How long untill my Fire eel becomes more active?

[Filthy Punk]

Hi guys

I am new to keeping fish, I have two tiger oscars a pleco, Jewel cichlid and a bandit cichlid in my 400L tank and have just added in a Fire Eel. They are all young and my Eel is about 200mm long, my biggest Oscar is a little longer than that. Since I have had my Eel he spends most of his time in his cave hanging out. He is eating very well on Blood worms and even takes them from my hand. I was wondering as I have read alot and seen my friends Fire eel they are known to become more active and often come out and about during the day, how long do they normaly take to do so. He has been in my tank for almost 3 weeks now. Will he come out more once he is bigger? I have a silica sand substraight and alot of plants and logs for him to hide out in along with large river stones which he likes to hide in. Any advice is welcome as I am a newbie to fish keepingCheers

 

[MonsterMinis]

If hes takeing food from your hand it's liekly a matter of time, though with the potential aggression level of the tank-mates he may never be out and about as much as you'de like. when I had my Oscar he bullied my eels to the point they would only come out at night when the lights where out, and then they where still very skitterish. Now that I have 2 gar and they don't care about the eels. They are out and about day or night whenever they think they can con food out of the hubby or myself. lol. But it was about 3 monthes before mine really got settled in.

 

[DMasker]

My fire eel didn't become active till about 4 months after I got him, he reached 10 inches and then i moved him to his permanent home in a 180 gallon and within a day he was swimming around and having a ball of a time. Even with the lights on he spends more time swimming in the open then in his cave. Only tank mate for now is a 2" oscar

 

[Red Devil]

If hes takeing food from your hand it's liekly a matter of time, though with the potential aggression level of the tank-mates he may never be out and about as much as you'de like. when I had my Oscar he bullied my eels to the point they would only come out at night when the lights where out, and then they where still very skitterish. Now that I have 2 gar and they don't care about the eels. They are out and about day or night whenever they think they can con food out of the hubby or myself. lol. But it was about 3 monthes before mine really got settled in.

i agree..the oscars are definitly a threat to him

 

[duckyducttape]

i dont think the oscars are a threat to him... i kept a tire track with a pair of oscars and a snook, and he was the last addition to the ank and he more than held his own with them even stealing food from their mouths... and he was only 6 inch range and the oscars where about the same... but it took him quite a while to swim openly till he blew the lid off the tank, tear...