Peacock eel didn't eat for over 1 1/2 year but 4 years on it's doing fine

[gianniz]

ok I saw a lot of post regarding their eels not eating thus I would like to share my experience.
I've had the peacock eel for 3 years eating occasional bloodworms but mostly a 1-2 garden worms (aka nightcrawlers?) a week was his diet.
Approx 3 years since I had him, I noticed he was hiding (burying himself in the sand substrate) and not eating.
I even got the worms right infront of the face, it would look to be interested but then just hides.
This went on for months till I couldn't care anymore and left it alone for a year (well I actually forgot he existed, somehow I just assumed he died! lol).
Anyway long story short, he actually pop out of nowhere (bit thin but did not look unhealthy)... 3 years or so have past and his happy as ever

Moral of the story? I think they go into some sort of hibernation??? so not eating is ok (i think). Also possibly give them a place to bury themself (possibly this is the reason why some of the bigger eels die as they don't have a place to hibernate??).

 

[mainstreet]

ummmm any chance it was eating at night or leftovers or something when you just weren't looking? I can't imagine any organism of this size being able to survive without any nourishment for a year, they'd have to have so much energy/nutes stored in fat cells to handle something like that.

 

[mainstreet]

The general rule of thumb is that the smaller the organism the quicker it's metabolism will be, and thus the quicker it's body needs to regulate for homeostasis. Just thinkin outloud

 

[asenarose]

Have not seen mine eat yet. was woirried at first but suspect they just do not like being watched while they eat.