SpinyEelDisFAQs

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FAQs on Mastacembelid, Spiny Eel Health/Disease

Related Articles: Spiny Eels, The truth about spiny eels; A closer look at these popular but problematic oddballs by Neale Monks, Husbandry of the Barred Spiny Eel, Macrognathus panacalus by Marco Lichtenberger,

Egg bound Aethiomastacembelus elipsifer eel
Female African Eel Full Of Eggs 8/23/08
Hello. I have an Aethiomastacembelus elipsifer eel that is frequently very full of eggs. I've had her for about two years now.
I tried to get a male for her, but unfortunately the young eel I bought turned out to be another female. My problem is that my eel is egg bound. She did not want to eat a few days ago, so I put in about 2 tablespoons Epsom salts per 10 gallons into her tank, and raised the tank temperature a little over a degree so that it is now 80.8 degrees F. She became active the next day, and begged to eat, but she still looks pretty big. I have not fed her for three days because I want to give her body time to reabsorb the eggs. She normally eats frozen mysis shrimp with liquid vitamins or freeze dried Tubifex worms. I did look at some of the old WetWebMedia files, and found where it was mentioned using a bath of 1 tablespoon Epsom salt per gallon of water, but she's in a heavily rocked large tank and I'd rather not have to dismantle all the rocks to get her out. I will probably give her a light feeding today. I hope that she will be okay. My thought was, if she doesn't continue to improve or goes downhill, would it be okay to roll her mysis shrimp with some Epsom salt so that she would ingest a grain or two? She eats from my hand, so I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to do if it would be safe. Thank you. Kelly IMG_8236.JPG
< With freight being so expensive and the dollar losing its value in the world market, shipments of wild Lake Tanganyikan are becoming increasingly rare and very expensive. Not many retailers are willing to spend the time and money to bring in wild fish. Trying to find a rare African eel can be very difficult these days. In 2002 I was diving in Lake Tanganyika and we found many baby eels in the shallower areas of the lake near weed beds. The water temp there was 84 F. This makes me think that maybe the eels are coming up to the shallower areas to spawn and the elevated water temps may aid in spawning. Since you have already elevated the water temp and have observed some recovery, I would suggest trying a couple more degrees instead of adding the salt to the diet and see if things get any better.-Chuck>

Sick fire eel 7/4/08
Hello,
<Hi there>
I am desperately seeking help for my sick fire eel. I have had several fire eels in the past and have done very well with them but I have a very Sick one on my hands right now. My eel is about 25 inches long and very was very healthy looking, about 3 inches tall and nice and full, I have never had one That was this big before.
<Is very good size>
Then one day I noticed (and I check on my fish every day, so it looked like the eel was fine one day and was having problems the next) my eel was upside down in his tube. My eel kept trying to get upright but would just keep rotating around, (I don't know his sex but I'm just going to refer to my eel as he) he looked fine on the outside, he has No visible marks or sores but he is starting to breath very heavy. I have a feeling it might have something to do with his diet, since he is so big I have been feeding him minnows and almost everyday.
<Mmm...>
From what I have read from your web it wasn't the best thing for him and he may have overeaten?
<This or parasites... a lack of some nutrient...>
I went to the fish store and have read the questions on your web site, but I haven't had any luck making him any better. Myself and the fish store I deal with thought it must be some kind of parasite or infection inside (from the minnows)
<Yes, most likely>
so I bought some prozi-pro
<Something like this... Praziquantel is only for worms... what if this is a protozoan?>
and tried that. No luck.
I did water changes and went back to the fish store and they suggested trying TC Tetracycoline
<Mmm, not this antibiotic either>
(spelling might be off I'm at work and don't have the box with me) I have tried a full cycle of that with water changes and still no luck. It has been over a week and he is getting worse, I feel so bad for him, he is breathing really labored and heavy at times, I feel so helpless. He now just Hangs upside down at the top, it's almost like he is paralyzed, he try's to move sometimes but just can't. The only other fish I have in the tank are My discus, so I want to be careful I don't stress them out either.
Please Help,
Thank You,
Cherie
<Read on WWM re the one-time use of Metronidazole/Flagyl. Bob Fenner>

Re: sick fire eel 07/07/08
Thank You for the advise it sounds like it might have helped but unfortunately he died this weekend, it just killed me to see him suffer.
Now I know for the next time that your site exists and I can go there for Help. It was a very sad loss
Thanks again,
Cherie
<Ah yes. Thank you for this follow-up Cherie. BobF>

Peacock eel seems sick 2/16/08
Hello
I have a 30 gallon freshwater tank. I set up my tank about 3 weeks ago, and I bought a peacock eel about 5 or 6 days ago, and he seems sick now. We bought him at Wal-mart (yes I have learned my lesson about that) and they couldn't really tell us anything about him.
<Never, ever buy a fish that neither you nor the store clerk knows anything about. I cannot begin to tell you the number of disasters that begin this way.>
Luckily, I read online that he ate dried bloodworms, which I had on hand from a while ago.
<No chance, and certainly not when newly imported from the wild, which will likely be the case here. Newly introduced Spiny Eels overwhelmingly need live foods, ideally earthworms, Tubifex, or bloodworms. Once settled in they will eat (wet) frozen bloodworms and the like. But not dried foods. Also, they will not compete with other benthic fish, so cannot be kept in tanks with, for example, loaches or catfish.>
Unluckily, he doesn't seem to want to eat them.
<No surprise at all.>
He seemed fine for a few days, he was swimming around quite a bit, mostly seeming to chase his own reflection against the glass.
<He's trying to get out from this puddle he's trapped in (an aquarium) that completely lacks any edible foods.>
Yesterday we noticed he wasn't swimming around as much, and I started becoming more concerned about the fact that I had not seen him eat.
<I'd be worried, too. Go into the garden and dig up a couple of small earthworms. Put in the tank and let the eel eat them at his leisure, i.e., without competition.>
So today we went to our local fish store and they sold us some feeder fish (the very small kind, since he is only about a three inch eel).
<No no no. These fish should not be given feeder fish. Spiny Eels are among THE most sensitive fish on the planet when it comes to infections, and sticking cheap fish bred in squalid conditions (i.e., a feeder fish) is sort of like asking Typhoid Mary to cook your lunch.>
The woman assured us that he would eat them.
<She told you she knew nothing about the fish, and then assured you this was the correct diet? You should have smelled a rat.>
But when we got home we noticed the eel was just laying over the plunger that is holding the heater onto the tank. We added the feeder fish and he was completely uninterested in them, even when they went so far as to swim around his head.
<Not his normal diet. He eats worms, insect larvae, and small benthic invertebrates of various types. Mostly taken from on and in the sand. One of the common mistakes people make is to keep these fish in tanks with gravel. This you MUST NOT do. These small Macrognathus spp. Spiny Eels forage by burrowing through the sand, using their prehensile "nose" to winkle out prey. In a sandy tank they will dig in during the day, and slither about at night. In a tank with gravel they often starve. On top of that, gravel damages the mucous layer on their bodies, making them INCREDIBLY sensitive to bacterial infections. By far the majority of Spiny Eel deaths come from: starvation, bacterial infections, and fish jumping out. Anyone wanting to keep these fish MUST plan around these, and set up the tank accordingly. Do please see here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/spinyeelsmonk.htm
>
The woman at the fish store had also informed us that the temperature might not be ideal for him, so I first turned the heater up, and now the temperature is at about 76 degrees F. I am trying to bring it down to about 73, to accommodate the other fish in the tank, but the temp does not seem to be going down. That is my first question, how do you bring the temp down?
<Takes time.>
After the temperature was right I did some more research, and discovered that ammonia could also be a big problem, so we tested it and discovered it was a bit high, so we added some ammonia reducing tablets.
<There's no such thing as a "bit" high, any more than being a "bit" pregnant. If you detect ammonia, it means you have a major problem: too much pollution in a tank that doesn't have enough of a filter to deal with it. The amount of ammonia is largely irrelevant. Review whether the stocking of the tank is appropriate to the size of the tank, whether the filter is mature and/or sufficient capacity. Check whether you are overfeeding.>
The ph was also a little high so I added some ph reducer.
<NO NO NO NO NO -- inexperienced aquarists shouldn't EVER mess about with pH reducers (or raisers). Please understand: the pH value itself doesn't really matter; what matters is how fast pH changes. If you're testing the pH but have no idea what the general and carbonate hardness levels are in your aquarium, then you shouldn't be messing about with the pH because you likely (certainly) don't have enough knowledge to do so safely. So forget about this. Instead check whether the pH is the same a week after a water change as it is immediately after you do the water change -- that will tell you if the pH is stable or not. Do please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm
>
I also did a partial water change of about 20% and added some stress coat. I thought maybe one of these factors might have been what was causing the eel to be distressed, but he is still hanging on the side of the heater.

