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Golden dwarf moray won't eat
6/1/15 Snowflake eel; fdg.
2/1/15 Re: Please help.... bring in another victim of env. dis.. No
rdg. 1/25/15
Over fed Skeletor Moray Eel
1/28/13 zebras and Snowflake eel fdg.
7/29/12 Goldtail Moray Eating Habbits
<Habits> 6/21/2011
Fimbriated Moray Questions, sys., fdg.,
comp. 1/29/11 reticulated moray 11/22/10 Very small eel... Sys., fdg. ID! --
03/31/10
Re: Eel Help Please!; G. eurostus --
07/15/09 HELP.. Hungry eel can't eat! --
07/10/09
Question about snowflake eel regurgitating. Fdg. 12/20/08 My snowflake eel is about 12-14" in length and has been regurgitating rather frequently after feeding. For the first three months I mainly fed the eel frozen krill and have recently switched him to mainly silversides and some squid on occasion; I plan I varying his diet <Don't plan, do it. E. nebulosa are crustacean eaters. A varied diet should consist of mainly unseasoned shrimps, but also squid, mussel flesh and fish. Vitamins should be added about once a week when you are feeding frozen food. They are not needed when you are feeding a varied diet of fresh food.> much more and adding a vitamin supplement rather than the garlic I'm using now (favored over vitamin supplement by my local LFS). <Obviously, garlic cannot replace vitamins.> Is this semi-normal behavior? <No.> Could it be due to overfeeding? <Yes. Everyday feeding is not necessary. Feeding every two or three days is fine. Morays do not eat every day in nature and are often caught with empty stomachs.> Any other possible causes I should look into? <The diet as mentioned above should be your top priority. Water quality should also be checked. Quality of the food should also be questioned if only one type of food is regurgitated.> Any thoughts on this matter are greatly appreciated! Feeding consists of 1-1.5 full silversides or an equivalent(quantity) alternative. <Per day? Too much.> The tank is a sixty gallon Uniquarium with 2-3" crushed coral and roughly 60lbs of live rock; considering increasing this slightly. Water parameters are as follows: Temp 77 F, SG 1.024, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 20-30 (working on this with partial water changes(5ga) and gravel vac every other day) <Yes, this should be improved.> , PH 8.2, Alk 2.9. Thanks for your time. -Joey <Cheers, Marco.> PS: you helped me answer some questions I had about my Coral Beauty Angel, and I would just like to let you know that he appears to be on the mend! <Ah, good to hear.> My Golden Dwarf Moray, fdg., hlth. 12/20/2008 Hi, <Hello Matt.> I recently purchased and set up an aquarium for a Golden Dwarf Moray eel. The tank has been cycled and three days ago I added the eel. The specimen had been at the store for a month or two and seemed to be doing great, except I never actually saw him eating. So now I worry that he will not eat, I have tried feeding him silverside last night but he is scared of it and hides. Brine shrimp he seems to have a keen sense of smell for but has not eaten it. what else would you recommend I try? <#1: Patience. A healthy eel won't starve, many morays need days to weeks until they have overcome the stress of capture and changing homes, some larger ones need even months. #2: Keep it free of stress in the new tank, a stressed eel will not eat, especially when it feels by you. #3 adequate food: The diet of G. melatremus mostly consists of crustaceans, and to a smaller percentage of fish (although they often eat small fishy tank mates in captivity). Get some raw, frozen shrimps (no freeze dried krill) of adequate size (or cut them into smaller pieces). What is also eaten are scallops, clams, mussels and cephalopods like squid. Thaw them prior to feeding and add some vitamins once a week. #4: See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morays.htm and the linked FAQs for further information on feeding, a lot is already written there. Also check the feeding part of this article: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/fwmorayart.htm .