Help with new rescued peacock eel

[Steven Williams]

3 days ago at Petsmart, I was getting some crickets and other insects for my reptiles and fish when I saw a small sideways noodle in one of the tanks. I normally ignore fish at petsmart as they are all sick or dying. Upon further inspection I saw it was a very small peacock eel (2 inches). I saw that they were charging 15 dollars for it which was really unreasonable because the animal looked nearly dead. I felt bad, it had no visible infections or fungi but it just looked stressed and weak. I asked the person at the section how huge of a discount would I get for taking it at its current state. I ended up getting it for free. As this being sort of an impulse, I'm not very well prepared. I have a suitable location for it, a 60 gal long community tank but I lack the experience with eels. I was unsure of setting up a singular tank for it because I lacked a filter media with beneficial bacteria and water that was filtered and already suitable for fish. I made the decision to put it in a guppy breeder in my 60 gal long community tank with a small hide to see if it would recover with proper water and filtration. I wasn't really sure of it's survival because it did not look so good at first. But when it was in the bag on the way home it was swimming around. After acclimation I placed it in the guppy breeder and it currently floats around the corner of my darker side of the tank (they don't like too much light) and for the first entire day it laid on it's side breathing heavily. The second day I came down expecting the worse but to my surprise it was upright and resting inside of it's hide. It looks responsive and much better than the first day. I plan on letting it grow stronger and maybe start feeding before I put it inside my huge tank where it could hide and not be monitored properly. I was wondering how I could get it to eat as I know peacocks are very shy and picky. Right now I've got some frozen bloodworms that I will try out in a day or two. I'm looking around for live bloodworms but it's difficult and I'm considering getting earthworms and cutting them really tiny because they are bigger than this eel at the moment. I also know they like sand so if the eel recovers, I'll get sand to put on a portion of my tank for it because right now I have round small and large pea pebbles.
So to sum it up briefly:
Tips for feeding and getting it to eat
How long should I keep it in the breeder floating, they prefer the ground as most eels
Helpful advice
The community tank has the following:
A really old blood parrot cichlid (it hides like all day and doesn't bother anyone)
3 sub-adult angel fish (chill in the plants all day)
4 black neon tetras
5 black fin tetras
3 cory cats (1 bronze, 2 pepper)
2 weather loaches

 

[tlindsey]

3 days ago at Petsmart, I was getting some crickets and other insects for my reptiles and fish when I saw a small sideways noodle in one of the tanks. I normally ignore fish at petsmart as they are all sick or dying. Upon further inspection I saw it was a very small peacock eel (2 inches). I saw that they were charging 15 dollars for it which was really unreasonable because the animal looked nearly dead. I felt bad, it had no visible infections or fungi but it just looked stressed and weak. I asked the person at the section how huge of a discount would I get for taking it at its current state. I ended up getting it for free. As this being sort of an impulse, I'm not very well prepared. I have a suitable location for it, a 60 gal long community tank but I lack the experience with eels. I was unsure of setting up a singular tank for it because I lacked a filter media with beneficial bacteria and water that was filtered and already suitable for fish. I made the decision to put it in a guppy breeder in my 60 gal long community tank with a small hide to see if it would recover with proper water and filtration. I wasn't really sure of it's survival because it did not look so good at first. But when it was in the bag on the way home it was swimming around. After acclimation I placed it in the guppy breeder and it currently floats around the corner of my darker side of the tank (they don't like too much light) and for the first entire day it laid on it's side breathing heavily. The second day I came down expecting the worse but to my surprise it was upright and resting inside of it's hide. It looks responsive and much better than the first day. I plan on letting it grow stronger and maybe start feeding before I put it inside my huge tank where it could hide and not be monitored properly. I was wondering how I could get it to eat as I know peacocks are very shy and picky. Right now I've got some frozen bloodworms that I will try out in a day or two. I'm looking around for live bloodworms but it's difficult and I'm considering getting earthworms and cutting them really tiny because they are bigger than this eel at the moment. I also know they like sand so if the eel recovers, I'll get sand to put on a portion of my tank for it because right now I have round small and large pea pebbles.
So to sum it up briefly:
Tips for feeding and getting it to eat
How long should I keep it in the breeder floating, they prefer the ground as most eels
Helpful advice
The community tank has the following:
A really old blood parrot cichlid (it hides like all day and doesn't bother anyone)
3 sub-adult angel fish (chill in the plants all day)
4 black neon tetras
5 black fin tetras
3 cory cats (1 bronze, 2 pepper)
2 weather loaches