He does seem to be swaying a bit more now, but I am really starting to get worried. It even got to the point where we thought he was dead because we saw the other fish sucking on him. Luckily when we tried to scoop him out of the tank he swam away, which was a huge relief.
<To be honest, I think this fish is doomed UNLESS you [a] make sure the aquarium is appropriate (i.e., has sandy substrate, no bottom feeding fish, good water quality) and [b] you start offering healthy live foods that this fish can eat. Yes, it will eat (wet) frozen bloodworms later on, but right now we're talking triage, and that means live earthworms small enough for the fish to eat easily. For a 3-4 inch Spiny Eel, we're talking 1-inch worms. There's no discussion here. If you don't do these things, he'll be dead in a week. Period. End of story.>
I even tried to load the dried bloodworms into a turkey baster and squirt them right in front of his face. He still did not respond, except for to move a little. He certainly did not show interest in the food. I read that they would eat earthworms. I am thinking about going and buying some worms from my local bait shop tomorrow and seeing if he will eat these.
<YES!!!>
What should we do?
<Read the articles linked above, and ALWAYS read before buying your fish. Spiny Eels are in my top 10 fish beginners should NEVER keep. They are very difficult fish for so many reasons. Are they nice fish? Yes. Are they intelligent? Very. Can they be tamed and fed from your hand? Certainly. Are they a fish for the average community tank. Not a chance.>
I am new at this hobby and do not know how to tell what is wrong. My first instinct is that it is he is not eating, but I am also worried he is sick with something. I have some multi-purpose medicine but I have also read that you shouldn't use most medications on them since they do not have scales. Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Erin
<Good luck, Neale.>

Re: Peacock eel seems sick 2-16-08
Thank you so much for your advice. He is doing much better today. I woke up and he was swimming around the tank, and some of the feeder fish are gone.
<Very good. But I can't stress too strongly that feeder fish are poor food for most fish, and should be avoided where possible. The risks of introducing diseases, as well as malnutrition, are simply far too great. Once settled, Spiny Eels will even eat chunks of prawn; so really the issue up front is to get them eating a few earthworms just to fatten up a little.>
I am now regretting that we got them at all though since now I am worried about him getting sick.
<Don't be *too* disheartened. These are rewarding fish, and once settled in, not difficult to keep. The problems are setting up the tank "just so" and then getting a wild-caught fish feeding. Most people fail in these regards, and end up with a dead Spiny Eel.>
I am definitely going to go today and get the sand substrate and earthworms.
<Cool.>
To clear one thing, the woman at the fish store was supposed to know what she was talking about. It was the people at Wal-mart that didn't, but when we went and got the feeder fish we went to a different local fish store ran by people that were supposed to know what they were doing. Needless to say, I will not be going back there for advice.
<Too bad. A good aquarium shop is an amazingly useful asset. Regardless, with a bit of reading and a good aquarium book to hand, you'll be fine. Trust me: this is how many of us start!>
I must say, I feel rather silly about this whole thing. I thought keeping fish would be much easier than this, but I have definitely learned my lesson.
<Keeping animals is never "easy", whether cat, dog or fish. But in the big scheme of things, fish are pretty straightforward, especially once you understand the basics and take care to choose fish appropriate to your local water chemistry and skill level.>
I will be much more careful and do much more research in the future, as I would hate to think that a poor animal died because I was too ignorant to take care of it.
<Indeed!>
Thanks!
Erin
<Enjoy your fish, and good luck! Neale.>

Fire eel with pop eye and cloudy eye – 10/30/2007
Hello All-
<Emily.>
I am so glad I have found WWM! I happened to stumble upon your page while doing research for my sick Eel. I'll try and keep this short. For the last 3 weeks my fire eel has had cloudy bulgy eyes. (almost looks like he's wearing goggles) Is this pop eye?
<Yes sounds like a bacterial infection of the eye.>
His appetite is a little decreased but he is still nibbling at his blood worms each day (not as much so in the last 2 days). He has also gone pale in color over the last week. I really don't want to loose him, I'm a novice fish owner! He's in a 75 gallon tank and I've had him for about 6 months. He has lots of hiding places and none of the other fish bother him. Last week I started treating him with Ampicillin
<...is for gram negative bacteria.>
every other day for 5 days since Erythromycin
<...is for gram positive bacteria.>
and tetracycline
<...treats gram negative as well negative bacteria of some types.>
has not helped. I have also done two 50% water changes within the last week. His color has improved a little but his eyes are still very cloudy. He just lays on his side hiding in his cave all day. He has always been a pretty mellow eel. I had my water
tested at a local fish store and everything seemed fine.
<Numbers would help, especially hardness and nitrates.>
What should I be doing for my eel?
<Although fire eels most commonly occur in soft water habitats like some streams, swamps and even flooded rice fields and only rarely are found near estuaries, they may do much better in hard to slightly brackish water in captivity. The exact reasons therefore are unknown and may be related to some interaction of ions (hardness, salinity, carbonate hardness) and the accumulation of possibly toxic compounds in the tank water (e.g. nitrates), that, due to dilution, does not occur in nature to such extent. Although adding salt to the standard fish tank can well be considered an antique technique from times when the need for partial water changes was unknown, I’d suggest to increase the salinity of the water to reach a specific gravity of 1.002 (roughly 3-4 grams marine salt from the pet store per litre). That should improve the constitution of the fish and won’t kill your filter bacteria. In addition I’d try to improve the diet by offering a variety of foods, because if he only ate bloodworms, he may also suffer from a lack of vitamins. Try earth worms, little shrimps and also soak the blood worms in vitamins from time to time prior to feeding. You have already used a lot of antibiotics, so I’d get a test kit and check if nitrites are 0 all the time. Nitrates should be below 20 ppm for good healing conditions. If another antibiotic has to be used (I hope not), try Maracyn.>
Thank you and warm regards! – Emily
<Also have a look at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/matacembelids.htm and the linked files above. Hope that helps and your eel gets well again. Marco.>

Tire track eel medicine need help 6/30/07
Hi my name is Donna,
<Ahh, "the lady", and one of my sisters praenomens>
My husband and I have a 40 inch tire track eel
<Nice!>
that was with an Oscar who came down with an internal parasite
<... of what sort, nature?>
I know what to treat her with but what is safe for the eel and spiny eel (spiny not showing symptoms yet). He has all the same symptoms the Oscar did. Curled up, not eating and on the bottom of tank. Also had 2 hi-fin banded sharks that were in there also need to treat everybody. Do you know of any medicine we can buy that is safe.
<Mmm, best to treat sequentially with an antiprotozoal (my choice is a one-time administration of Flagyl/Metronidazole) and an anthelminthic (Prazi/quantel or Levamisole...). All protocols, cautionary statements for this are posted/archived on WWM... These are relatively safe, efficacious compounds. Bob Fenner>

New peacock spiny eel, sys., fdg. 6/2/07
Hi! thanks for all your advice
> I got the eel, he's about six inches long and looks well fed. no white blotches on his skin or signs or irritation.
<Very good.>
> he is hiding under the gravel in my tank right now, but there is a cave in there that I hope he will move into when he feels more comfortable.
<Please replace the gravel with sand as soon as possible. In my experience, small spiny eels die when kept in tanks with gravel. The problem is that they try to dig into the gravel, scratch their skins, and get infected with various bacteria. Once sick, they are impossible to treat. I have seen this happen so often that keeping small spiny eels in tanks with gravel strikes me as a virtual death sentence. Now, changing to sand is neither difficult not expensive. Silica sand (also known as silver sand) can be obtained at any garden centre for very little money. Choose the "smooth" not "sharp" grade for obvious reasons! A 25 kg (~50 lb) bag of the stuff costs about £3 ($6) at my local garden centre, so in other words there is no excuse for not buying and using the stuff. Plants love it, as do most fish. The main problem it causes is getting into the filter if big fish (like plecs) splash it about. It can potentially become anaerobic if you allow organic material to decay under a great depth of the stuff. To avoid this, simply keep it clean, use Malayan livebearing snails to aerate the sand, or just keep the depth to a minimum, say, 5 cm (2 inches). If you go for the shallow sand bed approach, you obviously can't keep plants with roots, but epiphytes such as Java fern and Anubias are fine.>
> my question is, I've tried both frozen bloodworms and live mealworms so far, both of which he has left uneaten. he appeared to smell the mealworms a little, but didn't eat any. I have been able to find live butterworms, waxworms, and superworms, whatever those are, are any of these suitable food? or would I be better off trying earthworms?
<Spiny eels are 100% nocturnal when imported, so be sure and put the LIVE bloodworms and/or Tubifex in at NIGHT. Remove anything likely to compete, such as catfish and loaches. Catfish and loaches are simply NOT at option with small spiny eels. Earthworms are also very popular with spiny eels, and perhaps the ideal reconditioning food for helping settle newly imported specimens in. Once you know the fish is eating, then you can wean them onto frozen alternatives. To be honest, spiny eels have to be close to the top of the list of fish that should be quarantined first so you can get them feeding before being placed in a community tank. They just aren't, by any measurement, "good community fish" -- they need a great deal of special care, and the vast majority of specimens die within a few months. Although basically hardy and very adaptable in terms of water chemistry, their demands for sand and live foods make them among the most difficult "common" fish in the trade. Larger species, ironically, are easier to care for, being indifferent to whether you use sand or gravel and being relatively easy to feed with things like earthworms, live river shrimp, or even (home-bred) feeder guppies. The small species, including all those sold as "peacock spiny eels" are simply difficult fish best kept by experienced fishkeepers in single-species or at least specially designed aquaria.>
> there were also a lot of small snails in the tank I got him from, and I was wondering if he was maybe eating those, since he appears well fed. he looks like he's of a good girth, and explored all around his tank last night. if he has been eating snails, are they a good long term food source that I could maybe raise in a separate tank?
<No, your eel isn't eating the snails. He lacks the jaw structure for that. Snail-eating fish tend to have strong jaws and flat teeth for crushing the shells: things you see on puffers, loaches, and certain cichlids and catfish. Spiny eels are nocturnal opportunist predators. They have deeply-cleft jaws that allow them to swallow surprisingly large prey. The smaller species feed primarily on worms and insect larvae, while the bigger species are more or less piscivorous (though in captivity are easily fed on prawns and other chunky invertebrate foods).
> thanks!
> Tori
<Hope this helps, Neale>