> Also recently (yesterday) he became very twitchy, scratching / hitting himself on the live rock in the tank. Now I worry that he may have some sort of parasite but I cannot get a great look at his body (besides his head) for more then a few seconds. My water is fine (0 nitrate 0 nitrite 0 ammonia, 8.2ph 1.023 specific gravity). Any idea what may be causing this "twitching" <Has to adapt to new water parameters. For disease symptoms look for apathy and elaborated breathing.> he was formally in a system which had copper (the store) <Can/likely has damaged the eel, lowered its life expectation. No copper use for Anguilliformes <<= true eels, includes Morays. RMF>> in therapeutic doses.> , but the tank I have him in does not have any copper what so ever. <Good.> Over the last two days he has seemed active enough at night but now he is scratching / twitching a lot, and this in the combination with not eating has me worried... <It can take a while until the moray has adapted to the tank water. If you are concerned watch water parameters and its breathing?> Thanks for the help, Matt <Welcome. Marco.> Help with identification please... Moray, and sel. 12/11/08 I have obtained a specimen of this eel, and would like to know what species it is. Is it Golden Dwarf Moray, or is it a Golden Tail Moray? <Where is the picture?> I am a little confused in looking at the illustrations/descriptions. <Easily told apart: G. melatremus has a bluish stripe through the eye.> What I really need to know, is how suitable this beauty is for my 120 gallon reef? <Is your tank eel-proof? Eels are escape artists and there must not be any unsecured holes in the tank (e.g. drainage the sump) or in the hood. If you don't have a hood, you'll likely need to apply a net or similar.> I have a Sailfin Tang, Hippo Tang, Flame Angel, as well as cleaner shrimp, coral banded shrimp, and snails. None of the fish are full-grown by a the means; pet store size. <Depends on the size of the eel and your fish. Both will most likely leave alone fish of about 1/3 of their own length and larger. The shrimps might be recognized as cleaners, if not (less likely) they'll become food. G. melatremus stays under a foot and will less likely cause any trouble, except maybe finding and feeding it in a 120 gallon tank in the first weeks (later the eel will find you at feeding time). G. miliaris grows to two feet and can eat small fishes, your tangs should be safe, but the Centropyge should better grow if you have this species of moray.> I would really like to keep this eel, but I surely cannot dedicate my whole tank to it. Also, I am sure it is important to keep them well fed. Does this mean feeding them individually somehow? <Yes, with a feeding stick, long tweezers or something similar. Feed a variety of unseasoned and uncooked sea food (shrimps, fish, mussel flesh, squid etc.) and use vitamins at least once a week. It cant live on the standard fish foods like flakes or too small types of frozen food. Please see here (and in the linked FAQs) for further info: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morays.htm > I would greatly appreciate any advice. Best regards, Jeff or a <Something missing here? Greetings. Marco.> Hopefully easy question regarding
Tesselata moray; feeding - 03/06/2008 I've searched around the
web and definitely over WWM and am having a hard time finding a good
answer for my question. I've recently acquired a small Tesselata
eel, somewhere about 14" long. He eats amazingly, in fact too
amazingly, which leads me to my question... Will it hurt the eel to be
fed daily? <Consistent overfeeding can result in a fat moray eel
with liver problems and shortened lifespan, but it's sola dosis
facet venenum, the dose alone makes the poison. You'll probably see
if your eel is becoming fat by comparing him to others (e.g. pictures),
and then you should cut down the meals.> He is hooked into my other
tank through a shared sump, so when I feed my other fish (6 green
Chromis, a dwarf flame angel, a bristle tooth Tomini tang and a
Twinspot goby) he smells the food and stretches way out of his hole to
the spot where I normally feed him. I have a hard time resisting
feeding when he is so obviously begging. I know he isn't really
*hungry* because his stomach is nice and plump and he has been eating
daily. So lately I've been only feeding him every 2 or 3 days and
just ignoring the puppy dog eyes he gives me when I walk by the tank.
