Zebra Moray Ills?
Hello Bob,
<Hi, MikeD here today>
I have two Zebra Moray Eels in a 125 UK Gallon tank. One eel which is of 2.5ft which I have had for 18mths, the other is of 18inch and was recently introduced in to the tank just over 3weeks ago.
The only other tank mate is a six inch snowflake eel.<Shouldn't be a problem here with the combination>
The tank is well filtered with a large prism protein skimmer. All chemical levels are okay. Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 20ppm, ph 8.o<OK>
I have a cave made of gutter piping imbedded in the coral sand with four outlets for the eels to live.<Fine as long as they will use it. Keep in mind the zebra morays get quite large!>
The larger zebra moray eel has not fed for 5days, paying no interest in food at all, and for most of today laying upside down with his head out of the cave.<This isn't unusual, and actually normal for morays being fed quite heavily>
After the lights went off tonight he/she swam out of his cave and I noticed his girth was swollen to nearly twice its normal size, from behind his/her head to his rectum. I had noticed over the last week or two his girth was slightly larger but not to the concerning extent of the above).
His respiration is also slightly more erratic.<THIS is sign for concern. You may want to consider quarantining this fish for treatment>
The two zebra eels seem to get on very well, swimming and laying together most of the time. Could this be a pregnancy!<Possible, but not likely, given their small size.> surely not in such a short time?<LOL! Even fish can react strongly if one is a "10" **grin**
I have tried to look up on the internet but have not found any information on this subject.<IF it's pregnancy, they may well spawn for you, but rearing has not yet been accomplished on a home level due to the long planktonic elver stage. My suggestion would be to wait for a day or two, and if the larger fish doesn't show signs of improvement, remove it to a quarantine/hospital tank and treat for constipation, possibly a bacterial infection>
Your prompt help would be most appreciated in this hour of need.
<Hope this helps a little>
Many Thanks
Darren Adams

Sick Zebra Moray Eel
<Hi, MikeD here>
I have a 2 ft eel that up to very recently was doing well. I found him
today breathing rapidly with his head leaning on a rock (left side) and
with only his right gill pouch protruding out more than I ever noticed
before.<That's not good> My first thought was that he has something caught in his throat
as he usually breathes evenly through both pouches.  When he tried to
move positions, I noticed that his body quivered and like one would with
a chill or seizure. I fed him 4 days ago 3-4 silver slides but not
interested in eating now.<This is part of your problem....I'm surprised it ate them at all. These are specialized crustacean predators, requiring a diet of shrimp, lobster, squid and crabs> I had him for about a month or so and his diet
consists of these fish (silver sides).<OK...this is part of the problem. These are an oily, fatty fish not normally suggested for these> That was the store told me to
feed him.<Ouch! So much for stores. God only knows how long they were feeding it these.
He lives in a 120 gallon aquarium with 2 angels 1 squirrel fish and a
clownfish.<Good combination.> Occasionally the small black angel fish (about 2-3 inches)
has tried to peck at him but otherwise there is no stress from other
tank mates.<Do you have enough LR so that he can stay completely hidden, with just his head exposed?> He was well until recently and the only change I made before his condition changed was to do a water change and I expected that this
would improve the environment not make things worse.<Likewise> The PH is 7.9-8.0 .
Ammonia and nitrites is zero and nitrates is 5  
Could this be due to some bacterial infection from  bad fish food, bad
chemistry or diet issues?<All three is possible and likely. My only suggestion would be try a good antibiotic regimen in a quarantine tank and make a trip to the supermarket for a diet change. Raw shrimp ought to be eagerly welcomed if it can be tempted to eat.> What can I do to help him?<Keep your fingers crossed too.>
I appreciate any help that you could offer.
Linda.

Sick Zebra Moray
<Hi, Mike D here>
Thanks for your speedy response. I wish I had received the instructions from the store on the crustacean diet at the outset.<me too> I tried to give some raw shrimp to give to the eel but he unfortunately was not interested in eating.<That's not good>
I have a lot of live rock creating hiding places but nothing enclosed like a cave where there is only one way in and out.<Many people bury PVC pipe in the substrate so that the eel can use it like a tunnel with just the head protruding, the normal position for them.> I did take notice that the little black angel is very aggressive towards the eel and took every opportunity to nip at his body. I did not think that this was so much a problem.<It isn't. Many fish will "mob" a moray whenever they see them out, much like crows with a hawk.> The eel still moves around the tank but not swimming as before but rather on the gravel dragging his body (body appears stiff).<Swimming wasn't a good sign either, but it sounds to have gotten worse>  I wonder if  he has sustained a bunch of wounds from this fish?<Doubtful...they make wallets from this tough hide, plus they secrete a very heavy slime coat> I did remove the aggressive fish from the tank.<put the angel back and remove the eel for treatment> Can you tell me what kind of antibiotic product I should obtain for the tank? Should I be adding anything else to the tank?<I suggest NEVER treat you fish in your main tank. It can destroy the bacterial balance, causing the whole tank to cycle at times, create a bacterial bloom that's often fatal, and/or some products, like copper will actually chemically bond to the LR and substrate. I suggest keeping a 10 or 20 gal. tank around to press into service as a hospital tank (do a search under "hospital tank" and you should find a wealth of information on filters and such. A good antibiotic is Nitrofurazone and Furazolidone>  like that stress coat product?< Probably not necessary as eels secrete a copious amount of slime already.>
Thanks so very much for your help!!<The very best of luck to you>
Linda

Spotted Snowflake Eel
Hello, first time poster here,
I have just recently noticed that my snowflake eel has developed a white spot on the lens of each on of its eyes.  My other fish do not display any signs.  My eel has been for the last couple of months, inactive.  It does not appear to be eating and has areas of redness on its skin which appear capillary or vein-like.  His nostrils or breathing tubes are now pointed downward instead of up and out.  
<< Very good description.  Thank you.>>
He also appears to be thinning.  
<< Is he eating?  Two parts to that question, are you trying to feed him, and is he accepting the food?>>
What is going on?  Is this ich?  And, as I have read, in your other postings, is a garlic treatment warranted?  Thank-you.
<< It doesn't sound like ich, but it does sound like a water quality issue. Is this a fish only tank, or a reef tank, and how are you filtering the water? I don't think Garlic would hurt, but I'm not sure how much it will help.  With eels I don't recommend medications or freshwater dips or things like that.  I do think that feeding him is the important first step, so if you have to use a pair of tongs to hold the food right in front of his face, then do that.>>
Jonathon Jones
<< Adam>>

Re: White spot only on each eye of my snowflake eel
Tried feeding him, but he just wouldn't take it.  Used a feeding stick too.  Next I plan to go buy small live shrimp to see if he'll take that. << Live food is a great idea for fish that are not otherwise eating.  It really induces a feeding mechanism in them.>> It is only a 85 gallon 2 stage tank.  I have taken steps to improve the water quality, and it appears better.  What about fungus? << Without a picture I wouldn't want to guess on that.  Either way, good water quality is the key. >> The red vein-like areas are worrying me.  They appear mainly along his ridges and tip of his tail. << I've seen this before and it was usually a sing of poor circulation.  Actually it was over circulation like the fish has too much adrenalin in them.>> He is definitely thinning.<< Do try the live shrimp first.  Also, if it is possible to easily remove the fish, then moving him to a hospital tank is always an option.>>
<< Adam Blundell >>

-Cletus the slack jawed eel- 
I have a 2' snowflake eel. I notice that is jaw is crooked. <Have you been abusing your eel?!> What would cause that? <Haha, I've seen some like that, even in the ocean. I wouldn't worry about it unless it appears that he has trouble closing/opening the mouth. You might also want to contact your local orthodontist ;) -Kevin> 
Thank You Brian