Spiny eel with grey patches – 05/04/07
Hello Wet Webbers! My name is Linda <Hi Linda. Marco here with you today.> and have a question for you. I have done some research and have not found the info I am seeking, so I hope you don't mind my long question.
<Please see http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/spinyeeldisfaqs.htm for similar questions.> I enlarged the print cause I just had Lasik done and am having some trouble reading my computer screen. <Hope you get well soon.>
I added an 8" fire eel to my 150 gallon FW community cichlid tank. His tank mates are 3 keyhole cichlids, 2 port cichlids, 2 gold and 1 green Severum, three fire mouths, one 5" chocolate cichlid <quite some competition for the eel with regard to food.> a handful of Corys, a few rummy nose tetras, half a dozen tiger barbs and three clown loaches. He was fine for the first six months, but about 6-8 weeks ago he started "peeling". He has gray "bald" spots on part of his body now. He swims well and is a hearty eater. <Good to hear.> A couple weeks ago I did have a very bad outbreak of ick (saw a chocolate cichlid that I just had to have and didn't set up a quarantine tank, I should know better) I had to treat the whole tank with copper safe. <I’d use copper products in bare bottom hospital tanks only. Now you have to get rid of it with water changes and by filtering with activated carbon, and hope none remains in the substrate.>
Everyone survived and all is well except for Earl. He continues to look worse. Since the "bald" spots are the only symptom, I thought I would give him some time to heal on his own. I also thought maybe he was molting, or something <No, certainly not.>. His gray blotches do not look like fuzzy fungus or bacterial spots. Just large patches.
<Spiny eels are prone to skin diseases such as the one you describe. It probably is a bacterial infection possibly associated with a fungus.>
I have spent a great deal of time watching the tank lately and have never witnessed any of his tank mates attacking or picking on him. I do 75% water changes every two weeks. <The latter two actions are good practice.> The pH is 7.5-8, 0 nitrites and well below 20ppm of nitrate. He eats frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. I am going to set up the quarantine tank and move him tonight to see if maybe someone is harassing him at night. Can you give me any suggestions as to what may be going on with Earl? Should I medicate him or just observe him since he is eating well?
<If filtering your display with activated carbon does not improve the situation, quarantine him and add 1g/l marine salt. This is a mild treatment often successful in similar cases. Also be sure to provide pristine water quality in the quarantine tank. If that does not show any improvement in about 10 days to 2 weeks you should consider the use of antibiotics in your hospital tank. Also, read the FAQ linked to above. >
If someone is picking on him, I would guess it is the Firemouths. Oh yes! I have a mixture of small to med. gravel size <hope the grains are well rounded, because spiny eels like to bury.>, soft driftwood, smooth rocks, a large strawberry pot, and plastic plants in the decor. The temp. is right around 77 degrees. Thank you so much, you guys provide a great and valuable service to the tropical fish world. Linda from WI. <You are welcome. Hope your eel gets well again.>

Spiny eel with grey patches II – 05/05/07
A few more facts on my eel. When I feed my fish their frozen food, I throw a chunk of bloodworms in a 2 quart pitcher and fill it with tank water. When the worms are defrosted, I swirl it around to break apart the chunk and dip the pitcher into the tank. I hold it below the surface enough for Earl to slip in and eat his fill before I dump it out for the rest of the fish. Using the large pitcher works well because when you dump all the water out it swirls around and disperses well so everyone has a chance of eating. This way I know Earl is getting enough food.
<Nice feeding technique. Could be improved by avoiding the polluted thawing water getting into the tank.>
Also I have never seen him burrow into the gravel.
<He’d do that if he was harassed by the cichlids.>
He hangs out under the driftwood and will also hang on the water intake tube support. For the salt treatment, I am guessing 1g/l marine salt is one gram per liter? <Yes. Cheers, Marco.>

Fire Eel Disorientation 4/26/07
I contacted you guys quite a few years ago about my 130 gallon tank being infected with Cyanobacteria. Ever since then I've never been able to get rid of it but once a week I siphon off the slime algae carpets off the bottom and it looks good for another two days or so.
<Cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae") grow in tanks without aquarium plants usually because the water has high levels of nitrate and phosphate. There's really not much you can do about it in the average "tank buster" aquarium without actively reducing the nutrient levels in the water. Oh, and by "without plants" I mean any tank not set up specifically for rapid growth of higher plants. A couple of Java ferns won't make any difference either way!>
I've tried more powerful lights, no lights (made the Cyanobacteria grow slower but made everything else worse), phosphate filters, etc and none of it has ever stopped or even slowed down the speed of the growth.
<Phosphate (and nitrate) filters generally can't help the eutrophic conditions in heavily stocked tank buster aquaria. They are designed for use in marine tanks and planted freshwater tanks where the water quality is already very good. These chemical filters "polish" the water a little more, by scrubbing out the phosphate (or nitrate). But they are utterly overwhelmed when placed in a tank buster tank unless used in vast numbers and replaced/recharged on a weekly basis.>
I've had the tank set up for over 5 years now and the inhabitants are a clown knife fish, fire eel, spiny eel, and three rope fish.
<Nice collection of fish.>
I've heard before that clown knife fish shouldn't have any tankmates smaller than them but I guess these guys have learned to live with each other or something, 'cause they never pick fights.
<Often, fishes are inoffensive towards fish they grow up with -- they view them as part of the scenery, I suppose.>
When I'm cleaning the eels' caves the even sometimes hide behind the clown knife in the corner and he has no problem with it.
Anyways, I discovered recently that erythromycin apparently kills off Cyanobacteria while being quite safe for plant life, the fish, and it also doesn't harm the biological filter all that much. So, I picked up some Maracyn 1 and followed a dosing schedule that I found while researching on the internet. It said it was a rather ful powerful dosage to kill the Cyanobacteria rather than create a resistant strain of it, yet it was far less than the Maracyn instructions listed to cure bacterial infections and
such. It said to add 2.5 mg/L of it one day 1, 2, and 4. Then 1 mg/L on day 8. Between these days I should do frequent water changes and siphoning dead Cyanobacteria and debris out of the tank. Due to having only two packages of Maracyn 1, I ended up actually adding only about 2.0 mg/L for the first few days.
<Honestly, in my opinion a totally pointless exercise. The Cyanobacteria grows in your tank because of the nutrients in the water. Even if you killed off any single bacterium in the tank (which won't happen) more would get in from the air and in a month or two you'd be back where you started. Unless you reduce the phosphates and nitrates to as close to zero and keep them there permanently, the Cyanobacteria are going to come back. Period.>
So, here's my problem now. I added the first dosage two days ago and then the second dosage yesterday. I could already see that the slime algae was beginning to thin out, but when it came to feeding time I saw that something was wrong with my 5 year old fire eel. He wouldn't eat and he was swimming around restlessly and seemed disoriented. He was also swimming completely upside down the entire time. When he hid underneath his cave he would lie upside down as well.
<First: check water quality. Second: perform 50% water change. Third: perform another 50% water change. Quite obviously you've done something the fish doesn't like, and it's good odds that the massive die-off of bacteria that's causing pollution in the water, using up oxygen, and perhaps releasing toxins in the water as well.>
I added some aquarium salt at one teaspoon per gallon and boosted the temperature from 80F to 83F.
<Why are you doing this? Fire eels aren't brackish water fish and don't need salt. Raising the temperature and adding the salt both reduce the amount of oxygen in the water, further aggravating one likely problem. Please, unless you have a clear reason for doing so, NEVER change the water chemistry or aquarium conditions simply as a knee-jerk reaction. Fish don't like changes. Oh, and bin the tonic salt. It's useless stuff. Honest.>
This morning the fire eel was lying on top of a tall piece of driftwood upside down, and he rarely lies out in the open.
<Sounds extremely serious. Have you done those 50% water changes yet?>
There's no visible wounds or discoloration on him and he doesn't look bloated or breathing quickly. I tested the water and the ammonia was 0 ppm, nitrite was 0 ppm and nitrate was 32 ppm.
<Well, the nitrates are part of the blue-green algae problem...>
I hope you have some suggestions as to what I should do 'cause I really don't want to lose my eel.
<Do the water changes. Increase oxygenation in the water. Present a votive offering to the Fish Gods.>
It's strange that it happened as soon as I added the Maracyn 1, but everywhere I read it shouldn't be causing any problems to the eel. Thanks for your help.
<My basic philosophy is that without medical or veterinarian advice, aquarists shouldn't use antibiotics, period. There's a reason people go to medical (or vet) school to learn about those drugs. Unfortunately, in the US at least, some antibiotics are freely available. Please resist the urge to use them needlessly. As you're discovering, they are powerful medications that can have unpredictable results to those not trained in their use. In the meantime, just do more water changes to bring the nitrates and phosphates down, and remove the Cyanobacteria the old-fashioned way: with elbow grease.>
Dayton
<Cheers, Neale>