Is it going to hurt him if I return to a regular one small meal a day
feeding schedule until he gets larger? <Not necessarily, the keyword
here being "small". You could divide the meals you feed him
now to smaller ones given every day. Be aware that moray eels in nature
do not feed every day, very large ones only about once a week. Most
stomachs are found empty, and as you probably already know digestions
takes about 2-5 days depending on the food and temperature.>
I've got a large water volume, about 300g between my eel tank
(150g) my sump (50g total water volume) and my "show" tank
(125g) so I'm not real worried about an ammonia spike while he is
at such a small size. <The danger here is an accumulation of
nitrates with time. I'd monitor those nitrates, but that's
standard marine tank maintenance, not only moray eel tanks.> Also,
my system has been up and running over a year now and is nicely
established, I've got plenty of bacteria and lots and lots of
Caulerpa in my sump. Once he gets bigger, say over 2 feet, then
I'll stop feeding as much, but I would like to feed him in a manner
that lets him get larger quicker without endangering his health. Is
that possible? <He will only grow quick if a good water quality is
provided all the time. However, feeding very large amounts of food
every day to juvenile eels following Purser (know his book on morays?)
may result in problems with growth and malformed specimens.> And if
it matters, I feed a mixed diet. <Very good, a key to a healthy
moray.> He gets normally a small piece of shell on shrimp, a piece
of a tuna filet or fresh salmon filet (I leave the skin on so he is
getting that in case there is something in there he needs to complete
the diet) and then a small piece of squid. <If this is one meal it
sounds much, but since you state the pieces are small, it probably is
okay. I'd also add vitamins for fishes from time to time.> I am
still trying to find silversides in Alaska, they aren't easy to
come by. <You can also try any other small saltwater fish that may
be available in Alaska, if you want to feed entire fish, which is good
in terms of variation and nutritional value.> Lastly, I do know that
this eel typically reaches the 5 to 6 foot range in captivity <Yes,
typically, with a few larger ones.> and yes I do plan on upgrading
to a 350g tank in the future, with a bigger sump and no
"show" tank, just the eel tank and a sump. <Sounds doable
if good water quality is provided, however, 500 gallons would be better
in case he keeps growing.> I appreciate all the work you guys do!
Amazing site! <Glad you like it. I'd stick to feeding every
other day. If you want to feed every day, I'd only feed half the
amount. Slowly increase the amount of food, and also the time between
meals while the moray grows up. Good luck with him, hopefully he'll
accompany you a few decades. Marco.> Moray or Ribbon Eel... sel., fdg... - 01/09/2008 Hi - <Hello.> I am trying to select between two eels offered for sale at my LFS. One is a banded moray about 12" <Several species are traded as such e.g. E. polyzona and G. enigmaticus.> long and the other is a white ribbon eel about 15" long. Both are feeding well <Hope you have seen the White ribbon eat in person.> and have been in the store for a couple of months. Here's my question. I have a 55 gallon tank that's in the stamp of a 75 gallon, so it's very shallow - around 15" high. I'm concerned about the chances of the eel escaping. The top of my tank is pretty secure except in the back where I have the hoses and cords running out. Is one species more likely to try and escape than the other? <All moray eels (ribbon eels are morays, too) are escape artists and might try to escape. Since the Ribbon eel is so thin even as an adult, I think it is endangered the most. Anyway, you will have to secure any holes, e.g. with tight fitting foam, for the banded eel, too. Drying up on the floor is one of the most common reasons of losing these wild caught animals. Providing enough shelter and no boisterous tank mates will also help to reduce the escaping activities drastically.> Would you recommend one over the other? <The Banded moray will likely be easier to care for.> Thanks. <Welcome. Marco.> Moray eel not eating - 09/25/07 My moray eel is refusing to eat! <Species? Tank size? Water parameters (Nitrates, nitrites, ammonia)? Other tank inhabitants? How long is your system running? Any changes/losses? What do you feed? I need more information to help you.