Parasites & Morays
Hi.  Great website!
<Thank you>
Regarding moray eels, do they ever suffer from internal parasites in captivity?  If so, what are these parasites and how should they be treated?  Are treatments universal to all moray species?
<A mix of several protozoans, nematodes, cestodes, acanthocephalans... Can be treated (Metronidazole/Flagyl, Flubendazole, Piperazine...) but are rarely done... better to focus on other aspects/factors. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mardisease.htm>
I would also like to know how to conduct a freshwater dip in treating a moray for external parasites.  What amount, and at that concentration of Formalin should I use during the dip?
<I would not do this. Not necessary in general. Have you actually made a smear and seen something?>
Is Formalin advisable, or is there another med that works better?  Are all types of external parasites affected by freshwater dipping?
  <As far as I'm aware, yes>
If treating for ich, what concentration Formalin is best for long-term exposure in the quarantine tank?  How many drops per gallon?
Thanks,
William
<About 1 1/2 drop per gallon of 37% solution... will give you approximately 200 ppm... I would use a drop of this solution in turn per gallon in quarantine, daily. Bob Fenner>

Zebra Moray and Ich
Hi, I have a case of Ick,
in one of my tanks. I've moved all the fish to a hospital tank. The
only thing left in the main tank is my Zebra moray. I'm thinking I
should set up another tank for him. Is this necessary, and would the
meds be the same as for the fish?<NO!!! I would recommend a simple freshwater dip for
this species with the usual three to four week quarantine for new specimens.
Avoid copper compounds, dye and organophosphate-containing remedies as these are deadly to true eels.
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zebramor.htm)>
I would like to move a few of the
fish from the first hospital tank to the second to reduce crowding,
especially for the length of time they will be there.<ok> I will NEVER add
a fish that hasn't been in a Q tank again. Any help or Ideas will be
appreciated. Eric <Do read more about your Zebra moray at this link
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zebramor.htm, Good luck with everything, IanB>

- Sick Snowflake -
Can someone please help me? <I can try.> I have a snowflake eel that is dieing.  He is about 5 weeks old and was doing fine 2 days ago, but last night I found him just lying on the bottom of the tank.  It looked like he might have gotten his head stuck under a rock but I don't think so because when I pulled him out there wasn't any resistance.  He tried to swim but all he did was slide across the bottom of the tank upside down.  It looked like the front half of him was rigid (unable to move) while the back half of him was able to move.  Now this morning all he does is lay there gasping for air.  Someone please help.
I have since changed 20% water and noticed my ph a little low so I added some buffer to help raise it and added an air stone to my filter to try adding more oxygen. He has also only been feed frozen shrimp since I have had him. PLEASE any help would be greatly appreciated. <My friend, it sounds to me like you've done everything that can be done at this point. Sometimes it just happens that we [meaning it's happened to me too] get compromised livestock that appears relatively healthy but quickly deteriorates in our care. I'm not sure I can do much beyond offer my sincere hope that this eel pulls through - time will tell.>
Thanks Mark
Tank-30gal long
Ammonia-.25
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-15
Salinty-1.025
Ph-8.2
Dkh-11
Calcium-400
<Cheers, J -- >

- Quick Moray Death - 
Hi folks, 
First, thank you for all of the time and effort. Your site has been an invaluable resource. My question concerns the (surprisingly) rapid demise of a goldentail moray I added to my tank recently. 
Background: I have a 40 gallon set-up with a good amount of live rock aquascaping, plenty of hiding places. Two powerheads, protein skimmer, Emperor Biowheel carbon filter, and an external UV sterilizer to assist in disease control. The last piece I added to help crash and hold down the tomite population after a lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful fight with velvet. All that remained were 6 hermit crabs and a dozen snails.  
Since I've invested a good deal of money and time, and since the tank is otherwise very healthy (well-established biofilter, lots of natural critters/foods on the rock, <5ppm nitrate, no nitrite or ammonia, 8.3 pH), I opted after months of letting it go fallow to start up again slowly, with a small moray and one maybe two fish. Idea was, with the help of the UV filter, to never let the disease take hold again by limiting the stress factors and number of available hosts. 
I got a 3.5" raccoon butterfly to clear the many Aiptasias that had developed (which he did in a matter of hours several weeks ago), and was all set for the moray. I ordered a goldentail (Gymnothorax miliaris), and after letting him settle into the fish store for nearly a week, I picked him up. Despite breathing a bit hard in the store (i.e. visibly harder than a Whitemouth moray in the same tank), he'd outwardly looked fine. 
I followed all instructions I read here re water (78 degrees, 1.024 salinity), tank set up (well sealed, secured rockwork), acclimatization, etc. Didn't dip him or anything else extra-stressing. He had great hiding spots which he took to immediately, and all was well. The butterfly pretty much left him alone and v.v., and I left him alone for a few days with dimmed lights. 
The problem is, I noticed almost right away that he was breathing strangely. His mouth was opening wider than I was used to seeing (in stores and while diving), and periodically, esp. when even moderately stressed (person moving in the room, etc.), he would seem to gasp or cough, sometimes to the point of violently gagging. I noticed also that only one of his breathing pouches seemed to be working well, while the other barely had any flow and even seemed a bit swollen. This continued for days, and although he got slightly more active, and his baseline breathing settled down some, he continued the coughing/gagging, and never showed any interest in food. Finally, after about week, I called the fish store, reminding them about my special order and my mention of the breathing in the shop, and asking if the gagging it was a big deal. They said, no, it was not uncommon. 
Since I saw no discoloration of the eel, it was not trying to escape at all, and showed no other sings of stress... and since the water conditions remained good... they weren't worried. Then, the next morning, he was dead, in the same position I left him that night. I'm thinking I was sold a sick eel. 
Questions: 
-- Have you heard of this kind of gagging behavior, and if so, any ideas as to what it might have been? <Have head of, but never witnessed it. No idea at all what would cause such behaviour... would have to see it happening to make a guess.> 
-- During my bout with velvet, in the absence of a quarantine tank, I medicated the display with Ruby Reef's Rally (copper free, uses acriflavine, aminoacridine, .24% formalin) -- could residuals have impacted the eel after nearly 100% worth of water changes and months of carbon filtering since the medication? <Possible, but really doubtful if you've been running carbon for months.> 
-- Is there anything I could have done, or should do next time, differently? <Yes... if there's any doubt when you see the fish at the store [and sometimes when there's not concern], you should leave the fish there, even if it's special order. Put a deposit on it if you must, but let the LFS eat it if things don't go well... no reason you should absorb the cost of poorly selected livestock.> I still want an eel and can't bear to see another larger population of fish get wiped out... 
BTW, by contrast, the butterfly (a species often mentioned as being sensitive to water conditions) continues to thrive, even eating out my hand.... <Out of all of the butterflies available, the Raccoon is one of the toughest.> 
Thanks much 
<Cheers, J -- > 

- Mysterious Moray Eel Death -
Dear Sirs:
I've posted a thread regarding my Black-Edged Moray Eel and his mystery disease on a few fish boards.  
For your reference, following is one of those threads:
http://www.predatoryfish.net/ibforums/index.php?act=ST&f=25&t=43763&s=075e7de76595133d63615f8a2ea24a70
Any thoughts as to what the problem could be? <I think the most likely answer is a tumor, sorry to say.>
Unfortunately, I don't think my moray is going to make it but, perhaps future owners of morays who encounter a similar problem may be able to save theirs. <Not sure this is a 'curable' problem or one that can even be diagnosed in advance.>
Thanks. Richard.
<Cheers, J -- >

