How to get my fire eel to get out of hiding?

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C

canucks

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 9, 2013
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Vancouver
I recently bought a new 4inch fire eel last week and for the past couple of days it has been hiding in a topfin natural tree root ornament and i have not been able to spot it for the past two days. I am concerned for whether it is stuck or if it died inside the ornament since i know the hole inside the ornament goes fairly deep inside and i hope it has a way of backing out. i know my water may be too hard for it since it is at a PH of 7.6 so i am assuming that is what is stressing out the eel so much, which is why it is hiding for such a long time. It hasnt ate since the day i bought it, last night at around 2 am i left a bottle full of frozen bloodworms infront of a hollow entrance in the top fin ornament and i turnt out all the lights and walked away. This morning i went to go check if it had eaten anything and the bloodworms appeared to be untouched inside of the bottle (i used a bottle so that the yellow labs in the tank wouldnt get to it first). If anyone has any ideas to draw this eel out please let me know. I am going to place PVC pipes inside of the tank so maybe it will shift over to that hiding place instead of the ornament. I hope it gets along with the yellow labs i do not want it to feel threatened because of them and i am thinking about moving them to a 20 gallon tank for about a month until the eel gets accustomed to its new tank. This eel is really starting to concern me since i do not notice any activity from it even at night and i really hope it can make it out safelytopfin.jpgtopfin.jpgpetsmart 2.jpg. If anyone advice please fill me in. (that picture of the ornament isnt from my aquarium it is a picture off of google, i will post a better picture of the hollow opening from my tank once i get back home from work as the opening is on the opposite side of the ornament)

topfin.jpg

petsmart 2.jpg
 
I have the same ornament and have 2 eels in the tank with it. I took and filled the bigger holes with black silicone that was aquarium safe. Also use some pvc pieces to help plug them. If you get your eel out I recommend this. The holes are kinde rough and may scratch your eel to begin with if your don't plug them. Plus you probably will never see your eel if you don't. Try getting some pvc pipe and you can make a DIY cave for your eel. Google aquarium cave ideas and you should see some ways to make them. Good luck

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Check aquarium during the night :) mine is buried or in coconut all the time but at night is quite active and swimming around :) comes out only at feeding time or just showing tip of its nose and being curious whats going on near its hideout :)

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McKraken said:
I have the same ornament and have 2 eels in the tank with it. I took and filled the bigger holes with black silicone that was aquarium safe. Also use some pvc pieces to help plug them. If you get your eel out I recommend this. The holes are kinde rough and may scratch your eel to begin with if your don't plug them. Plus you probably will never see your eel if you don't. Try getting some pvc pipe and you can make a DIY cave for your eel. Google aquarium cave ideas and you should see some ways to make them. Good luck

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Click to expand...

Can you please take a picture of what you did the ornament hole, and how did you manage to get the eel out in the first place?
 
Also, I know a few of us gave you suggestions on food before in other threads . So, let me put it this way. Most of all the spiny eels that you can buy in store are wild caught. Fire eels are used to searching for live and need a lot to grow to their full potential. It is not very logical to just expect them to eat frozen food having never dealt with it(especially food that has little nutrition). You need to consider more serious options. They are very particular and sensitive fish. If you are not going to try to give this fish the care it needs maybe giving it back is the best option.

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Well i am not saying i am not willing to give it the care it needs, i just need to figure out everything it needs to survive because it is my first eel. I did not say i wasnt willing to comply with what was needed in order for it to survive, im just taking in all suggestions right now to increase my knowledge on this species
 
I am glad you are and I am not trying to offend. But while you are your doing your research after the eel is in the tank, the eel is suffering from it and by the sounds of it, your in no hurry. How are the one you seek advice from supposed to take it when days ago your concern was the food and substrate and you just say ok maybe in the future ill do that. When people told you bloodworms weren't going to cut it and thats what you stick to although still not working. It has to be frustrating to them. Its also ignorant to come on a site where people truely care about these fish and have such a total disregard.

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Actually, i do remember some users from the last post mention starting their eel off with frozen bloodworms, and i looked into it taking time to research on the internet and i concluded that i must try everything available to see what the fireeel perfers, and i had not yet tried frozen bloodworms so i gave it a try last night. That does not mean i am just going to stop at bloodworms and not take any other opinions into consideration, but what if it actually took and ate the bloodworms from last night? bloodworms obviously arnt a good food for the rest of its life but in my opinion if it starts off with it let it go at it for a bit. Also, it is unknown if it is suffering, which is why i made this post, to figure out if this behaviour is common with other eels. I really just want to gain all the knowledge i can about eels, i do not thing that is ignorant but rather it is taking responsibility for having a creature under your care. Giving it away would show a flaw in character in my opinion.
 
Love you set up.
I would get a blue light so you can see the fire eel at night cruising around.
I had one awhile ago and would tap on the tank before I feed him. Eventually he would come out every time I would come near the tank and would just wait for me to feed him! Start off with your hand in the tank next to the food and eventually he will be meeting you ate the top.
Good luck looking forward to seeing this little guy eating earthworms out of your hand one day.
 
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