> I just bought it yesterday and it was feeding and today it's not eating. <Most morays, except the tiniest specimens, should not be fed daily at all. Really large ones can be fed every two weeks without any issues occurring. Overfeeding and resulting liver diseases are far more dangerous.> I'm worried that it will starve to death, because I have heard that they go on food strikes. <It is important to know species, size, tank parameters etc. (see above) to give proper advice. In general, morays can happily get along without food for weeks and some do without apparent reason and without dying.> Please help, because this is the last eel I am allowed to keep and I would not like to see it die. <Don't panic and don't stress the moray. Let it settle in for a few days. See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwmorayart.htm for some feeding tricks. They should work with marine eels, too. Write back with more information if you need further help. If you are unsure about the ID send a clear picture. Cheers, Marco.> Vitamins and moray eel nutrition - 04/26/07 Hi. I have an undulated moray and a snowflake eel, they are in separate tanks. And I would like to know what kind of vitamins to give it and where can I get it? <Local fish store, online, vet… lots of sources and products. You can compare them by studying the table of contents on the packages. Ensure there is plenty of vitamin B in the product you choose. The diet of moray eels consists of fish and crustaceans, and has sometimes pretty much of the enzyme Thiaminase, which can destroy vitamin B. So, adding vitamin B is a good idea. More important than additional vitamins is a varied diet not only consisting of 1 or 2 types of food. Feed a variety of unprepared seafood such as fish, squid, prawns, shrimps, mussel flesh, etc.> Also, I just got my snowflake two days ago. Tried to feed it some frozen shrimp, but it did not want to eat it. Should I be worried? <No. When stressed (e.g. by moving) they stop eating. Be patient and try on. Can take a week or two with this species. Others (e.g. Rhinomuraena) may refuse to eat much longer.> And what should I do? <Read more on WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morays.htm and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/snowflakemoray.htm and the related FAQs.> Thank you. <Welcome, Marco.> Eel not eating; crowded tank - 04/13/07 Hi, <Hi.> I have a 55 gallon tank w/ 75 gallon sump. <Large sump.> I have 3 damsels (yellow, green, blue w/ yellow tail), 2 clowns, Coris wrasse, pink bar goby, 2 urchins, 5" Foxface, 4" dogface puffer and a 17-18" snowflake eel. I know, too many fish, right? <Definitely. The dogface puffer needs around 100 gallons by himself.>. They seem to all get along. <Just a question of time until the trouble begins.> My problem is the eel hasn't eaten in weeks. <They often refuse to eat for weeks. Sometimes because of stress, sometimes due to high nitrates and/or inadequate food, sometimes without apparent reason.> In fact, he runs away from food. When I first bought him, I fed him a large whole raw shrimp a day. <Shrimp only diet is bad. You need to vary his diet to prevent deficiency diseases.> Now he turns away from all food. Unless he is eating scraps off the bottom at night, I think he is wasting. Can I get your input? <Reduce your stocking. Check your nitrates (should be below 20). Do water changes 2 or 3 times a week until they are. Provide a varied diet (squid, fish, mussel flesh, prawns) for the eel. Enrich the food with vitamins. Feeding twice a week is enough. If healthy, he can go without food for at least 2 months. Hope he has not suffered to much due to the shrimp only diet and the overstocking. It is well possible your moray eel eats your small fishes some day if he gets well again. Use your free time to read a lot about stocking and especially about eels at WWM. Lots of information is already available. Cheers, Marco.>