- Quick Moray Death, Follow-up - 
Thanks for your perspective. <My pleasure.> 
FYI, the store had two more in stock and replaced it sight unseen. <Excellent.> They agreed that he was probably a goner under any circumstances, so they absorbed the cost as if I'd left him with them for a few more days. <Glad to hear it.> 
The new one is (and was in the store) noticeably different. More active, curious, and responsive... and its breathing is far more relaxed, even when swimming. Plus, it's nearly fully golden, which is a bonus. All good. <Indeed.> 
Cheers,  Brent 
<Cheers, J -- > 

What's The Deal About Copper With Eels?
Hi, after reviewing several other questions, I'm still not sure that I have one basic question answered fully. Can you put copper in a tank with a moray eel?
<No, it is deadly to most eels in a non-chelated form! And I would not use copper in a display tank>
I have a 90-gallon fish only tank with a 20 gallon wet dry sump....
housed in the tank are a 4" miniatus grouper, a med. Foxface, a med. Bird wrasse and a 1' goldentail moray eel.
<Wooahh! Quite an animal load for this tank...Larger quarters are in the future, I hope?>
After adding the bird wrasse 10 days ago, he's come down with ich or some sort of parasite.... a freshwater dip revealed several things falling off of him.
<Sounds like a parasite...FW dips can be remarkably effective in attacking parasites...>
I do NOT have the capability of setting up a quarantine tank for
introduction or for disease treatment, so I'm left hearing several different things about copper use in an aquarium housing in an eel. Some say NO SeaCure, use CopperSafe. Some say NO copper period.... My first question is.... can I use SeaCure copper for 14 days at .15? What about the other type of copper? If you do not condone any copper use... What is your suggestion?
<Well, as mentioned above, chelated copper is your safest bet if you go the copper route. Freshwater dips are a safe bet...Hope this clears up things a bit...Regards, Scott F.>

Our snowflake eel and copper treatment
09/10/03
<Hi Cheryl>
"Flakey" (how original) our snowflake moray jumped out of the tank the other day and flopped around for awhile (2-3 minutes) until he went limp.  I plucked up the courage to throw him back into the tank.  I'm afraid the experience may have injured him as he hasn't eaten since (3 days ago).  Or could it be that I began a copper treatment for our lion fish (who has a parasite) the same day that Flakey jumped out and he's affected by that instead?  He's not his usual perky, swim around the tank self.  Just wants to stay in one spot and refuses his favorite food....shrimp.
Any advice gladly taken,
Cheryl Cooper
<From the page on snowflakes, "I have had go-arounds with other pet-fish writers, culturists, public aquarium staff re "remedies" involving muraenids. They are sensitive than most fish species to these treatments. Copper and malachite IF utilized MUST not be overdosed NOR treatment periods extended for these species. I know this from hard-won first hand experience, re-collecting Morays killed by "No COPPER" treated tanks in San Diego, and readings of other to-be-trusted writers experiences. "
Go here to read the rest. Unfortunately, copper is pernicious in aquariums, permeating and contaminating the rock work and sand.
Here's more on copper: www.wetwebmedia.com/copperus.htm , I suggest you go and read up on these two subjects. At the least, he should be in a QT till you finish the treatment, you may also want to look at using PolyFilter when you're done the copper treatment, it will help remove it from your system. Good luck, PF>

Snowflake Moray Stopped Eating
>Hi crew,
>>Greetings Lorenzo, Marina today.
>My snowflake moray stopped eating and hid away a month ago. My pH dropped below 7.9-8.0.
>>OUCH!
>Now the pH was restored to a normal pH range of 8.0+, but few days have elapsed and moray haven't yet started eating again. What can I do for it?  Help me, please.  Thanks a lot, Lorenzo
>>Lorenzo, if the pH has bounced (changed up or down more than a tenth or two of a point) then this will not only SEVERELY stress the fish, it can kill it.  I would do a large water change, and wait, then try again.  If he's lived through the pH changes, he's probably just not "feeling well", and water changes will only help (do be absolutely certain the pH matched).  Best of luck, Marina

Zebra Moray (6-11-03)
 I have a 17-18" Gymnomuraena zebra living in a 55 tank Who has developed
white specks along his body. Is this disease? <If they look like little
grains of sugar on him it is most likely disease. Look here and see if you
can find anything helpful: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/parasiti.htm .>
History: Tank: Been cycled for nearly a year. 25-30lbs. Live rock. W/D SUMP.
And Canister filter. Feeding. Recently switched from small daily feeding to
twice weekly medium/large feeding. Additions. Only 5-6lbs live rock. <Some
thing may have come in on the rock.> Tank Mates. No new additions, 4 small
predatory fish. Any ideas? Thanks for your help And as I've stated in a
previous email, Great book. Jake Dean <Hope this helps, Cody.> Dallas.
I was the author of the above post http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zebramfa.htm
and wanted to follow up.
As I watched him daily the white spots, in a sort of ameba shape, covered
99% of his body and within days became recessed bruised and bloody sores. I
took him to the LFS to which they said "This is bad" (comments of a belt or
a wrist watch band didn't sit well with me) "but try this" - Kanacyn, "If
that does not work let me know and we will switch meds."
I treated him in a hospital tank for 25-30 min.s. at a time, every other day,
and cutting the dosage in half then returning him to his tank.
It didn't work.
Triggers waiting for a meal started nipping at his rotting and bloody tail.
I researched to next Med. and decided on Triple Sulfa.
Once daily in the hospice tank, 1-1.5 hours, three rounds.
Within two days his activity was back to normal and he was eating.
That was nearly three weeks ago, he is doing great. He has barely visible
scars and his tail is slowly retaking it's original shape and color.
thanks
-Jake

Sick Zebra Moray (8-6-03)
As I watched him daily the white spots, in a sort of ameba shape, covered
99% of his body and within days became recessed bruised and bloody sores. I
took him to the LFS to which they said "This is bad" (comments of a belt or
a wrist watch band didn't sit well with me) "but try this" - Kanacyn, "If
that does not work let me know and we will switch meds."
I treated him in a hospital tank for 25-30 min.s. at a time, every other day,
and cutting the dosage in half then returning him to his tank.
It didn't work.
Triggers waiting for a meal started nipping at his rotting and bloody tail.
I researched to next Med. and decided on Triple Sulfa.
Once daily in the hospice tank, 1-1.5 hours, three rounds.
Within two days his activity was back to normal and he was eating.
That was nearly three weeks ago, he is doing great. He has barely visible
scars and his tail is slowly retaking it's original shape and color.<Thank you for the follow up, it is always nice to hear what happened.  Good to hear of success!  You will love this guy, I have 1 myself and he is my favorite.  Mine is very tame and will wrap around my arm and take food from my hand at feeding time.  He would appreciate a bigger tank in the near future though.  Cody>
thanks
-Jake

- Copper for Eels? -
Somehow, ich got into my tank. Wonder how THAT happened, huh? <I have a hunch.> Well, I also have a new eel (a little one- the first one died after 48 hrs). This one has survived a week and I don't want to kill it.  Some of the fish in the tank have ick and I want to know if I can safely use Aquari-sol with my Gymnothorax polyuranodon. <No - is poisonous to the eel.> I'm afraid to treat it because I don't want to poison in, but I'm afraid not to. <I would isolate it or the sick fish in a separate system and treat them there, away from the eel.>  Thanks.
<Cheers, J -- >

Sick eel?
I have a 17-18" Gymnomuraena zebra living in a 55 tank who has developed white specks along his body. Is this disease?
<Likely ich>
History-- Tank: Been cycled for nearly a year. 25-30lbs. Live rock. W/D SUMP. And Canister filter.
<Run a full range of water tests and figure out what the stressor was since ich usually doesn't appear out of nowhere.>
Feeding. Recently switched from small daily feeding to twice weekly medium/large feeding.  Additions. Only 5-6lbs live rock.
<Some of the rock may have been partially uncured, you could have had a slight ammonia spike or a pH drop. Test test test!>
Tank Mates. No new additions, 4 small predatory fish.
<Since there's no new additions, it's likely the water quality. Check out the goods on ich: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm as well as the billions of FAQ's about the same subject. -Kevin>
Any ideas?  Thanks for your help.  And as I've stated in a previous email, Great book.  Jake, Dallas.