Re: Fire Eel Disorientation 4/26/07
Thanks for the information. After I sent the last message yesterday I went home and did the 50% water change, but I guess that I should have done another one afterwards.
<You can never do too many water changes, assuming water chemistry remains constant.>
I was also planning on doing another water change today and every day until he gets better.
<Good idea.>
Unfortunately, I really don't think he'll even survive the rest of the day. I woke up this morning and he's floating at the surface of the water, just barely breathing.
<Definitely not promising. If this was me, I'd change all the water NOW. Nothing to lose at this stage, and my assumption is the antibacterial treatment and/or dead Cyanobacteria is the cause of the problem. Siphon out everything organic in the tank, thoroughly sluice the gravel in the process to remove everything organic that is decaying. Replace with 100% new water at identical pH/hardness/temperature. Use dechlorinator but otherwise don't add anything. Maximize aeration. Keep temperature at a steady 25C/77F. Switch the lights low/off to reduce stress. My hope would be by returning to optimal water conditions ASAP, your fire eel might recover.>
About the Cyanobacteria though... is the chance that great that I'll get more of it in my tank simply from the air?
<Yes. Bacteria travel as air-borne spores, among other ways. When some blue-green algae dries up somewhere, some of that becomes encysted, floats away on the breeze, and settles out wherever. That's why you find the stuff in gutters, bird baths, etc.>
I had the tank set up for about a year with no problems, but then I added some aquarium plants that weren't fully cleaned and quarantined I guess.
<You have to be ruthless here: strip away *any* leaves with blue-green or hair algae on sight. Usually, the algae colonize sick plants (or leaves, anyway) so you're not losing anything by trimming the plant.>
That's what brought in the Cyanobacteria. I have 4 other tanks (smallest one 30 gallons) and none of them have ever had problems with Cyanobacteria before.
<Blue-green is very difficult to predict in terms of where it will occur. "We" as a hobby know the conditions it likes, but as you say, sometimes it's a problem, sometimes not.>
But, I added a decoration to one of my tanks just last month (the decoration was in the 130 gallon 2 years ago and has been dried out since) and within a week I noticed Cyanobacteria growing in that one. I figured that as long as I keep the supplies I use with the infected tank away from the clean tanks, I won't have any problem. It's been working so far for 5 years now.
<Maybe, maybe not. I'd not put any money on this. But blue-green algae is more a visual problem than a life-threatening one, so I'd always recommend manual removal of blue-green during water changes rather than chemical (algicide) treatments. Massive die-offs of algae (or plants for that matter) can consume oxygen rapidly and dump unwanted pollutants into the tank. The advantages of getting rid of the algae quickly do not, in my opinion, offset the risks of the other. Cheers, Neale>

Re: Fire Eel Disorientation - 05/02/07
So, since last Thursday I did a 50% water change on Thursday and Friday night, then switched to 30% water change every day since then.
<Sounds a good start. Water changes help with most fish problems considerably.>
On Friday morning instead of having trouble swimming the fire eel was floating at the top of the water. Once in awhile he'd try to swim down again but he couldn't even get down a few inches.
<Sounds very odd, but swimming problems can be caused by all kinds of diseases/injuries/environmental factors. I've seen dwarf cichlids swim upside down because I put too-cold water into the tank.>
I was hoping the water changes would be helping but they don'seem to be. I figured he'd be gone within a day or two but now that it's Tuesday I'm starting to think that there's something else wrong with him. He's still breathing normally and has no discoloration but he still can't get below the surface. He looks slightly bloated maybe so I was wondering if eels have a swim bladder like fish do?
<A very good question. Most benthic fish have reduced/absent swim bladders so that they stay close to the bottom of the river or sea without being caught up by the currents. I do not know if spiny eels have swim bladders, and haven't been able to check in my usual references. My *guess* would be they have them, but of a reduced size and importance.>
I think that he's fine other than the fact that he can't swim downwards. I even gently lowered him to the bottom of the tank and when I let go you flew quickly to the surface as if he was full of air. My girlfriend wants me to euthanize him and if I can't do anything else that's what I'll end up doing, but it just seems to me that if I could figure out what's making him float he'll be fine.
<Provided he's feeding and remains in good condition otherwise, I'd tend to leave things to settle down for a while. Swim bladder problems will often fix themselves over time. Provided good water quality, keep the temperature constant, avoid stressing the fish, and try and get it to eat if you can.>
If it was a bacterial infection it should've been cleared up when I added the Maracyn so maybe he ingested a rock or something?
<Swim bladder disorders are what medics call "multi-factorial", meaning no-one really knows what causes them in every case. Possibilities include lack of fibre, mechanical damage, genetics, etc. Since a spiny eel doesn't eat plant material, lack of fibre probably isn't the issue here. But I'd certainly raise the temperature a little (by 3-5 degrees C) and continue using something mildly antibacterial such as Melafix or even tonic salt. Whilst I don't usually recommend the use of salt in freshwater tanks, spiny eels are one group where small amounts (around 1 gramme/litre) have been used therapeutically with success.>
Thanks. Dayton
<Good luck! Neale>

Re: Fire eel with disorientation – 05/02/07
I had previously added salt when he was first showing the strange symptoms and was then told that I shouldn't have.
<Fire eels are not among those spiny eel species that have been caught in estuaries, but they won’t be killed by 1-2 g salt /l. However, it is mostly used to treat skin diseases and should not be in their tanks permanently.>
I guess that I'll just leave him floating there and try to keep feeding him but tomorrow will have been a week since he first started having trouble swimming. The main problem that I'm worried about is that when he's floating about 1 1/2 inches of his belly is slightly above the surface of the water and gets dried out.
<You are right. That can be a problem.>
Every morning and every hour or two when I'm at home I hold him gently under the water for a bit to moisten the skin again, but I'm worried that the drying of the skin is hurting him. His belly seems to be getting a blotchy look to it where it's submerged and is tacky and slightly dry whenever I push him back under. What can I do to keep his entire body underwater and wait till he gets better?
<For puffers that swallowed air and had similar difficulties, I used a large net to keep them down until the air was spit out again. You may want to try that, too. There is some gas in your spiny eel, but it is unclear in which part of his body and how long it takes until it leaves. I’d speculate, aside an possible internal bacterial infection, the use of Maracyn in the display let to the death of some bacteria (maybe your Cyanobacteria), which as part of their decomposition released some toxic substance. But that's just a theory. Keep on doing water changes to keep the nitrates and any other possible toxins down as Neale suggested. Hope the best. Marco.>
Dayton

Fire eel with white scuff – 04/12/07
Hi,
<Hi John.>
I have a fire eel and I am reasonably sure he has a internal bacterial infection.
He has white scuff like marks on his body and labored breathing and hasn't eaten in some time (2 weeks).
<You probably mean external bacterial infection, since you can see white scuff on the outside. Internal refers to the interior of the fish and is hard to diagnose. In addition it would be good to know, if there are any other fishes in this tank.>
I've been treating him for some time with Maracyn but no luck. I know it's imperative to get him to ingest his medicine but since he won’t eat, do you have any ideas?
<First of all I’d use antibiotics only in a hospital tank. They tend to disintegrate when exposed to light, tank substrate and tank water. Some even kill beneficial bacteria and can mess up the nitrogen cycle (Mardel, the producer of Maracyn, states their product shows no adverse effects). Test your water, especially nitrites, nitrates and pH. Large water changes won’t hurt. Spiny eels are not prone to bacterial infections when high water quality is provided. If your pH is around 7 slowly increase it to 7.5-8.0. Fire eels show a higher resistance to bacterial and fungal infections in hard water and lower end brackish water, so you may slowly raise your specific gravity to 1.003. In addition you need a better diagnosis. Search WWM for freshwater diseases, especially Columnaris and read the related FAQs. If you still think your eel has a bacterial infection, use baths as an alternative to treatment in the display tank. Do daily one hour aerated and pH adjusted baths in two times the Maracyn concentration recommended for a permanent treatment in the display tank. Repeat for at least 5 days, even if the disease seems to be gone. If this treatment does not work and the eel is still alive, do the same with an antibiotic for gram negative bacteria such as Maracyn Two.>
Also, is Maracyn the most appropriate choice of antibiotic?
<It works well for gram positive bacterial infections, which are the most common type of bacterial pathogens in freshwater.>
I know things look bleak but do have any suggestions?
<Check water quality; do water changes, slowly adjust the pH to 7.5-8.0 and (if you can do that) the specific gravity to 1.003 (over one week), get a better diagnosis and treat accordingly. Good luck. Marco.>