White ribbon eel not eating 11/15/06 Hi, I bought a white ribbon moray eel at my local fish shop, they told me it was easier to keep than a snowflake eel.<boy did they lie to you!>I asked them if it was eating, and the guy said "not very well", and I said what do you mean?, he said "well he ate once, from a chunk of shrimp I offered it, but refused the other times". So I thought, "if it ate one, its ok" So I brought it home,<the rule of thumb is...if you don't see it eat...and eat pretty well....LEAVE IT THERE!> and today I tried to offer a piece of shrimp and it refused, in fact, I put it with a stick right on its nose, and still it didn't even bite it.<this species is notorious for not accepting prepared foods, you should have done your research beforehand...now you are going to have to offer him different types of foods, mussels, shrimp, calamari, silversides,...I would try everything until he finds something. Make sure you keep the water quality pristine and keep a lid on the aquarium so he doesn't escape. Also if you have any other fish that could potentially pick on him...that could stress him out more and make him less prone to eating. good luck and read about these things online "Google.com" is your friend! IanB> Does that mean it is going to die?, is it because it is the second day or what? Hungry Zebra Moray 7/31/06 G'Day crew. <G'day to you as well, Leslie in for the crew this morning.> I have a 30 inch zebra moray in a 8ft long 1.5ft wide 2ft high glass aquarium. <Great eel, I have one too!> My question is as follows. I purchased him about 2 months ago. It took a good week before he started eating. I have since feed him twice a week a variety of foods including squid, prawn, krill, fish from the fish market etc. He is doing well, is very health and quite active, even more than expected. But I have recently noticed an increase in appetite. He used to make his presence known at feeding time twice a week and would accept food when offered. Lately, every day I feed my fish he is out and searching, should I feed him when he searches for it or should I just ignore him and stick to just twice a week. <If you are feeding him until he is satiated, then 2 times a week should be fine.> Thanks in advance. <Your very welcome, Leslie> Starving moray eel 7/19/06 Hello- I have a moray eel (not sure what type, yellow-ish with black spots all over). <Mmm, maybe Gymnothorax flavimarginatus... common> He has been in my tank for 2 1/2 months and has not eaten a single bite of food. He is about 2 feet in length. I have spoken with his previous owner who says he ate everyday and his favorite food was sand eels. I have tried: sand eels, silversides, krill, plankton, squid, scallops, live guppies, live (and then dead) freshwater feeders, all of the above have been tried by dropping it in and with a feeder tool. His water has repeatedly been tested - it is fine. I have rearranged his rocks several times (thought he might not like the decor!). His only tank mates are two small damsels- I have actually seen them swim through his open mouth and he shows no interest. I know that eels often starve, but I would really love some advice on how to prevent this. I'm pretty attached to "Fat Daddy" and would like him to survive! Thanks- Ann <How is this new system different from the old...? Though it seems a very long time, this length of feeding strike with morays is not unusual. I would keep trying to offer one of these foods daily, soaked in an appetite stimulant (commercial product or liquid vitamins). Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morayfdgfaqs.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner> Gymnothorax melatremus... fdg. 7/16/06 I have a question about my dwarf golden moray, it has not been hungry the last week. <Happens... morays often go on such "food strikes"... generally resume feeding after a few weeks...> I have looked online and can't seem to find out a lot about this specific eel. He normally comes out 2-3 times a week to eat. I feed krill and squid. I have tried muscles in the past and he does not like them. <Mmm... I would try cut fish... on a "feeding stick"... in addition to the foods mentioned... and soak all occasionally in a vitamin/iodine supplement> So my question is he eating the other critters in my tank. I have 150 gallon reef tank with a puffer who I stock lots of crabs and snails for. <Oh, your Moray may well be consuming these as well> I also had "not sure if they are in there anymore" about 10 peppermint shrimp. Can my eel be eating the critters? <Oh yes> I buy them for the puffer and I don't mind buying them for the eel, I just want to make sure he is not hungry. <Highly doubtful> He is out right now in the front of the tank and looks great. Thank you Holly <Patience. This fish will eat when it wants to. Bob Fenner>
