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FAQs about "Freshwater" Morays Eel Foods/Feeding/Nutrition
Related FAQs:
"FW" Moray Eels,
FW Moray ID,
FW Moray Behavior,
FW Moray Compatibility,
FW Moray Selection,
FW Moray Systems,
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 feeding
problem 5/22/09
Hi,
<Hello.>
I have two Gymnothorax tile which are keeping in a 5 gallon brackish
tank with no tankmates. Both of them are around 20cm long.
<Wow, these can reach 60cm, a much larger tank is needed ASAP.>
I have gave them a cave for hiding. Their diet is shrimps, squid,
scallop, bivalves and prawns. The food is frozen. They are very
active and look healthy. Usually they are hiding in the cave during
daytime and sometimes swim out to look around. They like swimming
outside the cave at evening and night. One of the G. tile eats a lot and
I do not worry about it. Another one will eat, too. However although it
looks hungry at first, after it grabs two to three pieces of food, it
will stop eating. I am feeding them every two days now. Will it be too
little for it to last for two days?
<No, it is fine.>
I have tried to give it food everyday but it just eat about one to two
pieces. Will there be any problems?
<Nope, do see:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I2/Freshwater_eels/freshwater_eels.
htm. It took me less than 10 seconds with the Google search tool to find
you this great reference.>
Thanks a lot!
Hoyi
<Welcome, Scott V.>
Re: Gymnothorax tile feeding
problem 5/22/09
Hi,
<Hello>
Thanks for your fast reply! I feel relieved now.
<Welcome.>
I will get them a new tank as soon as possible, too. Thanks for your
advice!
<Do, ASAP. Even on Craigslist a tank tenfold the size (really what you
need here) could be had very cheap.>
Hoyi
<Scott V.>
True Freshwater Moray
found? Impossible? – 02/06/09
Hello, Hello Moray Experts :)
<Hi
Trevor.>
Trevor here with some fairly interesting things to discuss, it
seems, perhaps, as supported by about.com and Fishbase that there is, perhaps a
true freshwater moray? Even the About staff seem to have been confused at first
but say it's confirmed. If not it seems they should be corrected ASAP because it
was very misleading if they're wrong.
<Feel free to do so, the text is
around since a few years.>
The eel in question is Gymnothorax polyuranodon.
<Ah… know it, kept it.>
Supposedly they've dug deep into their research,
whatever that may be, and found that this moray lives primarily in fresh water.
It seems suspicious, as I look over to my Gymnothorax tile next to me and think
that they must be confused. Certainly, it's a brackish fish, as they list it as
venturing into brackish water, right?
<G. tile mostly occurs in mangrove
swamps with high salinities or 100% marine salinity during the dry season. It
also travels up river mouths, possibly to get rid of parasites or to breed. In
captivity it does best in a marine tank.>
I found all this somewhat
interesting and wondered if it could really be true. One more question, would
you happen to know the pricing on this "Spotted Freshwater Moray?"
<The ones
in Europe cost the equivalent of about 60-80 USD in the stores, they only
available every few years.>
Even if they are brackish, I've been thinking
about getting another moray. These are quite attractive. Fishbase:
http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=17227&lang=English
<I exchanged your link, because the English server seemed to be down when I
tried.>
About.com's "Freshwater" Moray list:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/eelprofilesindex/l/blfweels.htm
Thanks,
Trevor
<Trevor I know the text at the site you linked to and have most of
what is known to science re this eel as well as own experiences and reported
experiences of others from the pet fish trade. As you can see G. polyuranodon
occurs in various habitats from freshwater to marine, was found as far as 30 km
away from the coast. It’s even speculated this eel could be catadromous (living
in freshwater, but travelling to the sea at breeding time), you can call it an
euryhaline fish. With regard to its captive care, I’ve tried everything from
freshwater to marine and have to state that they did by far the best in a marine
tank, while the ones left in freshwater at the shop did much less well, refused
to eat with time, looked much less vibrant. So, G. polyuranodon does much better
in freshwater than its G. tile cousin, but still at some point of care you will
not be able to avoid salt completely without endangering the health of the
animal. But it is a great pet and truly justifies the additional costs related
to a marine setup. Have a look at the WWM articles on freshwater moray eels:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayeels.htm and
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayart.htm
No pet moray
without salt. Sorry. Marco.>
Re: True Freshwater Moray found?
