Fire eel not eating as frequently

[Wet Whiskers]

Over the past two to three months, my older fire eel is not eating as frequently as he once was, and he doesn't seem quite as active. When he does eat, he eats well and greedily. However, he used to eat everyday and now he won't eat more than every 2-3 days. I don't know how old he is, but I got him in April 2008. He was 18" at the time, but poor guy was emaciated. After a lot of good food, he fattened up and grew to 25". I'm not sure if he's just slowing down in growth and thus slowing down his eat, if its cause the temp dropped about 5 degrees from the summer time, or if he's having problems with his digestive system. He has been dewormed in the past. The younger two eels are mowing down food daily, but they're also growing really fast too.

Water temp = 78
pH=6.6-6.8
Mix of R/O and tap water
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate= 40 (Did a massive cleaning of the sump today to help keep this under control, and no I didn't sterilize it).

 

[MonsterMinis]

LOL... when in doubt.. I worm my guys.. so far it seems to be the culprit. they seem to be parasite hot boxes. But I do notice my guys will gorge for a few weeks then be like.. meh! not hungry today! then 2 weeks later go from 2x a week eating to gorgeing again. I keep my guys at 78 I fast them on the weekends and on occasion I've fasted them a whole week. They seem to be greedy when foods available but from what I've learned the last year about them they're not huge energy burners. I have noticed tha past month that they've slowed down eating. now that I actually ponder it.. I get the worms out at night when I see them trolling around the tank or if they pop out to beg when I go by. I'm going threw about 1/2 what I was earlier this year. since they hang-out an veg alot and aren't constantly swimming I'm assumeing their metabolism needs aren't as needy as most other fish that are almost constantly on the go. thought the higher nitrates may be effecting him, hard to say. if thats the only major change I'de lean towards that. though my guys don't seem to have any issues w/ my higher nitrates. and mine constistantly hit 40. darn dirty Oscar!

EDIT: just saw your other post about massivore being includeing in their diet now. he may be having a negative reaction to to pellet just a ponder. or gotten wise to it.. and is now leary of anything you offer? just a thought.

 

[Wet Whiskers]

LOL... when in doubt.. I worm my guys.. so far it seems to be the culprit. they seem to be parasite hot boxes. But I do notice my guys will gorge for a few weeks then be like.. meh! not hungry today! then 2 weeks later go from 2x a week eating to gorgeing again. I keep my guys at 78 I fast them on the weekends and on occasion I've fasted them a whole week. They seem to be greedy when foods available but from what I've learned the last year about them they're not huge energy burners. I have noticed tha past month that they've slowed down eating. now that I actually ponder it.. I get the worms out at night when I see them trolling around the tank or if they pop out to beg when I go by. I'm going threw about 1/2 what I was earlier this year. since they hang-out an veg alot and aren't constantly swimming I'm assumeing their metabolism needs aren't as needy as most other fish that are almost constantly on the go. thought the higher nitrates may be effecting him, hard to say. if thats the only major change I'de lean towards that. though my guys don't seem to have any issues w/ my higher nitrates. and mine constistantly hit 40. darn dirty Oscar!

EDIT: just saw your other post about massivore being includeing in their diet now. he may be having a negative reaction to to pellet just a ponder. or gotten wise to it.. and is now leary of anything you offer? just a thought.

What you are describing sounds exactly like what mine older guy is doing. I wonder if his growth is just slowing down so he's slowing down on eating.

Nitrates haven't been this high the whole time. Just this past two weeks or so. (I found a spot in the sump that was collecting rotting food). Also, the massivore was JUST added in when I posted that. This has been going on for the last couple months.

I'm a when in doubt deworm kind of person, however, I think they were dewormed just about a month and a half ago. Usually worms make it so their appetite is always up until they're really infested and it drops like a rock. When he eats he totally chows down and gets himself a little lumpy, its just that he won't eat daily now like he was for a long while.

I appreciate your help. There aren't too many people with larger, slightly older eels.