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FAQs about "Freshwater" Morays Eel Behavior
Related FAQs:
"FW" Moray Eels,
FW Moray ID,
FW Moray Compatibility,
FW Moray Selection,
FW Moray Systems,
FW Moray Feeding, FW Moray Disease,
FW Moray Reproduction,
Marine Moray
Eels,
Related Articles: Freshwater Moray
Eels by Marco Lichtenberger,
Freshwater Moray Eels,
Moray Eels, Other Marine Eels,
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FW Moray eel behaving strangely 9/18/09
To whom in my concern
I've got a FW Moray eel who suddenly started behaving strangely, jerking
head, moving head side to side, more active than usual.
<No such thing as a Freshwater Moray Eel. There are only brackish-water
Moray Eels that someone is keeping in freshwater for the time being. Do
see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayart.htm
Gymnothorax tile is the most common species. Invariably they get sick
when kept in freshwater for too long, and loss of appetite is one of the
most common signs of a problem. Aim for at least a specific gravity of
1.005 at 25 degrees C to start with. That's about 9 grammes of marine
salt mix per litre (i.e., as used in marine tanks, not freshwater
"tonic" salt). Within 6-12 months, you'll need to up that to around SG
1.010, about 15-16 grammes per litre.>
Once we fed him a mussel and he regurgitated it 3 times before
swallowing it. He use to like mussels but refuse to take any now.
<Mussels contain thiaminase, so should be used sparingly, no more than
once a week. The rest of the time offer foods without thiaminase, e.g.,
lancefish, cockles. Do read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/thiaminase.htm
>
He seems interested in food but does not want to take any now!
<Move him to brackish water, quickly.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracsystems.htm
If you have a marine aquarium, he'll do well there, too.>
We would appreciate your help in this matter as we are not sure what
this behavior means. Should we be worried?
<Yes, very worried. This is a classic first sign your Moray is
stressed.>
Thanks
Mervyn & Theoni
<Cheers, Neale.>
Gymnothorax
tile problems, no info on setup – 07/19/07
I bought a Gymnothorax tile a little over a month ago and for the
most part he stayed hidden and only out when the lights were out he
would flee back to hiding when the lights came on. I have had others
that acted a certain way before passing on.
<Why did they die? Some information on your system would have been
helpful.>
This one is exhibiting similar behaviour but the red scat does not
bother him like it did with the others that passed soon after acting
this way (the way fish attack other fish when sick), which seems to
indicate he is not in immediate poor health. I hope I am over reacting
to what maybe normal but seemingly long acclimating period. He also does
not swim to the top to poke his head out of the water which is probably
another good sign. Can you tell from the video if the breathing he is
showing is normal?
<It’s slightly elaborated. It can be elaborated during searching for
food, too, since the moray needs to increase the water flow through its
nostrils that way.>
The main concern is his lack of trying to hide like he does not care
anymore.
<They are more or less nocturnal in nature and after acclimating will
keep this schedule until trained otherwise by feeding them during day.
The behaviour you observe is unusual. It seems stressed. What is your
salinity (specific gravity should be 1.01 or higher? Are your
nitrogenous compounds adequate (no ammonia/nitrite and nitrates below
30)? Was copper used in this system? Any metal parts, products not
specifically designed for aquaria? Was this animal fed feeder fish in
the store for a long time? In general this species is very hardy in
brackish and marine water (I know specimens of 10+ years), so loosing
one (or more) and the strange behaviour of this one indicate something
is wrong with your system or care. Check especially SG and nitrogenous
waste.>
I have not actually seen him eat, but do not know how long they can
survive with out eating.
<Several weeks to a few months, but it is likely it wasn’t fed
adequately since getting into the trade, so that adds to the time it has
not eaten proper food. Not eating is another typical sign of stress.>
He maybe just out looking for food but has paid no attention to the
guppies swimming near him or just decided to make his somewhat new home
finally home and swimming out after accepting the change from one
location to another. I was considering trying to get some bull minnows
from a bait shop to see if he would eat them. I also have a toad fish
that bull minnows would be better and more substantial than guppies and
ghost shrimp.
<I hope this fish is in a separate tank. It can sting and kill the
moray.>
Can you suggest some other types of live food I may try for the G. tile?
<Minnows, just as goldfish generally have too much thiaminase, which can
lead to a vitamin deficiency and result in damage of the nerves. Mollies
and shrimps are better alternatives. They should not be too large.>
Thank you, Richard.
<Hope that helps to find out what’s wrong with the system. See
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwmorayart.htm for an article
on them and feel free to write with additional information if further
questions arise. Marco.> |
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Two questions
First of all thanks for your last advice and fast response, I will get the
pH and nitrite tests.
1) I have a Gymnothorax polyuranodon (freshwater eel) and some times he
changes color to a pale one but just happened twice during a month and later he
has its original color, is this normal or what could be happening? is eating
well, as I see during everyday observation is quite good.
<This is normal... seems to have more to do with "mood" than water quality,
other external influences... Not necessarily an indication of trouble>
2) I will get a freshwater stingray soon but I can't find written thinks
online about injuries caused by the sting and envenomation, what should I do in
case of envenomation or being touch by it sting ( accidentally, of course I will
take care of this everyday).
<Please take a read through the Freshwater Stingray article:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwstingrays.htm
and Injury piece: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Wound.htm
and we'll be chatting. Bob Fenner>
Best regards.
Attn. Carlos Gorgon
Moray growth cycles 7/16/06
I was looking for information on moray eel growth.
I bought a "freshwater" snowflake eel of the Gymnothorax tile variety that I
have placed with my albino moray which due to information I have researched I am
assuming it is Echidna rhodochilus. The moray "trademark" of opening and closing
its mouth to breathe is not happening with my albino. The snowflake is breathing
in such a manner and I was told by the owner where I buy my fish food that he
was a very beautiful and healthy moray as I had just bought him from another
shop and went to get some food from my favorite shop on my way home and showed
them.
Does anyone know the growth cycles of morays?
<Mmm, yes... there are some very nice/useful graphs/charts of time versus SL
(standard length) for many species available on fishbase.org>
I know they are born in one form called leptocephalus and around 3 yrs. change
into elvers. Are there species of moray that do not breath the same way or do
they eventually over time grow and change into breathing this way?
<Mmm, some "gasp" more than others in general...>
They are both approximately the same length except the snowflake is flat on the
sides with fins to the tail while the albino is more or less round behind the
neck with a tail that comes to a point with no fins which seems closest to the
pics I have seen of the Echidna rhodochilus of the various morays I have so far
researched.
<Mmm:
http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=11709&genusname=Echidna&speciesname=rhodochilus
unfortunately this is one of the species that does not have "Growth" data on
fishbase... Rats! Neither is there such presented for G. tile... These are
typically slow growers in the wild and captive conditions (actually, likely less
than one percent live a year... due to unstable, unsuitable environment mostly).
Bob Fenner>
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