Re: Sick Fire Eel (FOLLOW-UP) - 1/22/07
Hello again, this is Katey in regards to the sick fire eel (update). I've got the water quality (nitrates) much better using frequent small changes and distilled water.
<Ah, good>
The gray slimy splotches on the eel are now gone, with her stripes becoming a little brighter.
<Very good!>
She is more "with it," still eats well, and is active and curious. However, she seems different, not her usual self... she'll sometimes lounge kind of sideways or curved upside down, like she's just free floating.
<Behavioral improvement will "take time"... perhaps months>
When I look in at her she'll notice me and immediately turn up smartly and watch me alertly, so it's not like she's stuck that way, semi-unconscious. Also, while the colorless splotches on her cheeks filled in black again, she now has an almost reticulated pattern on her body of colorless, bleached skin, with a pale underbelly.
<Stress coloration... this too will pass>
 I've managed to get a few good pictures of first her belly, then her net pattern going down her body. From these pictures, is there anything you recognize? She is, besides the skin and seeming loss of equilibrium, much better. Your help and time is very appreciated! Thanks, Katey
<Thank you for this update... stay the course here. Bob Fenner>

Re: Sick Fire Eel (FOLLOW-UP) 1/24/07
It was very heartening to hear these last symptoms will pass, and she's over the hump. Keep up the good work with WetWebMedia, and thanks for your assistance with my sweetest eel!
Take care, Katey
<Thank you my friend. Life to you. BobF>

Injured peacock eel - please help - 1/22/07
Hi Crew,
<Kim>
I've searched site and can't find the info that I need, and I'm pretty desperate, so I'm writing in hopes that you can give me some advice.
<Will try>
I have a peacock eel who is about 5 inches long. He lives, happily until today, in a 75 gallon planted tank with gravel substrate. Today my 11 year old daughter picked up the large castle decoration in the tank to look for a snail that she couldn't find. She sat it down and when she saw that it was crushing one of the plants, she pushed it over. My eel was apparently next to the bottom of the castle and got pinned under it. I walked in the room right as she was pushing it over and since she's not supposed to ever stick her hands in the tank, immediately rushed over to see what in the world she was doing. I saw the eel sticking out from under the castle, about two inches below his head. Needless to say, I got the castle off of him in a flash. He swam (if you can call it that) away, but under his gills is red and he looks bent in the middle when he's still. I managed to scoop him up in a small plastic container and moved him to my hospital tank. The thing is, I don't have a clue what to do for him now, or even if there is anything that I can do for him.
<Mmm, not much "to do"... their gills are red naturally... and if in initial good shape, mastacembelids/spiny eels do tend to heal rapidly... I would move this fish back into the main system myself>
As I write this, he is laying on the bottom of the tank, curved in a loose C shape, but he's moved a couple of times since his transfer.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks! Kim
<No medications suggested... Just time, patience and hope. Bob Fenner>
--
Kim Jones

Sick Fire Eel 12/26/06
Hello, I'm Katey, and I was hoping you could help me with a problem with my fire eel. A week or so ago she began getting pale spots on her face, as if the color was bleached out.
<A bad sign>
She also began acting listless, letting her head droop sideways instead of alertly poking it out of her hiding place.
<Something amiss here environmentally...>
However, she still ate ghost shrimp (her favorite food) just as voraciously as before. I did massive research but didn't find anything that really fit... she didn't have "fungus" on her yet. Water tested o for nitrites but nitrates were high (close to 80 ppm?).
<Yikes... way too high>
However, I had just done a 45% water change a week or so before.
<Too much percentage at one go... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2ochgs.htm
and the linked FAQs file above>
 A few days after presenting with the pale spots, she developed a grayish, slimy material on her body in various areas. This sounded like columnaris (except nothing really around her mouth), so I began treatment with Maracyn plus after a 15% water change for the nitrates (Tuesday will be day 5). My concern is that she is also occasionally having crazy frantic thrashing spins around the tank (lasts 5-10 seconds), and I'm not even sure it's columnaris!
<Is not... primarily... something in the water... perhaps consequent with the massive water change...>
She still acts lethargic but I thought her skin cleared up a little, though not sure. Her appetite is good but she is definitely not herself. Her tank-mates, a tire track, 2 clown loaches, and an African butterfly, show no sign of disease and are acting very healthy. Any ideas/help would be very appreciated!! Thank you very much for your time! Katey
<What re your water quality tests? I would use activated carbon, a pad of PolyFilter in your filter flow path here... Stat! Bob Fenner>

Re: Sick Fire Eel, need to add... 12/26/06
Hi, Katey again...I wanted to add onto my last email about my sick fire eel. She is REALLY flipping around now...she seems to be absolutely desperate to itch.
She goes on 100mph spins that looks like she is trying to itch her body with her nose. Even worse, she beats herself against the wall, decorations doing this...
I'm afraid she'll kill herself doing that!
I hope this gives you more clues...
Thanks!
<... your water... Bob Fenner>

Re: Sick Fire Eel 12/27/06
Thanks so much for your advice...my water tests are the Jungle 5-in-1 strips... I've heard that they could be inaccurate, but that's all I have at the time... hope to be getting better tests though. I will follow your advice, and update you with (hopefully) a good report! Oh, and I did read that linked article...I will be switching to 15% every 2 weeks.
Again, thanks very much!! Katey
<Thank you for this update Katey. Bob Fenner>

Starving Eel 9/2/06
Hi,
<Hi Gillian, Pufferpunk here>
I have a problem with my yellow spiny eel. (At least that's the name it was sold to me as.) It's very small, only about 2.5 inches. I've had it for about 5 months. I've had no problems up until now. I have read that some people have problems with eels not eating and as a result, they lose them within a few weeks.
<True but it can take longer sometime, for an animal to slowly starve to death.>
I figured that wasn't a problem since my eel has been around so long and although I haven't seen him eat (but I do think I've seen
him darting at daphnia), he's looked well fed. Just yesterday I noticed that he looked terrible. He is very thin and seems
to have no strength. I moved him into a smaller tank by himself over night with food.
<Most spiney eels only eat live food. Mostly blackworms. That's what their long nose is for--to scrounge the substrate for worms.>
I was a little worried that maybe some of his tank mates have been stealing all his food and that might have been the cause of the problem (he's in with 3 neons, a ghost shrimp and a panda Cory cat). However, he didn't seem to eat any of the food offered to him. I put him back in the tank with the others and he still swims around, but he still seems weak, unable to burrow and he'll stop swimming in funny positions, like on his side. The problem is that I don't know what to do. If he's not eating, I'm not sure how to make him eat. If it's some kind of infection, I'm not sure what it is. His fins, colour and skin all seem fine. He just seems unbelievably thin and his gills look red (although I'm really not sure if his gills seem red because he's so thin or if it's some kind of infection). The water chemistry's a little off, which I plan on fixing right away with water exchanges, and I've added a little bit of salt (one tbs/ 5 gallons).
<Weekly water changes are necessary to keep the water clean & livable.>
I'm not sure if I should try a salt treatment. Or if I should try something like Melafix (even though I'm aware that he doesn't seem to have any of the symptoms Melafix says it treats). I'm not sure how much longer the fish will last. Please help.
<Neither can hurt. I'd try offering live worms. ~PP>
Thanks
Gillian

Eels Healing from Injuries
Hello Once again Dr Fenner!
<Anthony Calfo in your service, my friend, whilst Bob travels the great continent of Australia. I'm hoping he brings me back a cool accent instead of a tee-shirt when he returns <smile>>
I need your advice regarding these 3 fire eels that I want to buy. The aquarium houses them together with a grown Cichlid in a 2 ft tank. I think the Cichlid must have attacked them before 'cos I can see that 2 of them have slight injuries.
<a shame...mitigated by the cramped tank I'm sure>
The 3 eels are about a foot long and are very fat. The injuries are such that I can see the whites of the
flesh. The body is jet black but then I can see breaks in the skin that reveal the whites. It actually looks
like a small scratch made by a needle. The injuries look very minor but I do want them to heal if I decide to purchase them. Its very rare over here (Singapore) to get eels at this size.
<perhaps because they are delectable <wink>>
Do you have any recommendations for medication? What can I do to help the eels heal faster?
<yes... an antibiotic combination of Furazolidone and Nitrofurazone (Jungle brand "fungus eliminator" for example). Eels are one of the few fish prone to true fungal infections. It will guard against bacterial infections as well>
If I just put them in my tank will the injuries eventually heal?
<perhaps...especially if your tank is larger (it really must be)>
I went back to the aquarium about a week and a half later but the injuries were still apparent.
<unusual and not a great sign... perhaps you should take them sooner to a better tank>
They look pretty relaxed in the tank though but I think they'll be better off without the Cichlid.
<certainly agreed>
On a separate note, what kind of medication are suitable for eels with fungus or other skin problems?
<above listed...and antibiotics in general are safe>
I read that they are very sensitive to metals in the water and also some 'itch' medicine.
<yes... avoid copper and organic dyes like malachite and Victoria green and methylene blue>
Should I put in some capfuls of Blackwater into the tank? Will this help them relax?
<dim lights will work the same or better>
You helped me identify the Caecilian I have several weeks ago and I really am grateful! =) I look forward to your reply once again. Yours Faithfully, Leonard Emmanuel
<with kind regards, Anthony>