Snowflake eel is sick Help Please
Ok My eel is know swimming allover my tank and he hasn't stop for about 3 days and he goes pale for long period of time and then he goes back to normal color I don't know what I need to do can you please help me I don't what to lose him.  <Sorry for the delayed reply.  I would first check your water as I am guessing something is amiss in this area.  Cody>
Thank you
Jodie

Eel woes revisited 4/15/03
Thanks again, Can you refer me to the person who wrote the following to you guys.
<alas, no... we do not save a single e-mail addy and even cannot refer to queries as little as one day old... they are cleared as soon as they are answered. Its hard enough just keeping up with the replies let alone a database of addys (besides... we have no desire/intent to keep or share a mailing list: privacy for all)>
She seems to be having the same problem that I am having. If you can't give me her e-mail  you can give her my e-mail address, I would really appreciate it.
name: Ron
location: New Jersey
I want to see if she figured out what was wrong.
The following was at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/moraydisfaqs.htm on the bottom of the page.

Sick eel...
Hi Bob,
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I would greatly appreciate your advise. I've had my Gymnothorax funebris for about two months, and I thought he was doing great until I noticed some dark gray spotting on the lower portion of his body and fin. These spots almost look bruise like. He eats like a pig, and I do my water changes weekly. Unfortunately, Charlie did escape briefly about one week after coming to live with me. I'm wondering if this episode could be the cause of this problem,
<quite possibly... eels are prone to true fungal infections and similar looking bacterial infections.>
and what (if anything) can I do? He is in a 125 g tank with live rock and several pieces of coral.<little or nothing to be done in the display tank. A QT tank with a Furan based medication may be necessary if the patches do not abate within a few days or if they become more turbid. Do be alert and prepared to remove to QT
promptly if necessary, bacterial infections with scaleless fishes like your eel can be quite difficult to navigate/cure>
Thank you so much, April <best regards, Anthony>
Ok.
back to my eel.
I am trying Maracyn can't tell if it is working,
<it is a useless and outdated medication... gram-positive Erythromycin. Even if effective, most bacterial infections in fishes are gram-negative>
it has been 6 days now. Thinking of trying Spectrogram by Aquatronics, how long should I wait?
<you must always finish the full antibiotic treatment (5-7 days)>
I tried to look real close with a flashlight at the spotting and I thought maybe it wasn't bacterial or fungal at all. But, maybe it was a break down in the slime coat. Do morays regenerate this slime coat if the slime coat is damaged?
<indeed... but they also get skin infections easily. Please be sure to only medicate in a QT tank as the antibiotics will wreck your displays bio-filters. Use a broad spectrum antibiotic next if necessary>
Thanks once again.
<best regards, Anthony>

A Snowed Out Snowflake??  3/19/03
Hi Guys,<Hey David!  Phil with ya today!>
I read the FAQ's and other info on the snowflake on your site,  I've had
my eel for a couple years, bought it at about 8 inches and now it is 20+
inches.  It was a dark brown with the normal yellow highlights and white
"snowflakes" but now it has turned mostly white (with-in a couple days).
I feed it randomly shrimp/silversides/squid twice a week soaked in
Zoecon, the tank is a 180 reef with a huge skimmer all water parameters
are normal.  Is this color change normal, or is it sick? (it also didn't
eat this week, but it is well fed so I'm not worried too much).<After talking w/ Ananda we came up with some questions for you... lol.  Can you tell us your exact water parameters?  How is the eel turning white... is it getting pale or is it turning white like it has dandruff?>
Thanks for any info,<Get back w/ me and we can kick this problem!  Phil>
David

Parasitic worms
I need some help!  My Hawaiian Dragon Eel stopped eating.
  I notice that he has thin, tan worms all over his body.   The worms are about an inch in size.  The part that doesn’t hook into the eel ends in a point.
  Please tell me what I can do to treat this.  I know eels are sensitive to many forms of treatment.  He is a full size eel.  Thanks so much for any advice you can give.  Kelly
<Mmm, need to have a definitive identification of these worms... to the phylum level. I suspect they're flukes of some sort, and could be treated with an organophosphate. I suggest a pH-adjusted freshwater dip (that will likely result in a bunch "letting go" for microscopic exam.) at this point. Be careful with netting the specimen and keep the dip tank covered and heavily aerated during this procedure. The dip by itself will not effect a cure... as the worms are likely of a type that have direct development and will still be present in various stages in the main tank when/if you return the eel. Bob Fenner>

Re: Parasitic worms
Hi Bob,
<Hi Kelly>
Thanks for your response. I did do the freshwater dip.  It took 18
minutes for the leeches to let go. (not die, just let go).  Yes, I did
say leeches.  I took some of the specimens to an aquarium today.  I was
told that they were leeches.
<Easy to see with some magnification (and specimens!)>
  Unfortunately, these leeches like to live
in the substrate.  I had 200 pounds of sand and crushed coral in my
tank.  Well, with some help, I actually removed all the substrate and
bought more live rock.  The substrate is totally infected with these
leeches.  Just looking at them makes my skin crawl.  I am treating the
substrate with Clout in a separate container.
<This should "do it">
There are no more of
these leeches visible in the tank.  Although, he does have two of the
leeches on him.  Compared to the hundred that were all over him
yesterday, I consider this a huge accomplishment. Once the eel settles
down and does not appear so stressed, I will try to pick off the two
remaining leeches.  This has been a very long project, but is well worth
the effort to save this beautiful eel.
<Yes>
We have a Titan trigger fish
with the eel.  She was sick in the past and had to be quarantined.  We
now think she was being infected by the leeches as well. Since last
night when we gave the eel a freshwater dip, the Titan has been
extremely protective of the eel.  She lies right beside him.  If I am
working in the tank near to the eel, she goes completely ballistic.  I
have to say a full size Titan trigger and full size Hawaiian dragon eel
are a nice match.  Although, I would not add anything else with them.
Take care Bob.
Kelly
<Thank you for the progress report. Bob Fenner>

Zebra Moray Eel Looking ill help required
Hi
I am quite concerned about my 2.5ft Zebra moray eel over the last couple of days he has been spending a lot of time laying with his whole body upside down with his head flat on the floor of his cave.
<Not a good behavior>
He seems to be eating fine on his present menu of tiger prawns and the water tests, aeration and circulation are all good.
<Real values please>
One thing I have noticed is that his breathing is a little much shorter but more rapid, I may be worrying about nothing but could you just confirm if this seems normal.
<Moray breathing rates can/do vary>
His tank mates are a sail fin tang and a French angel in an 85 UK gallon tank.
<A bit crowded... I would check on the alkalinity (aka alkaline reserve) of the water. Easy for small volumes with large bioloads to lose such in short order>
As always your help would be much appreciated
Kind Regards
Darren Adams
<Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Re: Zebra Morey Eel Looking ill help required
Thanks for your reply, the water readings are ammonia 0, nitrate 40ppm,
<Would like to see the nitrates kept below 10 ppm>
nitrite 0, and ph 8.4, I always us RO water and do a water change of 7-10 UK
gallons a week, would there still be alkaline in the water.
<Likely so, gauging from your high, constant pH.>
The eel is still swimming round at night, but again today he was laying
upside down.
The tang is just 3 inches and the angel 5 inches.
If you think I should test for alkaline it will get a kit tomorrow but if
that is fine do you have any other suggestions.
<Perhaps to try changing the diet a bit (to other crustaceans) and maybe augmenting this with a HUFA, vitamin and iodide mix (available through TMC in the UK... by Tropic Marin, Microvert. Bob Fenner>
Kind Regards
Darren