Impossible? II, fdg., sys. – 02/07/09
Hey again Marco,
<Hi
Trevor.>
Well, a question about the other eel, (not G. tile, but
polyuranodon). How hard is it to get them to eat?
<Just the same a G. tile
or other morays. May take days to weeks, but given pristine water conditions and
salt they’ll eventually start eating. G. polyuranodon is a little more shy, and
although they may become longer than G. tile, they are even slimmer and remind
me somewhat of ribbon eels.>
My G. tile eats just fine in his brackish water
setup and even comes out to investigate his tank at night. ...and one last
thing. Is it normal for a G. tile to bulk up?
<Yes to some extent about once
a year I notice a slight gain of girth. I guess that may be prior to their
breeding time. With age they also become a little more stout.>
I've seen the
small, skinny ones all the time though, I'd like mine to pick up some weight. He
does eat regularly, but he just does not eat all that much. It's as if he's set
to eat a predetermined amount every day.
<Just don’t overfeed. This can
cause liver problems in the long run. If it does not want to eat anymore, it’s
okay.>
He's healthy, a deep gray/blue color with tiny bright-yellow spots on
him. The mollies don't stand a chance, and the bits of squid, octopus and
silversides are relished as well. I try and rotate his diet to give him
enrichment and some good nutrition. I think I'm doing everything correctly so
far.
<Yes. You can add fish vitamins once a week to the frozen foods.>
The eel is very responsive to food and is always looking out across the room
from his PVC pipe that's buried in the gravel. Speaking of gravel, is it better
to keep them on sand or gravel?
<Does not matter.>
The guy at the
fish-specialty store told me morays prefer sand to gravel but... I always see
them in reefs where there's no sand, and they certainly don't hang out in the
open all day although I do know from videos online that they come out at night
and hunt for fish among the rocks and coral.
<As G. tile comes from mostly
mangrove swamps and estuaries, a fine grained substrate like sand does resemble
its natural environment more closely. However, for captive care it does not
matter, the usual aquarium gravel or even better crushed coral is fine. Just
avoid substrates with sharp grains. Personally, I prefer sand for the moray
tanks, too, for the purpose of natural denitrification, which takes place in
well populated marine sand beds. As a side note, many moray eels do not inhabit
the reefs, but sea grass beds, gravel fields and muddy bottoms.>
Any further
advice? Thanks, Trevor.
<You seem to be doing very well. Marco.>
Gymnothorax tile not eating –
07/27/08
Hi guys,
<Hello Erin.>
I have owned a tile for about 8 months, he has recently stopped eating. I have
been keeping his salinity at approx 1.010 and the temp about 28 degrees.
<Are you using marine salt intended for marine aquariums, not “aquarium salt” or
something else? Do you use a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the actual
salinity/specific gravity?>
I have added plenty of rocks and caves for him to hide in and I have had the
water tested, everything is as it should be.
<Which would be nitrates below 30 ppm and a pH between 7.5 and 8.4. No nitrites
or ammonia.>
His diet was mainly frozen krill and green peeled prawns.
<This diet of only crustaceans needs vitamin additions, esp. vitamin B. More
variation would be beneficial.>
He has not eaten for about 7 weeks and has no obvious signs of sickness, I am
thinking about making his tank full marine as it is the only thing I have not
tried.
