Need help with new Fire Eel

[Eric1115]

Hi, I recently acquired a 20+ inches Fire Eel. I had it for more than a month and tried everything I can think of. Flake, pellets, shrimp pellets, tilapia, prawn, red Wiggler, night crawler, bloodworm, frozen krill.

it’s smells the and ignore most, except the krill and tilapia, but spits them out afterward any other fish end up eating them.
It’s currently in a 150 gallon tank with an Oscar and some Blood Parrots. Not one bully it as far as I can see and when I feed, I tried throwing the food in, feed with tweezer and with my hand. It is not afraid of my hand and the other fish stays away from my hand when I feed. Tank has been up for a while, no ammonia, nitrite and nitrate around 20. I do WC weekly. Temp is at 81. Ph at 6.7-7. It swims around from time to time. Belly doesn’t look sunken yet.
Any advice or help is greatly appreciated.

 

[tlindsey]

Hi, I recently acquired a 20+ inches Fire Eel. I had it for more than a month and tried everything I can think of. Flake, pellets, shrimp pellets, tilapia, prawn, red Wiggler, night crawler, bloodworm, frozen krill.

it’s smells the and ignore most, except the krill and tilapia, but spits them out afterward any other fish end up eating them.
It’s currently in a 150 gallon tank with an Oscar and some Blood Parrots. Not one bully it as far as I can see and when I feed, I tried throwing the food in, feed with tweezer and with my hand. It is not afraid of my hand and the other fish stays away from my hand when I feed. Tank has been up for a while, no ammonia, nitrite and nitrate around 20. I do WC weekly. Temp is at 81. Ph at 6.7-7. It swims around from time to time. Belly doesn’t look sunken yet.
Any advice or help is greatly appreciated.

If the belly doesn't look sunken it's possible it may be getting something in its stomach. I personally would keep offering the Krill and Tilapia.

 

[kno4te]

If the belly doesn't look sunken it's possible it may be getting something in its stomach. I personally would keep offering the Krill and Tilapia.

+1. Keep retrying.

 

[Eric1115]

If the belly doesn't look sunken it's possible it may be getting something in its stomach. I personally would keep offering the Krill and Tilapia.

Ok thanks, I will keep trying.

 

[Potato Patatto]

Maybe try some live shrimp? Ghost or maybe something slightly larger? I only say this cause I have only seen my fire eel hunt ghost shrimp. As far as eating I’ve never seen him eat anything I’ve dropped in the tank once, but he’s still alive and fat so he’s eating something when I’m not there!

 

[richyrich]

X2 on the live shrimp, Never seen an eel turn them down, do you know what it was fed on before you had it?

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

If you brought it from a private seller. Ask the previous owner what they fed them. One of my two growouts is extremely picky and is ingoring cut up shrimp but is greedy with bloodworms, ok brine shrimp or mysis shrimp

 

[Eric1115]

Maybe try some live shrimp? Ghost or maybe something slightly larger? I only say this cause I have only seen my fire eel hunt ghost shrimp. As far as eating I’ve never seen him eat anything I’ve dropped in the tank once, but he’s still alive and fat so he’s eating something when I’m not there!

The only issue is the only ghost shrimp I found near me is 6 for $10, plus I believe my other fish will get to the shrimp way faster than the eel.

 

[Eric1115]

X2 on the live shrimp, Never seen an eel turn them down, do you know what it was fed on before you had it?

I brought it from the store and did asked them but they told me they don’t know. They just drops bunch of random dry foods and never really notice if the eel ate or now.

 

[Eric1115]

If you brought it from a private seller. Ask the previous owner what they fed them. One of my two growouts is extremely picky and is ingoring cut up shrimp but is greedy with bloodworms, ok brine shrimp or mysis shrimp

From a store and they told me they don’t know. I tried the night crawler again today and still no interest. I drop a bunch of different food at light out every night and hoping it will eat something.