Tiretrack Eels 10/14/03
They have not had an appetite for 3 weeks and I am getting worried so please can any one that is an expert on them please help me.
<I really could use more info. These are Tiretrack eels? How long have you had them? What kind of food have you offered them? How big is their tank? What are their tankmates? Have you tested the water? How often do you change the water? After you answer all of these questions I'll be much better equipped to help your fish. Just to let you know, the only food I have ever seen my eels eat is live Tubifex/black/bloodworms.>
and if there is a phone # I could call to give more detail please tell me.
<I'm sorry, we have no phone service. Emails to this address is the best we can do.>
thanks Jeff <Your Welcome, Pufferpunk>

Eel Not Eating 11/16/03

Medium: Brackish water (another one for Ananda I wager)

A recent update: Over the past few weeks I've had a pretty stable setup in my 55 gallon brackish water setup. A nagging problem of how to get the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite contents down to nothing is my main problem. I still think that I'm overfeeding. I find that odd even when I have an entire aquatic garden covering nearly the entire sand bottom. A total of 9 voracious adult mollies that devour anything and everything, only judging by taste if it's food or not. I don't understand how I could be overfeeding with how those guys devour food. Apparently of the fry I tried to save, 4 have grown up enough to swim freely amongst the others without fear. Meatball the Tetraodon nigroviridis has been growing steadily, and has actually taken to eating whatever variety food I drop into the aquarium. The two bumblebee gobies seem to be doing well, surviving with whatever bloodworms they can find before the mollies eat them all. I've had no problems aside from with a couple of guppies that I tried to add to the aquarium. When I put them into the quarantine tank, one guppy jumped right out of the water onto the floor on the first night, and the male counterpart died shortly after from fin rot. I had also put in a weather loach, who had no problems at all. He ended up being called Jeac, reminding me of the cleaner shrimp from Finding Nemo. Jeac just cruises along the bottom vacuuming up the sand and siphoning out his gills as he goes along.

The entire point of my email is a new inhabitant. The new addition is a spiny eel (Macrognathus aculeatus), who originally went into my quarantine tank after buying him. It was a low salt content setup with a pH of 7.2, nearly insignificant levels of nitrates, nitrites and ammonia, and had plants to make it look like it had a use to it. After hiding himself under the sand for a little while, he stopped trying to hide at all. Not more than the next day I saw him lazily laying on the sand bottom, taking slow, raspy breaths. He was faded and his gills were a bright red color, and that's why I checked all the chemical levels. I couldn't figure out what it was so I risked tossing him into the big aquarium. I found it very peculiar because in the big aquarium I had JUST done a 40% water change because of a very high nitrate and nitrite level. Even afterwards the levels were higher than the quarantine tank, the salt was much higher with a hardness of 15, and a pH of 7.6. Oddly enough he has recovered, and is much more active. He hides in a log during the daytime hours, and is constantly out exploring at night. My main problem is that I haven't seen him eat anything since I got him, which was 3 days ago. I was told that they eat bloodworms as well, but he hasn't touched any of them when I squirt them nearly right on top of him, and in the end the puffer and the mollies eat all of them. Will he eventually start to eat or is there something still wrong with him that I have to fix to restore his appetite?

BUBBLES BUBBLES BUBBLES!..... My bubbles!

(P.S. apparently I've become the second person in this entire area to have any expertise in brackish water aquariums, the fish compatible and especially the plants that thrive in that water. Looks like doing your homework pays off, although I have still not yet reached the holy grail of balancing the chemical levels in my aquarium. )

Boiled Eel..
>Hi,
>>Hello.
>Wow incredible site.
>>Thank you.
>My sister has a tire track eel and it's sick, it has boils (?) on its back. That's how she described it to me.
>>Sounds like ulcers, an open sore is my take on it.  This isn't good, though.
>What might it be and how can we fix it?
>>We see ulcers of this type most commonly on goldfish.  It's called septicemia (see here: http://www.fishbase.org/Diseases/DiseasesSummary2.cfm?discode=809 )
>Do you have any good references for info on curing disease/sick tire track eels?
>>Not specific to tire track eels, but you can also search for treatments for SCALELESS fishes.
>I read on your site that if it has sores it's likely to die soon?
>>Maybe not so soon, but these afflictions can be very difficult to deal with.  It should NOT be treated in the main display, however.
>She's very found of this eel as she says it has a lot of personality!
>>I'm sure it does, and if you can, search further on http://www.fishdisease.net/ as well as looking for freshwater fish forums and sites.  Because these infections can by caused by many bacteria, treatment is rather like "blasting" with antibiotics.  Marina
>Thanks, Cindy

Sick eel please help
I have a Aethiomastacembelus elipsifer Tanganyika eel and it does not look like he is eating and has gotten very skinny. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to fatten him up. He is not very active and does not look very good. I have him in a 55 gal. with mainly a Tanganyika/Malawi setup. I have tried feeding him bloodworms, freeze-dried plankton, and flake food at night after I have turned the lights out and the other fish have already been fed. I even tried holding it in front of him and he will not eat it. He used to bury himself all the time and now he just stays in one spot out all the time. I am very worried about him. What should I do?
< These eels are very cool. I saw many different species in lake Tanganyika as few years ago. They ranged from little small 4 inch eels that would swim around like little sea horses to very large ones like fire eels. In the wild we saw them feeding on small shell dwelling cichlids in around the rocks. We caught them at night in minnow traps using very oily fish as bait in the trap. I would catch the eel and place him in a separate tank that is well covered so he won't jump out. Place a layer of fine sand on the bottom and a rock or cave that he can hide in. Make sure the water temp is at least 80 degrees. I would first try some live washed earthworms or some well washed black worms. Then I would get some feeder guppies and throw them in the tank. See if the eel will take the guppies out of your hand. If this doesn't work then maybe small strips or raw fish cut to bite sized chunks. In a large community tank these eels are reluctant to feed because of all the commotion the cichlids create. You eel may end up needing live fish all the time. -Chuck>
Thanks, Jessica B.

Feeding peacock eels
I just purchased a small peacock eel and was wondering if I was feeding correctly. He/she is about 4-5 inches long and I'm feeding shrimp pellets. I read in the information on spiny eels that they won't bite and chew their food. I don't think my eel's mouth is large enough yet to eat the shrimp pellet whole but I dropped a pellet near him (he's burrowed and sticking his head and part of his body out) earlier and it's gone now. Will they eat the pellets once they've softened? Or do I need to resort to frozen food (I live in a college dorm that allows only fish tanks and I don't have access to a store that sells live food so my method of feeding is rather limited)?
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/matacembelids.htm >
In addition to that, I was wondering what would be the best remedies for the most common infections, like ick. I'm using a product currently with my other fish called CopperSafe by Mardel (Active ingredient: Chelated Copper Sulfate) in combination with a product called MelaFix (it says it's safe to use with scale-less fish). CopperSafe seems to work really well with my other fish, including a pictus cat, who came in with ick. But you mentioned that metallic medications don't work well on eels. What should I look for in an anti-ick medication when it comes to peacock eels? Should I just dose the tank with non-iodized salt?
Sarah
<Please read over WWM using the Google search tool there, with these questions, product names... I would not use Melafix for anything, nor copper compounds on mastacembelids or pimelodid cats... Read my friend, before purchasing livestock, using toxic chemicals on them. Bob Fenner>

Fire eel 11/3/05
Dear Robert,
I wrote to in July with regard to my 10 year old fire eel (in 90 gallon tank) that I have always treated with the Maracyn and CopperSafe. You recommended I get a copper (ion) test kit to monitor the copper level because Stresscoat (which I use all the time) can remove it over time. I purchased a freshwater kit by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals which reads from 0.25 thru 4.0. My measurement today is .25. Is this a treatment level?
<Yes... tween 0.15 and 0.30 ppm of free cupric ion>
My old kit by Aquarium Systems (which I cannot find replacement packets for) read 0.15 thru 0.2 on the chart and it stated that this is a therapeutic treatment if maintained for 10-14 days.
I also would like your opinion on this: my fire eel has these blister like, or more like welts, on his sides. He has had these for sometime - they are not new. It reminds me of a hive like a human would get on their skin. And, he has grown up with a Pleco that appears to have an uncanny affection towards him. It's like their glued together, though I suspect the Pleco is sucking the slime off of him.
<May be>
Again, this has been going on for years. Your comments, please.
Thank you.
Linda I.