<I agree, this might help. Don’t raise the salinity too fast, though. You need
to avoid killing the filter bacteria. 0.002 to 0.004 per week is enough and
measuring ammonia and nitrites will help you to determine if the filter bacteria
are still working. The rise should be done with large water changes.>
Any advice would be much appreciated. Regards, Erin
<7 weeks appears like a long time for a hunger strike, but is not life
threatening per se. The reasons for hunger strikes are often not known,
sometimes the eels are overfed, sometimes the environmental conditions have to
be improved, sometimes permanent damage has been done by improper diet and/or
keeping in the past. As long as the eel has not lost too much girth and has no
internal damage (which we cannot determine) it likely can survive. If it starts
eating again, you should offer a wider variety of food and provide enough
vitamins that way. Especially vitamin B can be destroyed during some freezing
processes, and krill should not be the main staple. Please also see
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I2/Freshwater_eels/freshwater_eels.htm
. Good luck. Marco.>
Re: Gymnothorax tile not eating – 07/29/08
Thanks Marco,
<You are welcome, Erin.>
The salt I have been using is marine salt called "Red Sea" but for the
conversion over to full marine I have been buying in marine water.
<If your salt can be used for marine tanks, it is okay.>
I took out 20 litres and replaced 10 and will continue to do this every 2-3 days
until I have reached marine level. Is this too fast?
<Depends on the tank size, of course. Your hydrometer will show it. For a 120 l
tank this is sufficient and can be done 2-3 times a week. In a larger tank you
may change more.>
What is the best food to feed him in order to provide him with Vitamin B. I have
put in feeder shrimp but he so far he is ignoring them.
<The fresher the food, the higher the vitamin B content in general, even in
frozen food. But in krill it appears to be very low. It is also possible to add
vitamins from the pet shop. Let’s see if the feeder shrimp vanish. In general
they also love mussel flesh, scallops, clams, pieces of marine fish, prawns,
shrimps and squid. Use as much variation as possible, (I buy unseasoned seafood
mix intended for human consumption) and you’ll supply him with all he needs.>
I have been using a hydrometer to measure the salinity. I added the 10 litres of
marine water last night and there is no change as yet to the reading, does the
temperature of the tank affect the salinity?
<Not the salinity, but the specific gravity, which is what you are measuring
with the hydrometer. Specific gravity or SG are numbers like 1.010. Your
temperature is okay, but can be cooler (about 24-28°C). >
I have read the page you wrote about the eels, I have found it to be the most
informative site yet which is why I wrote to you for advice.
<Thanks.>
Thank you again.
Erin
<I wish you good luck with your moray eel. Feel free to mail if changes occur
(symptoms for disease, decline), if he starts eating again or if further
questions arise. Cheers, Marco.>
Update on Erin's moray eel – G.
tile – 08/04/08
Hello Marco,
<Hi Erin.>
I have done all water changes etc,
<What is the salinity now? Nitrates?>
there doesn’t seem to be a marked change in the eel, as far as I see he
still isn’t eating
<Are the feeder shrimps still there?>
but I did seem him out swimming and for the first time in a while and
noticed a pink spot about the size of a small coin near his anal region.
I wonder what this could be and if you have any ideas.
<The area around the anus is cream to pink coloured at this species. If
this is what you observed, it is no reason for concern.>
Many thanks Erin
<Did you try any other food like mussel flesh or a small piece of squid?
Are there any symptoms for a disease? Good luck. Marco.>
Re: update on Erin's moray eel – G. tile –
08/05/08
Hi Marco,
<Hello Erin.>
Thank you for the reply. The water conversion is still slowly going on, the
salinity is about 1.013 on the hydrometer,
<Sounds okay. I’d continue the water changes with salt addition.>
nitrates read normal,
<The less nitrates, the better.>
but he does seem a lot happier and more active. The feeder shrimp I think grew
too big so I bought 10 smaller ones, it is hard to try and count them all, as
some have died and the others have eaten them.
I bought the seafood mix and tried some squid and mussel flesh,
<Very good.>
but still no go!
<If he starts eating again, he surely will enjoy it. I’d continue trying it
every few nights with small pieces.>
He still isn't showing obvious signs of sickness or loss of weight and his
colour still seems normal...
<Sounds good. It appears you are doing everything right, the rest might be up to
the eel.>
If I did overfed him in the past, how long would he fast for if this is possibly
what he is doing?
<The longest fasting periods of moray eels in general that are documented were
between 8 and 10 months (those eels survived). So there still is a lot of hope,
but I know this can be nerve wrecking. If this eel has no internal damage I am
confident it will eat again.>
Thanks again, Erin.
