They are associating lights on with food now, which is good. But I've gotten my first good look at them in about a week, and ARGH they have brought home ich with them!!!! >_< What a project they're going to be! I've done one water change since I've added prazipro -- what should I do about adding anti-ich medication? Are there interactions that I need to worry about? Should i just try salting the tank and raising the temperature first before resorting to MORE drugs?
 
Don't treat them with any copper based meds... are you sure it's Ick and not velvet? velvet is very common in spineys as a secondary infection from stressful habitation/poor care. imo your most liekly to have velvet not ick.. if it looks like they've been sprinkled with pepper and hazy it's def velvet not ick ( the hazing occures ime after the initial peppering appears) if this is the case I have used pimafix at 1/2 dose effectively, you should notice a improvement within' 24 hours. I have not had any drug interactions while useing pimafix other then a full dose can be potentially deadly... so less is more... also when useing this med do NOT increase the temp or take out your filter carbon.. doing 40% water changes every other day and treating the tank w/ 1/2 dose each water change should clear up all but the worst velvet infections ime within' 5-7 days... Then keeping them in 20ppm nitrate 0 amm/0nitrate water they will recover just fine w/out any special after care other then good food and regular weekly water changes.

salt and higher temps ime are very stressful on spineys.

any prolonged rapid beathing and particularly gasping should = an immediate 50% wc or better whenever useing meds with these guys.

eating is a very good sign, GL!
 
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