How long is too long when starving a fish?

[Newt]

OK, it's been two weeks or so since I started "starving" my fire eel in an effort to get it eating frozen, freeze dried, or pellet food. Two weeks, and the eel hasn't eaten.

It's all I can do to keep my self from running to the gas station and buying a dozen worms for it, I feel terrible!

Last night it showed some intrest in a frozen krill, I dangled it in front of it's nose and the eel "sniffed", but didn't eat. However, it kept coming back to the krill and sniffing for about 20 minutes, then lost interest.

The eel also "sniffed" some dried blood worms, but again, no bites.

This morning the eel showed interest in some food sticks the oscar was eating. So, I wiggled a food stick by the eel's rock. The eel came out and nosed it for a bit, opened it's mouth, but didn't bite.

How long is it safe for the eel not to eat? Am I close to getting the eel to eat foods other than live?

I'm feeling really bad here, like a cruel eel torturer!

 

[redbasser]

As long as it takes for the eel to eat whatever you are trying to train it to eat.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

I honestly don't understand why it is the declared goal of some to wean their fish off live food. By accepting responsibility over a pet I try to give the pet the best care possible, not to have the pet adjust to my convenience... Obviously, your fish like live food better. Why would you not give it to them??


HarleyK

 

[Mourinho18]

maybe because its more cost efficient and healthier for the fish to eat food which isn't live. I don't know about you, but I'm not really in a position to set up a 10-20 gallon tank just for feeders or even go buy feeders at the lfs. A lot of it is convenience but most of it is for the health of the fish.

 

[repair]

maybe because its more cost efficient and healthier for the fish to eat food which isn't live. I don't know about you, but I'm not really in a position to set up a 10-20 gallon tank just for feeders or even go buy feeders at the lfs. A lot of it is convenience but most of it is for the health of the fish.

I agree.... never saw a fish get a parasite from dry food. Remember my advice is worth what you paid for it.

 

[HarleyK]

I agree.... never saw a fish get a parasite from dry food.

And I never saw fish get parasites from earthworms, crickets, mealworms, maxworms, ghost shrimp ....

I also don't get the financial aspect. If I cannot afford to provide for a pet I simply don't get it until I have enough money.

No intent to flame anyone. Just trying to diversify the views...
HarleyK

 

[Mourinho18]

Say you do go with feeders. Okay, thats fine. Your gonna want to quaranteen (sp, eh) the fish right? That means, your gonna have to have a totally different setup with a filter,heater, etc, etc, just for fish that your gonna feed. That can run oh say, 40-50 bucks for the setup, and not to mention the feeders. Then, you have your fish completely relying on feeders which in turn shouldnt make up most of its diet. Then you try to feed them the occasional dry food, but they refuse because they love feeders so much. Earthworms, etc, can cost a pretty buck if thats all you use to feed.

Theres nothing wrong with dry food, and if you have to starve your fish for him to eat it, then go right ahead. I'm not about to bow down to a fish because it refuses to eat. Either eat what i give you or don't eat. Those are their two options.

 

[HarleyK]

I'm not about to bow down to a fish because it refuses to eat. Either eat what i give you or don't eat. Those are their two options.

I guess we just don't share the same values regarding pets.

HarleyK

 

[Mourinho18]

I guess we just don't share the same values regarding pets.

HarleyK

I don't want to dwell on this or anything, but what do you mean by that statement? Are you trying to say that because i don't feed my fish live food, I don't give them the best of care? That because they might like live food more, I should give them that?

It kind of bothers me when people go WAYYYYYYYYYYYYy overboard for their pets. ie, dogs and cats. THey base their lives around pets. Not for me guy, I love my fish, but I'm not gonna use the little money i make a week on just feeding them live food. No thanks.

 

[redtailfool]

And I never saw fish get parasites from earthworms, crickets, mealworms, maxworms, ghost shrimp ....

I also don't get the financial aspect. If I cannot afford to provide for a pet I simply don't get it until I have enough money.

No intent to flame anyone. Just trying to diversify the views...
HarleyK

This is actually a valid argument . I can let me fish eat fresh food but not live ones.
My mentality is , live foods can be seasonal sometimes, earthworms are known to be in scarce supply in the middle of winter, so do feeders. So what will you do now when there is a live food shortage?