<Thank you for the update. Best wishes. Marco.>
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Feeding a freshwater moray eel
06/14/08
hi,
first of all what a great site!!!
i brought a moray ell 3 weeks ago. he is in my freshwater 30 gallon tank that
has been up and running for about 2 months with some small loochs and sucker
fish.
The ell is 12" long and looks a bit like a Muraena helena. he has the sticking
out nostrils and is coloured light brown/beige with little yellow/white spots on
his body with a small fin along his back.
do you know what type of ell this is? i will try and get a picture from my
friends camera.
The other question is about him feeding
He has been in the tank now for 2 weeks and seems happy. he comes out when there
is no one watching and when the light is off but most of the time sits in his
hiding pot.
i have put live shrimp in the tank over the weeks and they have all gone but my
loochs eats them so im not sure if he's been eating, as i have never seen him
eat. he's not interested in shrimp meat, or dead dilles.
im wondering if he's ok or if he needs something else to eat
thanks a lot
chris
<Hello Chris. The so-called 'freshwater moray eels' are in fact brackish/marine
fishes. There are several species in the trade, but by far the commonest is
Gymnothorax tile, a pinkish-brown species covered with tiny yellow spots, and
that's the species you likely have. They do not do well in freshwater
permanently, and most simply die after a few months. Given morays can easily
live 10+ years when maintained properly, there is absolutely no justification
for keeping them in freshwater (or for that matter for retailers to sell them as
freshwater fish). A common symptom of insufficient salinity is a lack of
appetite, which is what you are seeing. At minimum, you need to maintain them at
SG 1.005 (about one-quarter normal seawater salinity), and many would argue
(myself included) that at least half-strength seawater (SG 1.010) is required
for permanent success. Obviously they cannot be combined with loaches or other
freshwater fish. Moray eels are primarily nocturnal and hunt by smell. This
means you can't combine them with more active nocturnal fish. Some specimens
remain good community fish their entire lives, provided they are combined with
tankmates of equal or larger size. The best approach seems to be to keep them
either alone or in groups. Others become more aggressive and will bite bigger
fish even if they cannot kill them. Do read Marco's excellent article on these
fish, here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayart.htm
Once you've digested that, review how to create a brackish water aquarium here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracsystems.htm
Because eels aren't terribly active, you don't need a huge aquarium; 125
litres/30 gallons is ample for a single specimen, particularly if you have high
capacity filter and do regular water changes. At high salinities, a protein
skimmer will help a lot too.
Hope this helps, Neale.>
Gymnothorax tile eating questions, Proper
food for Gymnothorax tile – 06/12/07
Hello! <Hi Amanda.> I just love your website!! So much information!
<It’s great you like it.>
I have a wonderful Gymnothorax tile. I have had him (I'm not sure how to sex
them, so I just call it a him) <Will compose an article on sexing moray eels
in the coming months.>
for about 2 years now and he's doing wonderful. He has grown a lot since I
first got him and is a joy to watch him at night. <Sounds good.> At the
moment he has a selection of ghost shrimp, rosy minnows <not appropriate
feeder fishes.>, and a few guppies. He has the tank to himself except for
feeder fishies. He has his own awesome cave that he sleeps in all day. And
other rock structures, plants <freshwater or brackish water? Hardness? If
fresh, are you sure it is a G. tile? 2 years in freshwater would be an
exceptionally long time of survival for this species.>, and tubes to hide in
when he's out at night. He likes to hang out in one of the tubes and wait
for fish to swim in. He's a lazy hunter sometimes. <Sounds familiar.>
I have 2 questions about feeding him.
1) Should I leave the smart fish in the tank? It seems that with every
sacrifice, a few fish are smart enough to learn that the eel cruises the
bottom of the tank for food and so they stay at the top, safe and uneaten.