Re: please help quickly!!
hey guys-
    it appears my Hawaiian dragon moray is dying. i have him in a 265g tank. he is lying out inj full view upside down, losing colors, mouth shut and barely any gill movement. ph is about 8.1 and my ammonia alert reads safe and the salinity is .024, temp 81F there are no obvious signs of disease or parasite. he lost his appetite about 2 weeks ago and has not eaten since. i don't know what to do please help, Justin
<Yikes. Sorry for the delayed response (have been out for a few days). First, I would not trust the Ammonia Alert... do get/use a test kit in addition. I do hope you tried a massive water change here... there might have been some sort of poisoning involved here. What is the history of the care of this animal? What have you been feeding it? What other organisms are being kept with it (gives clues)? Bob Fenner>

Re: please help quickly!! Moray health
bob-
     i had bought him 3 months ago. he has always been healthy, i fed him
shrimp w vitamin supplements for the first month and a half, then switched
to squid, a which point he stopped eating about two weeks ago. the eel has
died. Tankmates were 5 asst. damsels, Koran angel, red hermit, blue spiny
lobster and a black long spine urchin. if you have any ideas please let me
know, i would like to know what caused his death so i can learn from this
sad experience.
p.s. all other fish and inverts are alive and well.
<Sorry to hear of your loss... this is one of my favorite species of marine fishes... always exciting to collect in Hawai'i. Don't know what the cause is, but would vary the diet with all morays. Bob Fenner>

Zebra Moray Looking ill
I have come home from work today to fine my 2.5ft Zebra moray lent against a rock with only one of his breathing pouches working he seemed to feed okay last night and I have never noticed this before.
Is this normal and if not how should I treat it
<Likely nothing... Do what you do to check water quality, assure that there is adequate aeration, circulation... Otherwise, I would not treat this fish. Morays, and other eels sometimes just seem to "breath from one side". Bob Fenner>
Your help would be much appreciated
Darren  

Re: Zebra Moray Looking ill
Thanks for your reply
I have checked the water and its all okay except .25 on the nitrite test,
<This is a little troubling... is your biological filtration sufficient? I would slow down to stopping feeding till this reads zero>
ph 8.4, ammonia 0 and nitrate 20, the tank also has good aeration. I can not remember whether I have ever seen him breath though the right hand air pocket is it usual that they are some times made redundant and should I do anything if he does not start to use this again, he seems slightly agitated and not his normal self.
<I'd chalk that up to the nitrites... or rather, the source of the nitrites>
I am very worried as I have only had him a couple of week and everything seemed okay till today.
<Do boost your biological filtration. Please read here re: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/filtration/biological/biofiltr.htm
Bob Fenner>
Your help again would be much appreciated, Darren

Moray With Cloudy Eye
Hello! It's been awhile since I've written - hope all is well with you! I have a large (and growing) 2'9" peppered moray eel currently residing in a 75g with a medium red Volitans lionfish. Seems happy and is eating well. A few months ago he came down with what I believe was Popeye. I say believe because I've never seen it in person and am unsure what exactly it looks like.
<Do look into the disease FAQs on the wetwebmedia.com site for more information>
A series of water changes over  the course of  a week cleared it up 100%. Now he has it again. Two days ago I noticed his eye looked cloudy/puffy again. I decided to see how it looked in the morning and go from there. It looked the same, so I fed him, tested the water, and everything checked out great. This evening however his eye appears to have sank into his head (is this possible or am I seeing things?) and he has some sort of off white cloudy looking swelling going on near that eye on the top of his head.
<Well- this can be caused by an injury (if it's just one eye) that may have become infected. In the absence of other symptoms, I'd probably rule out Oodinium or Cryptocaryon, but do check the wetwebmedia.com resources for a confirmation>
I did a 30% water change after testing and again, water params were fine. Ammonia/nitrite were zero. Nitrates were 30ppm (a little higher than usual, but not enough to cause a problem like this right?).
<Well- declining water quality is often implicated in infections with morays- it's a slight possibility>
pH is 8.2 and water temp is 78. He is still acting completely normal, and I'm at a loss as to what has  suddenly gone wrong with him lately. Why two outbreaks? What am I doing wrong? I do bi-monthly water changes but I'm going to bump that up to weekly
and see how things play out. Any other suggestions? I have had this guy for over two years and he's a part of the family - I don't want to lose him. Thanks for any advice you can offer!
<I'd definitely look into doing smaller, more frequent water changes to keep up the water quality. Use aggressive chemical filtration from Polyfilters and carbon to keep up high water quality with reduced organics. I'd consider treating the fish with an antibiotic in a treatment tank if this condition worsens (stay away from non-chelated copper medications), or do investigate the use of Epsom salt in the treatment tank as a possible way to reduce the swelling. I think the first step is to review your husbandry procedures, as you indicated, and to execute procedures to increase water quality to levels even better than you already have achieved.  Hope that these ideas help. Good luck! Scott F.>

Sick Eel
My zebra moray is approx. 2ft. long. it has developed two spots on its head. They are similar in size and location. there is a spot over each eye. The spots are red and meaty looking. they are raised and about the size of a BB if not a little larger. can you help me figure out what's wrong? I need some insight on how to cure this problem. Thank you, Terry Haymore 
<Hi Terry, I suspect water quality (nitrates) first, so please test your water parameters, feeding, filtration, etc. If you find nitrates are not the problem, write us back with your tank stats so we can narrow this down for you. I would start with water quality. There is much more on Zebra Morays at: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zebramor.htm
Water quality is key to this eel.  Hope this helps you, Craig>

Re: Sick Zebra moray eel
Craig,
<Hi Terry>
The distributor called me today and faxed a picture taken from a marine atlas. The spots on my eels head is caused from over feeding. I would like to thank you for your assistance. Terry Haymore
<Ahh, just as I thought!  Overfeeding is contributing to poor water quality.  If you test your water I bet you get a high nitrate reading....change water, maintain and upgrade filtration, perform substantial water changes to get those wastes down as they are irritating your Eels sensory organs. IOW, burning in urine, feces and decaying food.  Ouch!  Good thing it's a weekend!  Go for it!  Craig>

Gymnothorax favagineus
Hi Mr. Fenner,
Stumbled onto the Wet Web Media site this morning in desperation for help in treating my eel.
<Glad for the first... the second...>
Tessy, our Gymnothorax Favagineus has been with us for some nine years, and until recently has been extremely healthy. We have housed her in a 125 acrylic aquarium this entire stint with the same filtration, of undergravel filtration with 850 powerheads, Eheim filtration, with surface extractor. Tessy, is about 3 and a half feet long, is fed once every other week, to every third week. Her diet consists of squid only, she has had tank mates in the past but since eating a beautiful grouper about six months ago (they were together for years?), has been by herself.
I removed a four inch in diameter by 3+ foot piece of PVC that she liked to be in, but looked bad in the aquarium.
<Okay>
That's the long story, here's the problem. Though she still is eating regularly, but sparsely, she seems to be choking on the second or third squid piece. More noticeable, and a huge concern is externally, she possess a bumpy mucus like membrane, about 12inches towards the middle part of her body. Also, her head area has shed her outer most layers of skin, and showed signs of hemorrhage/bleeding. This has been for about six weeks, and I have had an aquarium business before, so I am somewhat familiar with marine fish. This one has stumped me, so I'm in dire need of direction.
<Ahh, could be... a resultant infection from...? Getting stabbed swallowing the grouper?... A resulting condition from a lack of nutrition?... an exclusive diet of squid can't be all that good for your Tessalata... A result of some of the above, none of it, stress from having its home/PVC pipe removed....?>
In treatment of Tessy, since I don't like to medicate, I thought first to add some aloe vera based Kordon product, then this past week I gave a go of the Melafix Treatment for seven days. This seems to have helped some, lets say it has "stabilized", but not cured the problem. I did a water change, @ 25% this morning, I use a nitrate reducer, have to do frequent water changes, bi-monthly due to continued elevated nitrate levels. PH is good 8.2, temp. @ 80, add buffer to raise PH, salinity @ 1.022. 
<All good things for a large captive aquatic animal in a small space... might lower the temperature a bit... to among other things increase gas solubility, lower metabolism...>
Seems to also be looking for additional oxygen, been breathing labored. Any help to this problem would be appreciated, going to try another week of Melafix? Thanks, Blake
<Do lower the temperature, add a long airstone at least along one side of the 125... maybe another powerhead... if you have a canister filter, I'd rig this up with a couple, three units of Chemipure or equivalent... And I'd do all this ASAP. Bob Fenner>