Fire Eels, Cestodes, and Praziquantel - 11/01/2005
Hello Crew! I have a 2 1/2 foot Fire Eel that appears to have tapeworms. He appears very healthy and gregarious in all respects, but periodically he discharges some white, flat, many inches long, substance which appears to cause him some discomfort, resulting in thrashing about the tank to dislodge it. Does not appear to be normal waste or a normal way to evacuate based on the discomfort involved and the color.
<Could indeed be tapeworms.... or other worms.>
I have not been able to isolate any of this substance as the rest of his tank mates devour it immediately,
<Ugh.>
which of course means they also have worms if that is what they are.
<Agreed.>
He is fed live worms and I know they can be carriers of tapeworms which has caused my concern.
<Good concern.>
I know he shouldn't have any medications with copper, and I was also concerned because he is scaleless, or nearly so anyway. Some of his tankmates are also loaches and Botias, so I have to worry about them as well since he is too big to quarantine and they and the rest of his tankmates would probably have to be treated as well, anyway. However, all his tankmates also appear to be quite healthy. What medication or treatment would you recommend?
<Praziquantel would be my first choice, followed by Levamisole or Piperazine.... There are a number of products available for aquarium use, one being "Prazi-Pro". Any of these medications (or others for cestodes) will need to be administered via food, I believe.>
Thank you for your time. He is a sweet little fiend, and I don't want the worms to cause him problems in the future. I wasn't able to find anything by performing a search for this item in your website.
<Glad to hopefully be of service.>
Marcia
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Fire eel, copper use 7/22/05
Dear Robert:
<Linda>
I have had my fire eel about 10 years and he is about 18-19 inches and very well rounded.
<How nice... great pets, very intelligent>
He is very aggressive and spooks easily and has had several injuries to his body over the years. Only on one occasion did I almost lose him - my local aquarium shop said it sounded like an infection in his gills - heavy breathing - not eating or swimming. I treated the tank with Maracyns I and II and CopperSafe and he recovered. I have used these products ever since, and having read on your webpage that eels are sensitive to copper I wonder if I should stop.
<Mmm, no... just "be careful"... not to over-expose>
I recently moved ( and the fire eel) to a new home which is on well water and I regularly treat the water with StressCoat and CopperSafe. May I have your opinion on this treatment plan. Thank you.
Linda Itoh
<Mmm, I would get, use a copper (ion) test kit... and know that StressCoat will remove/precipitate copper. Bob Fenner>

Poorly eel...
Ps. Sorry for such a long email, but I thought I'd tell you as much as I could,,,
also forgot to add, All the other fish seem ok...
And the eel never seemed to eat anything... I got some maggots from the local fishing shop.. the other fish liked them, and the eel showed more interest in them than bloodworms, or anything else I'd been trying to feed him, and looked as if he was trying to eat one, he made a move towards it, but didn't get it in his mouth,,, so I'm not entirely convinced he's eaten too much since I got him.. (about 3 weeks ago) hope you can help....
Sami
<This spiny eel is extremely mal-affected by a bacterial infection... though often termed fungal... A very quick administration of antibiotics to the system (Chloramphenicol if you can get it, Spectrogram (product) if not... at double dose... 250 mg. per five gallons, addition of a teaspoon of aquarium salt per five gallons... in a separate treatment system, attention to water quality while there... offering tubificid worms as food... Might save this specimen, but doubtful at this stage. Bob Fenner>

Sores on Aethiomastacembelus elipisfer 3/10/06
I just bought a Aethiomastacembelus elipisfer about a month and a half ago.
This week I see a sore on its side. Also, it is not very active, preferring to "make like grass" in the plants. I am not sure it has been eating, but have fed guppies and will continue to do so. do you have suggestions on treatment for these sores?
Thanks
Pei
<Mmm, yes... from Oliver's input and mine posted on WWM (Please use the Google search tool or read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/spinyeelfaqs.htm
These matters need to be addressed aggressively. Bob Fenner>

Fire Eel Issues - 04/05/2006
I have a fire eel (approximately eighteen inches) in a freshwater tank - think he might about 15 years old - not sure.
<Nice!>
A couple weeks ago he stopped eating, became lethargic (not sure I spelled that right),

and appeared to have labored breathing. I dosed the tank with Maracyn II for five days,
<Why?>
and then another five days with Maracyn.
<Again, why? Did you see symptoms of anything aside from the heavy breathing/lethargy? Did you have reason to suspect a bacterial infection?>
I have only used Mardel products on him including Coppersafe and occasionally Maroxy.
<.... should try not to use medications unless you know there's a disease that must be treated....>
He has a couple injury sites that have turned white.
<Disturbing. How did he become injured? Tankmate squabble? Escape attempt?>
After the second week of antibiotic treatment, he improved, regained his appetite and was swimming like usual. Last night, he stopped eating again. I'm not sure what to do this time around. I/m afraid he might be dying from old age?
<In all honesty, this is possible....>
I am doing 20-25% partials every 5-7 days.
<Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH readings?>
He has a small area of whitish skin on the side of his face. Please give me some suggestions. Linda Itoh
Hello,
I wrote to you a little earlier and I need to add a symptom I just noticed with my fire eel - his stomach is bloated.
<The bloated belly and refusal to eat are troubling.... I would first check (and correct, if necessary) his water quality.... Next, there are a number of things to consider. First, simple constipation. Foods high in roughage content may help with this (adult daphnia, adult brine shrimp....). Secondly, these dropsical symptoms may indicate an internal bacterial infection; if that's the case, there may be little you can do, depending upon what, exactly, is troubling him. You might consider trying to feed with an antibiotic medicated food, though this will (obviously) be difficult if the fellow refuses to eat.... Maintaining optimal water quality and hoping for the best with foods to help reduce constipation may be your best first start.>
Linda Itoh
<My best wishes to your eely friend, -Sabrina>

Fire Eel Issues - II - 04/22/2006
I have not been doing well with my fire eel. His belly is still bloated and he is not eating.
<Yikes!>
I have been doing water testing and the results as of last night were: ph 7.5, copper .5 to 1.0,

nitrite .09,
<This should test as zero.... likely you need to do more frequent water changes right now; the copper has destroyed your biological filtration.... And again, why copper?>
nitrate (I am still having problems figuring out) I am using tetra test NO3 and color in test-tube matches 25mg on color chart with kit;
<Mm, it's in parts per million, no?>
however if I divide that by 4.4 I believe that number is 5.68, is that good or not?
<You've lost me here; why are you dividing? Is it not displayed as parts per million, or....? And what about your ammonia readings?>
I think he has an infection and needs to be treated with antibiotics.
<.... this is possible, but not seeing the fish, not having all the data, I really can't tell you what he might need at this point.... If you do suspect an internal bacterial infection, Kanamycin or Nitrofurazone in food is my recommendation.... or at least orally if not in food, if in any way possible.>
I have only used Mardel products in the tank. The white injury sites are from him trying to cram into a castle which is too small for him now which I have not taken out yet because he is so panic stricken when I work in the tank I'm afraid he is going to jump out.
<If there is an item in the tank responsible for the injuries to the animal, PLEASE get it out of there IMMEDIATELY. Replace it with more decor of a more desirable nature, large enough not to damage the poor fellow. This is imperative; if he's getting wounds from this castle, it needs to go, pronto, in favor of something that won't wound him.>
Some years ago I was working in the tank and he took off like a rocket right out of the tank, in the air, and landed on a tile floor. He did recover but has not been the same since.
<Yeee-ikes! I can imagine! Sneaky little fellows.... give him more appropriate hiding spaces, things to make him feel secure, things that won't wound him.>
I also have been using well water for the past 3.5 years which I treat with stresscoat when I partial. Please give me some suggestions?
<This bloating and refusal to eat is hopefully something that can be passed.... I would add a tablespoon or two of Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulfate) per ten gallons of water; this may very well help him pass any blockage. Secondly, I would absolutely quit with the copper, unless you are treating for ich or some such.... adding copper is shooting yourself in the foot right now, with regards to water quality. If you are highly confidant of a bacterial infection, I would recommend treating with Kanamycin and/or Nitrofurazone, again, preferably orally and preferably in food.>
Right now, I am just doing partials about every 4-5 days.
<You may need to increase this to *daily* with the copper in your tank destroying your biological filtration.... Be testing, *daily*, for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH....>
Thank you. Linda
<All the best to you, Linda, and don't get disheartened. Spiny eels are resilient fellows, and hopefully yours, aged though he is, can pull through this. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Fire Eel Issues - III - 04/23/2006
Sabrina, thank you for your response with regard to my fire eel. I had been treating the tank with copper because the injury sites were not healing like they have in the past.
<Copper really isn't very useful for aiding wounds in healing....>
I did about a 30-35% water change yesterday and my copper level today is 0.5. I plan on not adding anymore copper. I was thinking if I maintain a therapeutic level of copper it would keep him from getting parasites.
<Mm, for the most part, you're not so likely to see parasite issues pop up unless you introduce them; it's bacterial complaints that you need to have concern over.>
I have always maintained a level of copper in the tank for as long as I've had him.
<With regards for parasite prevention, a more useful and less toxic substance to use is just aquarium salt. Spiny eels don't much like it, but tolerate it FAR better than copper.>
Today my nitrite is 0.3 mg/liter, and NO3 is 50mg/l. I am using tetra tests with color charts measures reading in mg/l.
<I see. mg/L is the same as ppm (parts per million). Thus, you have .3ppm nitrite and 50ppm nitrate. You most certainly need to do some hefty (or heftier) water changes; spiny eels don't appreciate high nitrates.... I would quickly strive to bring this much lower; 20ppm at a maximum, less if possible.>
The only test chart I see with ppm's is the copper chart. I am thinking I need to another partial today; but I just don't know.
<Yes, absolutely.>
My ammonia is 0 according to the tetra test color chart reading from 0 thru 5.0.
<Get the nitrite to zero, and the nitrate down.>
Interestingly, after I did the 30-35 partial he actually ate some food last night;
<Ah! Good!>
but still looks very uncomfortable, and is still bloated. I thought the bloating was due to a bacterial infection which is why I'm thinking he needs antibiotic. Can you tell me where I can Kanamycin in the oral form?
<You might have to mix it yourself, or take a look at http://flguppiesplus.safeshopper.com/234/cat234.htm?590 - they have an antibacterial medicated flake with Oxytetracycline, which might also be effective.>
The only antibiotic I keep on hand are the Maracyns. I did not put Epsom salts in the tank yesterday because of the partial and he seemed to have gotten some relief from it.
<The Epsom cannot cause him harm, even if he were in perfect health, and may help *immensely*.>
I'm so distraught over the possibility of him not making it through this.
<Get the nitrate down.... Discontinue copper.... Add Epsom.... Maintain impeccable water quality (ammonia and nitrite at ZERO, nitrate less than 20ppm and preferably closer to 5ppm).... Wait a few days, then begin with antibiotics in food if no improvement is seen. At least, that's what I would do.>
Thank you for your help. -Linda
<All the best to you, -Sabrina>