The eel tries his best to eat the little buggers but they are just too fast
for him. Some have managed to stay alive long enough to grow big enough that
the eel isn't interested in them anymore. Should they remain in the tank or
be removed and "freed" to their own tank? Is it bad I feel like the Emperor
of Rome, deciding if the gladiators (fish) die or be set free? Hehe
<Removing them would be good to avoid overfeeding, which is a common reason
for the short lifespan of captive moray eels. Like humans they tend to eat
more than they need. If you enjoy the fate of the feeders is your own
decision. I prefer feeding frozen food and use feeders only for freshly
imported specimens or to train difficult species such as Rhinomuraena
quaesita and Pseudechidna brummeri. I consider frozen food to be more simple
and safe. See this very good article by Neale:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/library/feeding/feeders/ on the ethics
of feeding fishes and appropriate species. See
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I2/Freshwater_eels/freshwater_eels.htm
for proper care for G. tile. I’d stop feeding minnows and vary the diet with
sea food.>
2) I have been reading the eels prefer crustaceans <Some species do. G. tile
eats almost anything mobile including most crustaceans.>. I did at one time
attempt to keep a larger shrimp (name escapes me atm) in the tank. That
lasted all of one night. Eel gobbled that guy up, even though it was fairly
large. My question is, would feeding him crayfish be okay? <Yes, as long as
the diet is varied.> Eel is about 16 inches long (I'm not brave enough to
try and actually measure him, nor do I want to stress him out trying to) and
about as big around as a quarter. I am worried that the crayfish could hurt
him or the eel get hurt trying to eat the tough shelled guy. <You could
freeze the crayfish before feeding it to the eel.>
If it is okay, what size range would be safe? Of course, the smaller the
better, but what would be considered too big?
<About the size of the head of the eel (1-2 in.) should be safe. Larger ones
could try using their claws, although I think they would not be able to
cause serious wounds as long as you don’t throw some lobsters in there.>
Thanks so much!
Amanda.
<Hope that helps. Marco.>
Eel eating habits 9/23/06
I have a brackish water moray eel that is albino
<Unusual>
that has been doing very well. I have had him for about eight months now. The
only concern I have with him is he is beginning to eat more than he has been.
Can he eat too much?
<Mmm, yes, possible>
I place some guppies and ghost shrimp in for him to eat at his pleasure. He has
been doing well except recently he has been eating more than usual. Is this
abnormal or something like a phase eels go through?
<Can't say>
I have added a butterfly goby and a few other fish but they are too small for
guppies as food and the only other fish capable of taking guppies was my leopard
bushfish and he died (I believe he may have been stuck by the butterfly goby as
one of the two I bought was also found dead). I have watched my eel gulp a
shrimp or two then continue to go after guppies and just keep trying over and
over. He used to not eat like this before. Is there any reasons I have given
here or that you can think of for such a voracious appetite?
<Mmm, no>
One last question on eels in general. I have heard that all eels go to the
Sargasso Sea to spawn. Is this true or is it a specific species that does this?
Thank you
<Anguilla rostrata solamente. BobF>
Freshwater snowflake moray
I got a snow flake about 2 weeks ago and it wont eat I've tried all sorts of
food (Tubifex worms.. live...crustaceans..) please help ... please mail any info
you might have thanks
<Do have patience... these Eels frequently go on food strikes when first
moved... do keep trying various meaty, live foods, including smaller earthworms
(like those you can dig up, or buy at bait stores), and if your other fishes,
plants et al. can tolerate it (they should), do place a teaspoon per ten gallons
of non-iodized salt (ice-cream, kosher, pickling...) in this system... should
help stir appetite and act as a general cathartic.
Bob Fenner>
Freshwater Moray Eels
I really appreciate the time that you took for this site.
<Ah, you're welcome. It was made for you.>
I would like to buy a fresh water Moray Eel. I guess I need some help and no
one in pet stores really know anything about freshwater. I am going to put it in
a 75-100 gallon tank. What kind of sand should I put down?
<Something fine/r... and calcareous. Please see the "Marine Substrates" section
and "Moray Eels" under the Marine Index (the freshwater species are touched on
there)>
Is possible to order a fish through the mail?
<Certainly>
Can I feed them gold fish? And better yet how about a book on fresh water
moray. This would really help.