Mexican dragon moray with White-Spot
Bob,
I am the proud owner of a Mexican dragon moray eel, recently I introduced a lion fish approx 6" in length not as large as my eel, with him was introduced white spot which I have now cleared with the use of a copper compound, 
<WOW... you are VERY lucky not to have lost the eel and the Lion. They are both scaleless and quite sensitive to organic dyes and copper! The election to use it was very ill-advised>
the rest of my fish are eating but my eel has now not eaten for 3 weeks
<I am not surprised... at least some copper poisoning here. Please do a large water change or two and use Polyfilters to dilute residual copper ASAP. What's worse is that for having dosed the tank, your calcareous media (gravel, shells, coral decorations) have been nearly ruined (absorbed copper and they will continue to leach). Keep the Polyfilters in and you might be fine with the gravel/sand/rocks. BUT... please!!! research and apply proper quarantine procedure for all new fishes. You could buy have a dozen QT tanks for the price of one dead dragon moray eel. It is critical my friend. Please read up on it in the archives hear at WWM (articles, FAQs, etc)>
I have contacted the vendor they are not worried about him not eating but I am not only for the monetary value but we are really attached to him. 
<they can go many weeks without food>
I am running an Eheim pro II a protein skimmer (red sea) 
<do consider upgrading this skimmer if you are not getting a full cup of dark skimmate daily from this unit. You should in any predatory fish tank. Do review this skimmers reputation on the message boards (and in archives) for insight and possible modifications>
I have an 8 watt UV filter which I have just replaced the Lamp after 5 months initial use, 
<use heavy carbon and fine floss prefilter for this unit to work at all... very slow flow too>
I use water produced from an RO unit. 
<aerate and buffer this water always before use>
I have in the tank, 1 tang, 1 lionfish, 1 eel and a porcupine in a 180 litre tank. I carry out regular tests on water quality and am showing good levels what else can I do to make him feed.
<time and as above>
Please help me Chris Head
<best of luck, Anthony>

Re: Mexican dragon moray with White-Spot
Dear Rob,
I just thought I would let you know that my Mexican Dragon has now eaten,
<Thank goodness. Good news>
I have got the copper levels to zero it has taken several water changes to achieve this but I have got there. I contacted the retailer who suggested using copper as a treatment and they had no idea that copper was catastrophic when treating for white spot with an eel in the tank,
<What? Ridiculous>
they even tried to cover their tracks by phoning one of their suppliers to establish their treatment and were told that it was not advisable.
<Of course... at least their supplier is/was "in the know">
Thank you for all your help and in future I think that they will think twice before recommending this type of treatment with scaleless fish, you might have saved a lot of distraught people like myself. I shall if you don't object contact you with any further problems that I get with my tank for your invaluable help.
P.S. Even my wife is happy with the eel and that is saying a lot. Chris Head
<Real good. Thanks for the heads-up. Bob Fenner>

Treating Eels? (carefully)
I have completed the freshwater dip and now the trigger is being treated in the QT (with copper based meds). 
<very well...kudos to you for the effort to use a QT tank!>
My question is should I dip and hospitalize the two eels? 
<hmmm... while I am categorically strict about QT and medicating (if necessary) all new, stressed, sick or infectious fishes... the eels offer exceptions. In this case (Ich) they are not know to carry Ich but rarely if ever. They are also sensitive to FW dips and should not ever be exposed to copper as scaleless fishes. In a nutshell... if they are not showing any signs of disease, leave the trigger in a proper QT for four weeks and the eels in the display. The display without a viable host (and some gravel siphoning in duration) will run fallow. Although no guarantee that a recurrence won't happen... nothing is ever a guarantee... even the trigger with meds will not be rendered pathogenically sterile... parasites will just be reduced to a manageable level>
My QT is a 40 gallon (I guess I got room for all of them in there). I read that eels are pretty resistant to ICH but not sure if the ICH will hitch a ride on them until the others get back in the tank. 
<not likely... tomites rest in the gravel...hence gravel siphoning>
Please advise. Thanks! I also have a 46 gallon soon to be reef (just a neon Pseudochromis, blue devil damsel, a 1 inch yellow tang, about 7 turbo snails, about 8 red legged hermit crabs, a burgundy sea star, a sand sifting sea star, and about 45 lbs of LR with one unidentified mushroom (I guess) and one unidentified polyp (hitched a ride in on some LR from the LFS. I have not had any problems with this system (knock on wood!!!) After reading some FAQ's I will be upgrading my skimmer ASAP. Thanks for all the help.
<a pleasure and happy reefing! Kindly, Anthony>
Jeff

Moray Eel/Ich
We have an moray eel in my tank, and one of our tank inhabitants came down with ich (treating with copper in our quarantine tank). Anyhow, we noticed our moray occasionally scratching the side of his head on the sand and we think he has ich in his gills as well. 
<possible>
I know they are fairly hardy and don't get infected often, 
<correct>
but what is the best treatment for the eel ? I know of the following treatments, but don't know which is best for a scratching moray:
-Formalin in q-tank - long term exposure
-Formalin/fw dips
<above two are possible with observation (and a covered lid on FW dip bucket...hehe)>
-Copper/Cupramine (I thought eels are sensitive to copper, not sure)
<very correct>
-Hyposalinity and raising temp.
<stimulating but may not effect a cure alone>
Is there a recommended treatment for moray eels, and anything that should definitely be avoided ? Thanks
<yes... Never copper or organic dyes (blue, green, etc)>
Jim
<best regards, Anthony>

Moray Eel/Ich II
Anthony, thanks for the helpful info.
<always welcome>
Should I just wait and see if the moray gets better on its own ? 
<not if you are pretty sure he's got it. I'd opt for a careful Formalin treatment in QT>
What do people mean when they say it is 'hardy' ? is it hardy in its resistance in getting it, or hardy in its ability to fight it off without being reinfected by the parasite ? <both... but they rarely get common white spot disease>
I've been watching it for the last day or so and I've only seen it twitch its head once it was doing this every 2 min or so before). The problem with these morays is that you generally can't see when/if it gets bad ? is there any telltale symptoms on an eel before the "I'm breathing rapidly and about to bite it" look ? 
<a lot of gill scratching would be an indication of severity>
Does this mean its getting better ?
I know the ich parasite falls off to reproduce and it needs to attach to something. Is that 'attachment' ever the fish itself ? I mean, could a parasite just lodge itself in the gills of a fish/eel, and just split up and reproduce there and re-infect ?? ? 
<I'm not certain, but I do not believe this to be true... they drop to the substrate as cysts and hatch into free-swimming buggers from there>
Is there a need for it to fall 'off'. OK, so I should avoid copper.
<yes.. always on scaleless fishes>
Formalin is ok for dips it sounds (yes, I know about their ability to slither and get away :), but shouldn't be used for long term exposure.  Hmmm, sounds like it might be better to see if it'll fight it off. . . Jim
<I'd be willing to simply give it a 2-4 week stay in QT with a week or more of a normal formalin dose. Keep up with the water changes too (daily from the bottom for the first week to siphon tomites) Anthony>