@FishtankTravis

3 days ago at Petsmart, I was getting some crickets and other insects for my reptiles and fish when I saw a small sideways noodle in one of the tanks. I normally ignore fish at petsmart as they are all sick or dying. Upon further inspection I saw it was a very small peacock eel (2 inches). I saw that they were charging 15 dollars for it which was really unreasonable because the animal looked nearly dead. I felt bad, it had no visible infections or fungi but it just looked stressed and weak. I asked the person at the section how huge of a discount would I get for taking it at its current state. I ended up getting it for free. As this being sort of an impulse, I'm not very well prepared. I have a suitable location for it, a 60 gal long community tank but I lack the experience with eels. I was unsure of setting up a singular tank for it because I lacked a filter media with beneficial bacteria and water that was filtered and already suitable for fish. I made the decision to put it in a guppy breeder in my 60 gal long community tank with a small hide to see if it would recover with proper water and filtration. I wasn't really sure of it's survival because it did not look so good at first. But when it was in the bag on the way home it was swimming around. After acclimation I placed it in the guppy breeder and it currently floats around the corner of my darker side of the tank (they don't like too much light) and for the first entire day it laid on it's side breathing heavily. The second day I came down expecting the worse but to my surprise it was upright and resting inside of it's hide. It looks responsive and much better than the first day. I plan on letting it grow stronger and maybe start feeding before I put it inside my huge tank where it could hide and not be monitored properly. I was wondering how I could get it to eat as I know peacocks are very shy and picky. Right now I've got some frozen bloodworms that I will try out in a day or two. I'm looking around for live bloodworms but it's difficult and I'm considering getting earthworms and cutting them really tiny because they are bigger than this eel at the moment. I also know they like sand so if the eel recovers, I'll get sand to put on a portion of my tank for it because right now I have round small and large pea pebbles.
So to sum it up briefly:
Tips for feeding and getting it to eat
How long should I keep it in the breeder floating, they prefer the ground as most eels
Helpful advice
The community tank has the following:
A really old blood parrot cichlid (it hides like all day and doesn't bother anyone)
3 sub-adult angel fish (chill in the plants all day)
4 black neon tetras
5 black fin tetras
3 cory cats (1 bronze, 2 pepper)
2 weather loaches

kno4te
T thefredpit

 

[thefredpit]

I would get some frozen brine shrimp for him and the sand is a must it really does help peacocks. I'd get a small pvc pipe for him while he is in the breeder. as far as how long to leave him in the breeder make sure he is eating before you take him out. Good job on the save

 

[kno4te]

Sorry for being late to the show.

Get some sand and plenty of hiding places. Like plants and dim lights. This will help to reduce stress and get it to be active. Like T thefredpit mentioned try bribe shrimp, e-worms, live black worms, small ghost shrimp, etc. Wouldnt be too surprised but you may have to feed with the lights off as they are active at night.

If it feeds in qt breeder tank then I'd say safe to let it out with the other fish.

 

[Just Toby]

Keep holding a block of semi defrosted blood worm in front of it, soon enough it will stop being afraid and grab some, job done you have a hand feeder, then you can add bigger stuff as it gets bigger. If you can find some live bloodworm then great and add frozen at same time, don't let it hook on only live. Anything like daphnia live will make it grab at them but only use this as temporary feed and if it eats any live then do not give any more live for a week but keep offering frozen each day...they soon learn.

 

[Just Toby]

I would also let him go in to the main tank if nothing will attack him

Looks much more than 2 inches long

 

[thefredpit]

I'd make sure he is eating 1st in my experience you will never know if he is eating if he is in a community tank at 1st because of how shy they are

 

[Steven Williams]

I would get some frozen brine shrimp for him and the sand is a must it really does help peacocks. I'd get a small pvc pipe for him while he is in the breeder. as far as how long to leave him in the breeder make sure he is eating before you take him out. Good job on the save

I'm gonna monitor it for a few days in the breeder. I've been putting in like 2 or 3 bloodworms and they have disappeared so I think it's eating but I've never been around to see so I'll have to confirm it with my own two eyes. Definitely gonna get some sand for it if it makes it for burrowing and honestly aesthetics sake. I want to try to hand feed it so I can constantly know it's getting food but I heard it's difficult with a shy species like this, especially since it's recovering and small.

 

[Steven Williams]

Sorry for being late to the show.

Get some sand and plenty of hiding places. Like plants and dim lights. This will help to reduce stress and get it to be active. Like T thefredpit mentioned try bribe shrimp, e-worms, live black worms, small ghost shrimp, etc. Wouldnt be too surprised but you may have to feed with the lights off as they are active at night.

If it feeds in qt breeder tank then I'd say safe to let it out with the other fish.

I'll be monitoring it's status in the breeder as of now. I am positive that if I release it too soon into the community I'll never see it again. I'm gonna try to get it used to hand feeding (easier for everyone) and get sand in the tank ASAP if it survives. I've been putting a few bloodworms in the breeder and they disappear in like 20 min when I walk off but I haven't seen it so not gonna say it's eating till I see it. Once it starts consistently feeding and being used to my presence I'll get the sand and some different variety of foods. Hopefully it makes it.

 

[Steven Williams]

Keep holding a block of semi defrosted blood worm in front of it, soon enough it will stop being afraid and grab some, job done you have a hand feeder, then you can add bigger stuff as it gets bigger. If you can find some live bloodworm then great and add frozen at same time, don't let it hook on only live. Anything like daphnia live will make it grab at them but only use this as temporary feed and if it eats any live then do not give any more live for a week but keep offering frozen each day...they soon learn.

Right now I've been just leaving like 2-3 worms (frozen) in the breeder and I walk off and come back and in like 15 min they are gone. Not sure if they slip through the cracks cause they float or if they are eaten gonna wait and see if i can see it going for it then I'll start doing some tweezer feeding with it. I hand trained my arowana but they aren't as shy or as small or damaged as this so it's gonna take some work