<Not really goldfish, but other live or frozen/defrosted meaty foods. Take a
look at the WWM site cited, then fishbase.org then your search engines under
"Freshwater Morays">
Thanks,
Michael
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>
Freshwater morays
Hi Bob,
I have been reading the FAQ on freshwater moray eels and was wondering if you
could help me out with a query of mine.
A friend of mine recently acquired 3 freshwater morays directly from a
wholesaler. He was informed that they were a freshwater species and that the
specimens were actually bred in captivity in freshwater.
<Really? Hmm, have just this last week finished spiffing up this section of
WWM... no Morays (Muraenidae) have been spawned, reared in captivity... the
larval history phase, the leptocephalus, is very problematical...>
He does not have the Latin name but we believe them to be Echidna rhodochilus
and they range in colour from a peppery speckle to whitish.
<Yes... wish I had better pix of the white and black geographic "races"... very
beautiful>
I am surprised to hear that they were bred in freshwater but apparently this is
the case. They are about 4" long and currently being housed in a 20 gal aquaria
where they are doing well and feeding on river shrimp.
<Neat>
Due to the eventual size and conditions they require he has offered them to me
as I have a 150 UK gal brackish tank housing Figure eight and green spotted
puffer fish.
I am interested in taking these fish but am wondering if my current tank
inhabitants are suitable tank mates for these morays. The puffers range in size
from 1-4 inches.
<I suspect there might well be trouble with the Puffers both biting these tiny
eels and consuming all their food. I would at least put a serious
barrier/divider between the front and back of a section of your tank to keep
them separated>
I look forwards to hearing your reply!
Many thanks,
Kris Graff
<Be chatting. Bob Fenner>
Re: freshwater morays
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the info and the quick reply!
I was wondering if it would be an option to grow the eels on in a species tank
and then introduce them to the main brackish tank with the puffers when they are
at a decent size. Would I still see problems here as regards to the eels
catching food?
<Possibly... the Puffers might be able to be trained to accept food in one
corner, the eels the other...>
I will send you some pictures of the eels as soon as possible. My friend has
three of different colour phases, the white is indeed very attractive.
Once again, thank you for your help,
Kris
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>
Freshwater Eel?
Hi..!
<Hi, Carlos... Anthony Calfo in your service>
A few days ago I got an eel, searching at the web found is just one alike
and is called lycodontis tile eel, is just exactly the same I have but I'm not
sure if it is a snowflake eel (?).
<no sir... you have a variegated "freshwater eel", which favors brackish water
and if kept in freshwater may be stressed not to feed... but not a snowflake
moray eel>
This is now 6 inches, small but healthy as I think, it open its mouth
sometimes when quite in a place and moves greatly but feeding is kind of
concern, since 4 days ago never seen it eating, I tried freeze dried blood
worms,
<good food, but not likely to be taken>
fish flakes ( as pet shop owner recommended) a <that person needs a good
book... the only way that eel is going to eat flakes is with a slingshot>
and now after more research I set a toothpick with beef heart with just small
bites on it but not sure if they were from the eel.
<hmmm... perhaps>
What do you recommend about this situation?
<try crustaceans (live and frozen)... krill (FD and Frozen maybe)... live
ghost/grass shrimp very good>
my eel is moving and breathing as usual so I think is healthy, color, eyes and
dorsal fin ( from head to tail) is ok.
<excellent>
What kind of eel is this one.? probably it just eat live fish and need to
try. Best regards.
<live fish not necessary, I believe. keep us posted, Anthony>
Eel food..?
Hi..!
searching on your site I found my eel is just the same as: Gymnothorax
polyuranodon .
<excellent, Carlos... but that is a good stretch from the tile eel species
mentioned in your first e-mail. The feeding advice stays the same... but did you
buy the eel in fresh or saltwater. If saltwater, disregard the history mentioned
in the last e-mail. Best of luck to you, Anthony>
Thanks.!
