Fire Eel Sick?

[C.Bargman]

So it's been a few weeks since this started and I am starting to get worried.

I don't have exact dates but shortly after I re-arranged my tank my 17" fire eel started breathing real heavy all the time. At first, I thought maybe it was anxiety so I threw some more rocks in for him to hide under and he seems to like that but still is breathing heavy. Next, he stopped eating his normal food (Frozen Shrimp). So, I got some live worms and he took some the first day but now has started refusing those as well. It has been about 5 days since he took a worm and continues to breathe heavy.

The one thing I noticed is that when I did re-arrange the tank tons of snails came up from the sand to the surface. I had been wondering if he was just over eating like crazy on the snails. However, I do not see his belly bulging out like I have in the past when he way over eats.

The heavy breathing looks just like when he eats one too many shrimp or worms.

I have not added any fish to the tank (230 gal) in around a year. The water quality is all fine but I have done a few large water changes recently just to eliminate that possibility.

Anyway, I am a little lost at this point. Any and all advice would be appreciated.

 

[thefredpit]

do you have an airstone in the tank?

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Pictures? Also, what was the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings and when did you measure them?

I'm wondering if something got stirred up when you rearranged the tank.

 

[thefredpit]

thats what it sounds like to me too. The heavy breathing can be to many solids in the water and not enough oxygen

 

[C.Bargman]

Well, things are getting worse fast. He is now laying on his side on the bottom of the tank. There is plenty of oxygen in the tank. I have a sump that is designed to promote aeration of the water as well provide tons of surface movement.

As well all the other fish are doing just fine.

I also just did another large water change yesterday and he was acting better for a few minutes than got worse.

 

[C.Bargman]

Is it possible he got a snail stuck in his throat?

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I'm very sorry but I don't know what it could be. How old is the eel?

What has me confused is that his color is still good, the tank is plenty big and it seems that the water quality is good. I still would like to know what the actual ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings are on the tank though.

 

[C.Bargman]

Well, very sadly I watched him pass away last night. I did everything I could to help him but he was clearly in pain from something. It all just happened so fast, Just about as soon as I noticed something was really wrong, it as already too late.

I do not know his age. I know that he was around 12" when I got him over a year ago and around 17" now.

My girlfriend is a Vet Med student currently so we are going to try and find a sudo fish specialist at the animal hospital to do an autopsy on him. If not do it ourselves. I will post any pictures of what I find.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Very sorry to hear about your loss.

I'm not trying to be shallow here but if you are interested in getting another one, they are in season right now so you should be able to find one pretty easily.

 

[Cosmic_surfer]

That is tough. My fire eel is getting close to this size. I hope I have better luck than you sir. Such a wonderful fish, a shame when things get bad.