I stopped feeding my Fire Eel live worms 3 days ago in hopes of getting him onto frozen food, shrimp, tilapia, or any combination thereof.
I got him about 6 months ago @ ~6". He's grown to ~14"-15" since then.
When I first got him he wouldn't eat, so I freaked out and got him some earth worms on advice from MFK members. Biggest mistake EVER! He has become the most spoiled, high maintenance, P.I.T.A. fish ever! He will absolutely refuse to eat unless I cut each worm in half and hold them for him to slurp down. If I so much as drop it on the tank bottom he will just stare at it like a snob until I pick it up and hold it for him.
So....
Recently one of the LFS's I frequent got in a batch of tiny baby Fire Eel's. I picked up 4 of them in the 5"-6" range. All 4 of them chow down mercilessly on FBW, finely cut shrimp, and finely cut tilapia filet. In 3 weeks they've already grown .5"-.75" and are extremely active in the tank!
I'm hoping that with the 4 little guys chowing on anything I feed them, the elder Fire Eel will eventually get the clue and follow suit. He's gotten nice and fat over the past 6 months, so I'm hoping starving him at this point won't do him any long term harm. The sooner he gets the clue, the better of we'll both be!
Really hoping this starve or die method works out, wish me luck!
I got him about 6 months ago @ ~6". He's grown to ~14"-15" since then.
When I first got him he wouldn't eat, so I freaked out and got him some earth worms on advice from MFK members. Biggest mistake EVER! He has become the most spoiled, high maintenance, P.I.T.A. fish ever! He will absolutely refuse to eat unless I cut each worm in half and hold them for him to slurp down. If I so much as drop it on the tank bottom he will just stare at it like a snob until I pick it up and hold it for him.
So....
Recently one of the LFS's I frequent got in a batch of tiny baby Fire Eel's. I picked up 4 of them in the 5"-6" range. All 4 of them chow down mercilessly on FBW, finely cut shrimp, and finely cut tilapia filet. In 3 weeks they've already grown .5"-.75" and are extremely active in the tank!
I'm hoping that with the 4 little guys chowing on anything I feed them, the elder Fire Eel will eventually get the clue and follow suit. He's gotten nice and fat over the past 6 months, so I'm hoping starving him at this point won't do him any long term harm. The sooner he gets the clue, the better of we'll both be!
Really hoping this starve or die method works out, wish me luck!