Moray Eel/Ich III
Ok, sat there for a half hour watching this thing this morning and again just now. No twitching or scratching at all. Normal breathing (he never had fast breathing, but did scratch every min or so a few days ago) and activity. I know the parasite is quite aggressive and goes through 'stages' where it looks like you're improving and then it comes back full force. . . . So not sure if I'm in that lull period, or if he's just fighting it off on its own without any help...
Your call, what do you think ? He's in a makeshift 20 gallon q-tank with a cleaner shrimp and a few snails/hermits right now. Should I just watch and wait or go for the formalin ? Damn, eels are hard to diagnose. . . Jim
<if you are hesitant to medicate, I would advise a small daily water change for 8 consecutive days. Insure proper water temperature and quality (testing). In a bare bottomed aquarium, daily water changes have been demonstrated to break the cycle of parasitic infection but you must do it every day without fail by siphoning from the bottom. 3-4 gallons daily should be fine. Best regards, Anthony>

Moray Eel/Ich IV
Not necessarily hesitant to medicate, just debating whether to play that 'species hardy' card or not. My hospital tank is currently being occupied with a tang that originally started this whole crypto process. That has copper which we don't want to do with the eel.
<agreed>
The eel was removed to a quarantine tank a few days ago when I noticed it scratching. I see a twitch here and there but no scratching. I believe a twitch here and there is quite normal for eels. 
<a little bit with all fishes once in a while>
What's in this tank right now is 4" sand, a few pieces of live rock, a filter cycled), several hermits, snails and a cleaner shrimp. . . Would you medicate this tank with formalin ? 
<hell no :)... as a rule, never medicate in any system with calcareous media (rock, sand, gravel...absorbs or tempers the medication and can ruin the media)>
Don't think I can vacuum the bottom of a tank that has sand and expect that to be effective. . . 
<I can't be any clearer or more emphatic, my friend. A proper QT is a bare bottomed vessel for many reasons. I do not think siphoning a sand bottom will be adequately effective. Will it help...yes, probably. Will it effect a cure, doubtful>
If I medicate the tank, do I need to hunt down and remove the snails/hermits and cleaner shrimp ? ? 
<again...they cannot be medicated as inverts (like the parasites!?!)>
Also, what dose of formalin are you talking about ? the two drops per gallon for extended immersion right ? Not the short term dip amount right ???
<correct if using a 38-42% solution>
Jim
<regards, Anthony>

Moray Eel/Ich V
This brings up an interesting thought then. If its possible to break the ich lifecycle with vacuuming the bottom of the tank (religiously, since the crypto parasite falls off in the am daily) - then couldn't the same be accomplished with a vortex diatomaceous filter? Assuming in a small enough tank (10/20gallon), and a higher powered vortex to create enough suction flow at the bottom of the tank - wouldn't this be even better than vacuuming the bottom since it runs 24/7?
<That would also be assuming that the diatom filter could capture eggs and tomites and I am not sure about that. Besides, you would still need to clean the filter daily to remove them from the system. The water changes have the added benefit of stimulating the immune response of the fish, too.>
Just wondering. Thanks. Jim
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Ich/Diatom Filters Re: Moray Eel/Ich V
Robert, correct.
<It was actually me, Steven Pro who responded previously.>
The assumption would be that the pump pulling water will be strong enough on the bottom (or you moving it around every am around the tank) to draw the eggs/cysts into the filter.
<I was not too worried about this.>
It appears the 'cysts' of a crypto parasite are 200 to 400 microns. Diatomaceous filters generally filter down to about 1 micron, a bit higher to be safe.
<This was where I had my doubts the diatom filter would be effective.>
But yes, the key for success are probably the following :
A) Adequate current draw from the bottom of tank (preferably bare bottom) to insure that tomonts are sucked in. Or physically moving it around the entire tank bottom to facilitate this
B) back flushing of the entire filter with fresh water every day to remove captured tomonts.
I think I may try this within ich magnet the next time I have a fish with ich - just to see the results and whether this works. What do you guys think? Jim
<I still think you are better off with the daily water changes. -Steven Pro>

Eel scratching
Dear WetWebMedia Crew,
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I have a quick question about my eel. I recently (about 2 weeks ago) purchased a chain link moray about 9" long. It is in a 10 gallon quarantine tank with an empty conch shell, two small pieces of live rock, a heater, and small outside power filter. The eel has been eating small pieces of raw shrimp since the second day I had it. Within the past few days, I have noticed the eel seems to be rubbing itself against the shell, the glass, or on the rocks, usually in the head area. It acts as though the gills may be irritated. There are no visible signs of external parasites. I was wondering if maybe there is some parasite that is living in/attached to the gills and this is causing the scratching? If so, what course of action should I take? Thank you. Sincerely, Jason
<possibly, but you must be sure before medicating... eels and other scaleless fishes can be quite sensitive to various medications in water. Are you sure that there is absolutely no ammonia, nitrite, nitrate etc.? This could just as easily irritate the gills. If the water quality is confirmed stable, then you may have a parasite infection. Begin medicating with Formalin or Quick cure at half dose for twice the time to be conservative. Look for stabilization or improvement in 3-5 days or be prepared that another cause/course of treatment is in play or should be. Kindly, Anthony>

Re: eel scratching
Hi Anthony,
<cheers, Jason>
Thanks for the advice. Both my eel and email are at work so I didn't respond sooner. Tank conditions are: temp. 78F, ammonia 0 mg/l, nitrite 0 mg/l, nitrate 20 mg/l, pH 8.2, salinity 1.023. 
<all reasonable...just don't let the pH get any lower>
I change about 1 gallon of water per week. 
<still a larger water change would be more appropriate>
I have noticed the eel gets real active, almost agitated, immediately following a water change. It swims all around the tank before settling down after about an hour. I have also noticed the scratching symptoms seem to occur most often after I feed the eel. It eats well, then a few minutes after the feeding, it starts to rub up against the tank walls/bottom or the decorations in the tank (maybe it doesn't chew its food enough). 
<admittedly... consistent with a gill parasite. Becomes obvious in cases of increased respiration like after feeding>
There are still no signs of external parasites. 
<they do often start and can sometimes stay in the gills>
For now, I think I will wait and see how the eel does. 
<yes, despite above... I do agree. They are hardy in general, but sensitive to meds>
I do not have the particular medications that you suggested on hand but can order them. I do have Greenex (I know is not a favorite), Organicure, and CopperSafe. 
<none of these for the scaleless eel please>
Thank you again. Jason
<best regards for you and your eel. Anthony>

