I've had mine for about 5 months, he's 8" or so and I never see the damn thing. I got him a little hideaway because he was ruffing himself up trying to burrow. Now I have to shake him out of his hideaway once a month just to see if he's still alive. I've tried watching with the lights off, minimal moonish overheads and anything else I could think of but to no avail. Is this just an age thing or did I get a lemon? Also, any suggestions on feeding? I've been offering ghost shrimp and black worms but haven't been able to procure any the last couple weeks. I was hoping he'd eat the community fish in the tank to make it through the dry patch but he shows no interest. I've never actually seen him eat though so I wouldn't be able to say what interested even looks like. I'm worried he's gonna starve. Any help would be great, thanks.
Fire Eel Frustrations
- Thread starter Aribenlaw
- Start date
How skinny does he look? Fire eels should be pretty plump and if your eel is looking really thin behind his head than it may be too late. If he looks OK then the eel is probably just eating when you aren't looking.
Try earthworms, that got my eel off his hunger strike. Drop them in front of him right before lights out.
Try earthworms, that got my eel off his hunger strike. Drop them in front of him right before lights out.
One thing i know about fire eel's is that although they are always hungry, they can be so shy that they will starve themselves so if you don't see him eat i suspect he isn't eating.
Try earthworms, the one thing they will always always eat. what you have to do is start by holding them right in front of his mouth ( i usually do this with kitchen tongs) until he eventually eats them out the tongs. then every day draw him slightly more to the surface by pulling the worms away as he comes for them. after about a week he should come to the surface for them and eat them out your hand and after a few weeks he'll dance all day at the front of the tank everytime you come anywhere near it as he thinks you're gonna feed him and then you can ween him onto other foods.
good luck buddy, i've got one at 21" at the moment and they truly are magnificent at that size. here's a couple of pics including one of him dancing:
Try earthworms, the one thing they will always always eat. what you have to do is start by holding them right in front of his mouth ( i usually do this with kitchen tongs) until he eventually eats them out the tongs. then every day draw him slightly more to the surface by pulling the worms away as he comes for them. after about a week he should come to the surface for them and eat them out your hand and after a few weeks he'll dance all day at the front of the tank everytime you come anywhere near it as he thinks you're gonna feed him and then you can ween him onto other foods.
good luck buddy, i've got one at 21" at the moment and they truly are magnificent at that size. here's a couple of pics including one of him dancing:
I got my Tire Track about a week ago, and I havent seen him eat either... He might be eating some of the bichirs guppy's and ghost shrimp when im not looking.
Would a 7" tire track/fire eel be able to eat a 12" earth worm?
Would a 7" tire track/fire eel be able to eat a 12" earth worm?
Aribenlaw;791177; said:
If you really want to monitor him if he's eating or not,try to separate him alone for the moment in another tank.. without gravel ...maybe put some driftwood/pipes for his hiding place...then put a single guppy and monitor it will be gone for a day or so..
When I got my first eel I never saw him eat. Earth worms (red wigglers) will never be refused. I would get you some from a bait shop (cheeper). Clean about 10 of them and just drop them in the tank in font of him and his hiding space. Move away from the tank and sit real still. He should come out in about 5 mins to feed, if not turn the lights off and let him be for about 3 days. The worms will not die in there. They will bury down in the substrate and the eel will hunt them. I love watching mine hunt for worms 
After 3 days see if you can dangle one in font of him and see if he will eat it. A 7" eel can eat a 12" earth worm as long as its not a night crawler. Night crawlers are way bigger than earth worms. When the eel gets bigger you can feed them to the eel 
After 3 days see if you can dangle one in font of him and see if he will eat it. A 7" eel can eat a 12" earth worm as long as its not a night crawler. Night crawlers are way bigger than earth worms. When the eel gets bigger you can feed them to the eel i have a peacock and a tire track .
i dont see them at all.
i know they eat cause the worm pieces dissapear. but i never see them.
i dont even see there noses. so dangling worm in front of thier face is just out of the question. and then the only way i can find them is if i stir up the gravel. and then by the time i see em. they are too stressed out to worry about food
i dont see them at all.
i know they eat cause the worm pieces dissapear. but i never see them.
i dont even see there noses. so dangling worm in front of thier face is just out of the question. and then the only way i can find them is if i stir up the gravel. and then by the time i see em. they are too stressed out to worry about food
eels are especially picky from time to time-If one is haveing problems-I highly suggest the earthworm method too-I got a older pic of my tire track eel sitting in at the 24 inch mark here-Now pushing the 32 inch mark!!!! Another good try would be live-shrimp-gets spendy but well worth it if he takes to it-
Other than that really ne clean tropical fish that will or can fit in it's mouth should do him good if one want to go the live feeding route-But i try to only stick to prepared foods-N e how here is acouple pics i thought I would throw out too-
Other than that really ne clean tropical fish that will or can fit in it's mouth should do him good if one want to go the live feeding route-But i try to only stick to prepared foods-N e how here is acouple pics i thought I would throw out too-