Attn. Carlos Gorgon
Just got a "freshwater snowflake eel"
Ok at the risk of sounding like an idiot...I just got an eel...the guy I
bought it from said it was a freshwater moray snowflake eel, he seemed to know
what he was talking about and was fairly helpful...the eel is about 6-8 inches
long and in a 10 gallon tank... water is entirely fresh and clean...I got some
frozen silversides from the guy I got the eel from and was wondering if this is
a good food for him? I threw a few in there, about an inch square cut from the
package, I let it thaw and then dropped them in front of his hiding place (a
plastic decorative aqua-gator with hollow belly and mouth open) he didn't move
for them...I have fish gravel rocks on the bottom and a filter that I got from
Wal-mart...I guess I just need to know exactly what steps I need to take to make
this a happy healthy eel that isn't going to die on my fiancé.....she will be
crushed....please help me....I know that all this is probably in the FAQ but I
wanted it personally...if you could send a reply to my e-mail address I would be
extremely grateful....thanks a lot.....Mike
<you are correct my friend. There is so much to say, and at times we are pressed
so dearly for time to try to keep up with e-mailed queries that restating
covered topics can be difficult. The eel species needs to be ID first as a true
fresh, brackish or marine species. The 10 gallon tank is obscenely small
whatever it is. Diet will depend o species again, but is likely to include
crustacea (live shrimp (ghost/grass), crayfish, krill, cocktail shrimp frozen).
If it seems to respire fast it may need salted water indeed. Please browse
articles and FAQs starting here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwmorayeels.htm
Best regards, Anthony>
Freshwater moray eels... actually brackish 11/18/05
Hi-
I have a 180 gal. tank that I've had for a long time. My fish have been thriving
for many many years. Three years ago I felt really sorry for two "freshwater"
moray eels in a shop in a tiny tank. They looked terrified and had no shelter. I
know from scuba diving that they like to stay in caves or overhangs and I could
tell these guys were miserable and terrified. I went ahead and bought both of
them, then went on the internet to see just what I needed to do for them. I
upped the salt in my tank to one tablespoon to 5 gallons. My other fish are
doing fine after three years. I have Jurupari, one mono, and one "fat" goby. So
the eels have been great and happy-- they each have their own cave, they were
eating calamari, shrimp, krill, salmon and smelt.
<Me too!>
I know they can go a few weeks without food, which they do sometimes. They are
off the food again. The problem is that for the last two and a half MONTHS they
haven't eaten, they go into one cave together (which they NEVER would have done
before), one has a swollen throat, the other has a lump on his chin,
<Likely goiters... from a lack of iodine (can, should be administered
exogenously) and the cumulative effects of life in too "fresh" water>
and they are just acting very strange. The goby is looking grayish (he's a dark
brown normally) and his eyes are a little cloudy. The eels and the goby won't
eat and the other fish seem to be ok. The water tests are all fine. I've upped
the salt to one tablespoon to two and a half gallons of water and upped the temp
to eighty five. A week later, they still don't look good. If you can help me
with this I would appreciate it greatly.
Also, do you know how long "freshwater eels" live?
<Years when kept in brackish (spg of 1.005-1010) to marine (as adults) water>
Thank you very much—
Dana Mardaga.
<Bob Fenner>
"Freshwater" moray eel (03/11/03)
Hi, my name is Nate and I've had a "freshwater" moray now for about six or
seven months.
<Hi -- Ananda here, seeing those quotes around "freshwater" and hoping you do
indeed have it in brackish water...>
He ate very vigorously for about six and a half months, now he will not eat. I
read a lot on the internet about them and their feeding habits, and it's has
only been about three weeks since he last ate.
<Do also check our articles/FAQs on these fish:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwmorayeels.htm
and
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwmorayfaqs.htm>
That's not my main concern though; he now has developed white splotches on one
side of his body near his tail. The water has been tested and seemed to be
completely fine. If you have any idea or advice it would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank You.
<Could be a number of things. Without specific numbers for any of your water
quality parameters, or more info about the tank, it's impossible to be certain
what the problem is. I would do a water change on general principle, and perhaps
change the tank salinity a bit. Do look for photos of ich and compare to what's
on your fish. If you have ich, check the WetWebMedia site for treatment info. If
it isn't ich, a photo and detailed tank and water quality stats would help us ID
the problem. --Ananda>
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