Fire Eel Issues - IV - 05/13/2006
Hi Sabrina,
<Hi, Linda!>
I'm writing again with regard to my bloated fire eel. He is hanging in there; but he is obviously not comfortable. I added the Epsom and have discontinued the copper since April 25th no copper. The copper level is holding at 0.25 ppm,

0 ammonia, 25 mg/l nitrates,
<Really needs to be lower still.>
<0.3> nitrites,
<Needs to be zero.
ph is holding at 8.
<Yikes!>
I have read that fire eels like a lower ph so the 8 concerns me.
<Yes, me too, a great deal.>
However, at this point I'm so frustrated with what to do, maybe the pH8 is not a significant problem.
<Mm, it is a problem, I think. Many/most fishes are very tolerant of a wide-ish range of pH, but spiny eels really should not be in a pH this high. Dangerous.>
After our last email conversation he was not eating so I put Maracyn II in the tank for 10 days, he starts eating and swimming around. He will not eat flake food, shrimp, bloodworms or earthworms.
<Disconcerting that he won't take worms....>
He eats shrimp pellets and algae wafers. Since I stopped the copper his welt-like blisters are getting white-ish and he is scraping along the bottom of the tank.
<Still signs of irritation, perhaps at the nitrite, nitrate, copper, or that very high pH - or something else in the water, even.>
I have done partials every 2-4 days, however he seems really stressed after a partial. I am on well water here and I did a hardness test on it - 14 dGH - and 13 dKH.
<Kinda high, there.>
I have always used water right from the well, and am now wondering if I should be using water from the tap which is ran through a softener. The tap water reads 1dgh and 12 dKH.
<I would advise against the softened tapwater; this can be even more trouble than it's worth. The very hard, high pH of the current water, though, is troubling. I would like to suggest that you try doing a couple of water changes (carefully, and spaced apart in time) with some water from a Reverse Osmosis filtration unit or even store-bought bottled water - I don't know where you are, but many places have water stores where you can fill up a 5g water jug for a buck or so with straight RO water. Just BE CAUTIOUS of this, as the pH of the purified/bottled water will be much, much lower than the pH of the tank - you do NOT want to lower his pH too quickly.>
My aquarium readings as of yesterday are 18dgh and 10 dKH. I had to have my husband
help me with these tests. Very complicated for me.
<And very kind of your husband, too - thank him for me.>
Seems like he has skin problems since we moved from city water to well water.
<Bingo....>
I'm probably just grasping at straws at this stage.
<I very strongly feel that the bulk of this animal's problems are environmental. I would actually hold of from medicating at all (aside from the Epsom salt, I would use that again after your next water change). I would like to see this critter VERY slowly (as in, 0.2 a day) go down to below a 7.0 pH with as close to zero nitrate as possible (below 20ppm at the least), zero ammonia, zero nitrite, zero copper, and lower hardness with the use of RO/bottled water. I really think a more accurate environment may be the whole key here.>
I have purchased Maracyn Plus Biospheres Antibacterial (Sulfadimidine and Trimethoprin). Do you think this would help with the skin welts?<Mm, I would hold off on medicating this animal any more than absolutely necessary at this point and see how an improved environment affects him.>
Please give me your thoughts.
<You've got 'em now, and I hope they help some.>
Thanks, -Lyn
<All the best to you and your eely buddy, -Sabrina>

Fire Eel Issues - V - 05/15/2006
Hi Sabrina,
<Hi, Linda!>
I'm writing with an update on my fire eel. After I read your last reply, I did a small partial - only five gallons of aquarium water - did I replace with store-bought bottled water. I'd like to explain something to you that my husband explained to me before I give you the numbers. I have been testing the PH with a tetra test kit that reads from 5,0 thru 10,0 and the aquarium water has been reading an 8,0. He brought in the ph kit for our pool water that reads in tenths from 7.0 thru 8.0. We tested the aquarium water (before small partial) to see if it matched my ph of 8. It did not - it read 7.6.
<A big difference.... I would test this against another aquarium test kit, perhaps at your local store; many/most stores will test your water for you for free.>
We did the partial and the ph on the tetra kit read 7.5 and the pool kit read 7.4.
<This is a difference that could be charted up to human error.... is very close.>
This was on May 14th. Tonight, I just did the ph readings and they are unchanged. The nitrites and nitrates are also unchanged. The dGH is still 18 but the kH is down to 8.
<One last time. Ammonia and Nitrite MUST be ZERO. Nitrate MUST be as low as possible; below 20ppm at the least, preferably even at or below 5ppm for this sensitive animal. These things aren't options, but criteria on which your eel's life hinges. The pH is next in line of importance.>
The magnum filter was clogging up pretty good so I changed that tonight.
<Likely a/the "source" of high nitrate in your tank.>
My fire eel has stopped eating again - 3rd night in a row - since I stopped the Maracyn II - he has stopped eating.
<This could very well be coincidence, to be quite honest. These animals can sometimes stop eating once in a while.>
I feel like I need to treat him with something especially since he has stopped eating again.
<Bob and I and a few other folks were just talking about this tendency in aquarists; a desire to throw a medication at a problem.... This is a very, very unfortunate tendency, and probably kills more organisms than it saves.... Granted, I do not know you or your pet, but I still feel that throwing medication at the fellow's condition when there are KNOWN problems with the water that must be corrected is folly.>
What would be in the Maracyn II to make him eat?
<Can actually be coincidence.>
I can't determine if he is breathing easier or not since the partial - I don't think so. IF he starts to look worse and I decide to medicate him, would it be safe to use the Maracyn Plus Biospheres?

In your last reply, you had suggested doing a couple of water changes carefully spaced apart.
<Mm, as far as spacing them apart, what I'm most concerned about is not decreasing the pH too quickly.>
Do you think another water change should be done in the next day or two, or more towards the end of the week?

And, I'm thinking another 5 gallons of bottled water and 5-10 gallons well water. By the way, with regard to CopperSafe - I was reviewing my emails with you guys and noticed the very first one a Bob Fenner replied to and I got the impression he was okay with using CopperSafe. I was just wondering about the difference of opinion.
<I am actually sitting with him now, he's right next to me.... We've talked, and he does agree that maintaining copper on spiny eels is not a good idea. They just don't do well with many medications. If you like, a direct quote from his Mastacembelid article: "Spiny eels don't respond well to toxic dye and metal medications." http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/matacembelids.htm . I do believe he misunderstood that you had intended to use copper as a constant preventative in the water.... I believe, and I feel that he does too, that this is a bad idea.>
Thank you for your reply - again. Lyn
<Please do go ahead and read over the article and the FAQs file linked to it, if you would.... hopefully you might find some other piece of insight that would be of help to you. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Fire "Eel", Eye Damage - 10/12/05
Hello
<Good morning.>
I hope you can help me to help my Fire Eel. When we were cleaning the tank 10 days ago, my eel got a fright and decided to have a 100mph swim round the tank!
<Yikes! Hopefully this system is not too small for him to feel secure....>
I think he must have hurt himself as I have now noticed that his one eye is totally white (looks blind) and he has a patch above the eye which seems to be getting whiter by the day.
<Definitely a concern.... Probably did scratch/damage himself during his speedy stint about the tank.>
He is also off his food, not having eaten for three days (very unusual for him).
<And not a good sign....>
I have bought some Potassium Permanganate (Condy's crystals), but don't know if I can use this as he is 'scaleless' and I have been told to be careful of medications as not all are suitable for eels.
<You are correct. Do not use this.... Very, very caustic - will more than likely kill the eel, and can be hazardous to deadly even on stronger fish.>
Please help. I am worried about my fat boy!
<Bob's recommendation (and I agree wholeheartedly) is to add aquarium salt (the stuff marketed for freshwater aquaria, not marine salt), perhaps at one or two tablespoons per ten gallons, possibly also add Maracyn I & II (erythromycin and Minocycline) as a preventative.... and of course, maintain optimal water quality. Try feeding stinky, attractive foods like bloodworms (live if you can get 'em) or even redworms/tiny earthworms you collect yourself from an area uncontaminated by pesticides/herbicides.>
Thanks, -Wendy
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

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