Weathering the Storm...Fish Disease
Bob,
<Actually, Bob is out of town and Anthony Calfo and I were asked to fill in.>
Hope all is well. My tank is still in fallow stage (I assume by reading reply you know what my situation is). Going on a month. Salinity 1.017 and temp 84 Deg. Quarantine fish doing great. Let me tell you what I have actually done since 12/24 and you can be critical if warranted. I ran copper for the first three weeks, fish cleared up but were sluggish and not eating very well.
After 3 weeks and 2 freshwater dips, removed copper, with water changes and carbon. The difference no copper makes. The fish follow me around tank and would probably nip at my finger if I let them. My reason for removing copper was two fold. One, I think copper is a necessary evil. The less the better. Second, I knew that the fish were going to be quarantined another month at least (Your input) and would have time to observe them and make sure they are rid of parasites. I really don't think I could be doing all this without healthy fish. My point is what you consistently preach, finding healthy
specimens and then quarantine is undeniable. You wouldn't have to read all this if I had bought your book and found your website before my first introduction of fish. Back to situation. The eel that you suggested I remove did not happen. I removed every piece of live rock to catch him and could not find where he was hiding. He was actually out of water probably 15 min, put rock back in tank and assumed he had perished. About three days later, there he was, waiting for me to feed him. My question, how does this effect things.
Has my month of going fallow been a waste (I didn't understand what you meant in last e-mail by "space-vector". Sorry, but I took it that he was going to be a problem with hermit crabs etc. He has never had or seen any sign of parasite on him, so I was hoping he would not act as a host for parasites. He is the one thing that lets the kids stay involved will I go through this down time. One last thing, since I removed copper from quarantine tank (do you think I should put it back in Q tank?)
<If the it refers to copper back in your quarantine, my answer is no. You said yourself the fish are "doing great".>
my Q tank does not have Ammonia problems, and in fact, it was if the tank immediately cycled (it had been up and running for about one month), hence that fact I don't have any major problem with longer fallow time if you suggest. Finally, I don't want to take up your whole weekend, is there any way to know how parasite free main tank is after fallow time?
<Eels are notoriously tough and generally disease resistant. Keep a close eye on him and examine him as best you can. If he is parasite free for a three full weeks, with you watching him closely, he is probably OK and so is the tank.>
Thank you for all your help I wouldn't bother you if I didn't really want to care responsibly for livestock. My kids and I are big divers and have great respect for the fish. David

Strange growths on my snowflake moray
Hi, Hopefully you can help me. First, a little background on my tank. I have a relatively new (just finished cycling 2 months ago) 55 gallon tank. It has 50lbs if live rock and 40 pounds of aragonite. 2 powerheads, 2 50 watt heaters, HOB filter, and a protein skimmer. The latest numbers from my water test seemed ok to me: Nitrite, Nitrate, and Ammonia levels all around 0. pH was at about 8.2. Temperature stays around 78 degrees and the salinity reads at 1.022.
<all good>
I bought a snowflake moray about 6 weeks ago (first fish into the display tank). He was about 9 inches at the time and seemed to adjust rather quickly when placed in the display tank. Found a hiding spot in the rock right away and eats without a problem. When I bought him, he had what appeared to be a fleshy string that hung off of him on his underside. The man at the pet store said that it was normal, so I did not worry about it. I have noticed, however, that there are more of these things on him now. When I look a little closer, they look almost like worms. There are about 10 of them now, most are located near his head. 
<very unlikely to be living worms but do inspect closer to confirm>
He still behaves normally and eats krill shrimp a couple of times a week. I have only noticed him try to scratch himself on a rock once. Is this some sort of parasite? 
<is more likely to be sloughing mucous>
If so, how can I treat it? 
<we have to be careful here because the eel is scaleless and can OD easily on meds>
I do have a quarantine tank up and running, but I don't even know how I would get him out of the display tank since he hides inside his rock pretty well.
<lure out with food. Do look closer to the nature of the strings (use magnifying glass on the tank. Also pay attention to see if they are random and moving day to day (mucous not parasites) or definitely stay fixed in place>
Any advice? Thanks, mike
< a scarlet eel cleaner shrimp may be helpful and a pleasure to add to the tank at any rate. best regards, Anthony>

Re: White spot and moray eels --> TREATMENT
Anthony, Thank you for your response.
<very welcome>
I have a 1600 litre display tank with one Koran Angel, one Naso tang and the Snowflake. Both the Koran and Naso have white spot for some time now (4 months) the cysts are visible. I cannot see anything on the Snowflake.
<typical with eels>
I have two quarantine tanks (100 litre) with mature filters. I intend to quarantine the two fish and treat with copper.
<and please consider freshwater dips as well or instead of (angel is copper sensitive a bit). Formalin is an option too>
I am at loss as what to do with the Snowflake. Should I quarantine the
Snowflake and treat for white spot ? If so, what is the best treatment for Morays. The snowflake is large (23 inches). Do you think it could be to big for a 100 litre quarantine tank for six weeks?
<with the other fish in a proper QT for 4 weeks, the pathogen is likely to wane without a viable host. And no tank could ever be sterilized... so it may be enough to leave the eel in peace>
I am also trying to establish how this parasite was introduced. 
<like all people/animals... we are always carrying small amounts of potentially pathogenic organisms that flare or become expressed when we are stressed. Temperature fluctuations or drops in the main tank are the common cause>
I do water changes with natural sea water pumped by a large public aquarium. The water comes from the Atlantic ocean. Average temp 15 degrees Celsius. 
<Oh my heavens!!! This is a guaranteed way to import parasites. Much reading to do on use of NSW. I never recommend it for how inconsistent it can be and how much work needs to be done with it to prepare it. The public aquariums have industrial ozonizer that we hobbyists don't>>
Do cold water parasites, like white spot, adapt/survive in warm water within 3 hours of raising temp to 26 degrees Celsius?
<many easily can, yes>
I look forward to your response. Mike Niese
<synthetic seawater is reliable and consistent. Tried and true. My sincere advice... best regards, Anthony>

Zebra Moray
Hello Bob,
Thank you for all the wonderful information on your site. I love my Zebra. "Mongo" was the first fish I purchased a year ago, and he is my pride and joy. He has grown 2.5 feet since I purchased him to an impressive 4.25 feet total now. However, in the last week he has been demonstrating very alarming behaviors. He has begun to lay on his side or slightly upside down, and has rather evenly spaced discoloration patched along the ridge of his back. It almost looks like scarring but none of my other fish are messing with him. He also will not eat. His diet has, until now consisted of krill and live Fiddler crabs and he has always been amazingly active. I performed a 50% water change 2 days ago as my pH was at an all time low of 7.6.
<Ugh, there is/was your problem.>
I know this is probably a major concern
<You eel and I agree whole heartedly.>
(my nitrite was at 0, my ammonia at .25 and my nitrate at 50-250)
<One out of three is not good. Both ammonia and nitrite should both be zero and your nitrate, anywhere in that range, is too high.>
but none of my other inhabitants are showing any symptoms.
<Give them time>
I have a Navarchus angel that is my indicator fish and he is the picture of health it seems.
<For now>
During two outbreaks of ich, the angle picked it up but I treated the tank and no other fish were affected. I have always thought the Zebra was one of the hardiest.
<Hardy but not immune to everything.>
Why would he be having problems when the others seem to be okay?
<Merely a delay in reactions.>
Incidentally my tank is a 115 gallon with 2 triggers, a jeweled eel, Mongo (the zebra), a Lunare wrasse, a Navarchus angel, and a lipstick tang. Please, I am sure you are busy and you must get contacted all the time with problems and questions, but I love this fish, I will give up all the others to make sure he is okay,... can you please help?
<Water quality, water quality, water quality>
Thank you for your time, Jack Garrett
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Sick eel...
Hi Bob,
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I would greatly appreciate your advise. I've had my Gymnothorax funebris for about two months, and I thought he was doing great until I noticed some dark gray spotting on the lower portion of his body and fin. These spots almost look bruise like. He eats like a pig, and I do my water changes weekly. Unfortunately, Charlie did escape briefly about one week after coming to live with me. I'm wondering if this episode could be the cause of this problem, 
<quite possibly... eels are prone to true fungal infections and similar looking bacterial infections.>
and what (if anything) can I do? He is in a 125 g tank with live rock and several pieces of coral.
<little or nothing to be done in the display tank. A QT tank with a Furan based medication may be necessary if the patches do not abate within a few days or if they become more turbid. Do be alert and prepared to remove to QT promptly if necessary, bacterial infections with scaleless fishes like your ell can be quite difficult to navigate/cure>
Thank you so much, April
<best regards, Anthony>