Moray eel/Feeding 1/31/06 Hi Bob <James today> I bought a Moray eel about 5 days ago and it is not eating. I tried to feed it live gold fish put in front of him also silverside, squid and Roseys. both live and frozen. Is this a big problem should I try anything else or just wait and keep trying. <First off, never use any food that lives in freshwater. Give your eel a chance to acclimate. Are there plenty of caves etc to hide in? Try feeding cocktail shrimp (unsauced), usually a sure bet. And read here. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morayfdgfaqs.htm One other question for you. Is this a ribbon eel? If so, will be very difficult to acclimate/keep.> Thanks <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Edward Vomiting Snowflake Moray 11/6/05 Hi, I have a snowflake moray that is driving me insane (He's about 14 inches). He was eating very well (2 Silversides everyday) but 3 weeks ago, he started to eat the Silversides and then vomit them up 30 min.s or an hour later. He then progressed to only occasionally eating a Silverside and a few pieces of Krill but now every other meal, he vomits and it is killing my water quality as well! <I would not feed much fish flesh, silversides to Echidna genus eels... and not this frequently period... Something crustacean based once, twice a week maximum...> Do you have any idea what is wrong with him? - water quality is fine, nothing has changed in the tank and he appears very healthy? I am concerned because he has gone from big eater to hardly anything Any help greatly appreciated <Cut back on frequency, amount of food, and type... Bob Fenner> Planning Moray Meals 9/12/05 Hello! <Hi! Scott F. with you today!> I got 2 Snowflake Morays not too long ago for my breeder aquarium... The guy at the LFS told me to feed it frozen shrimp. Would this be a good diet for them? Thanks, David <Well, David- frozen shrimp can certainly be a good nutritional item for your eels, but you really need a diverse set of menu items, such as squid, clams, strips of fish, etc. Variety for fish, just like people, is very important. Feeding any one items exclusively is not a great idea. Be sure to diversify these fishes' diets, and you'll be pleased with the results! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.> Malnourished Moray 8/23/05 My snowflake eel is about 3-4 years old. He's about 18 inches long and 2 inches diameter. He usually eats 1-2 medium frozen shrimp every other day. <Needs a wider range of nutrification...> Day before yesterday he only had 3 bites (about 1/2 shrimp). This would not concern me except that tonight he did the same and he has local swelling around and behind his left eye. About 1/2 inch diameter and 1/4 to 1/2 inch raised. I'm not sure if I should try to treat this. As rapid as it has come on, I'm not sure he'll survive if it grows much faster/bigger. R. Rodriguez <Please read re Moray Foods...: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morayfdgfaqs.htm I would try soaking whatever foods this animal will still take in diluted "aquarium" iodine/ate, Selcon or equivalent... this may be a simple goiter... or other result of avitaminoses. Bob Fenner> Re: snowflake eel 9/13/05 He died a few days later. Water quality was good. Any suggestions as to what could have come on so quick? <The swelling... may have been evidence of an internal tumor, perhaps a cumulative nutritional deficiency... Impossible to say. Bob Fenner> Banned Eel or Banded Eel? (6-14-05) Hi, <Hi there, Leslie with you here today.> I have worked in saltwater specialty shops as a teenager and just got back in to the hobby or the addiction/passion as I call it. <Yes it certainly is a passion and some would have to also admit an addiction, but at least one of the healthier addictions ?.> I have a 125 gal aggressive tank (prior I had a reef/community tank). I cycled it for one month with 12 damsels to start the good bacteria. After I got lionfish and he is still alive eating like a champ. <Excellent!> My levels of toxicity are good. <Well done> I recently introduced a Banned Eel into the tank. <I am not familiar with a Banned Eel, I am going to assume you mean a Banded Moray Eel (Echidna polyzona)> It's about 2 feet long. <This species gets to be about 2 feet in wild, so we can assume you have a mature full grown adult specimen.> What is the best way to make sure he or she eats? <Morays are opportunistic omnivores. First off all give your new eel a chance to settle into his new home. It would have been nice to see him eat in the LFS, that is always reassuring. There is no need to be overly concerned if your eel goes on a hunger strike. Morays collected in the wild have been found with empty stomachs and have also been known to go for months without eating. You do however need to offer food daily until he is eating and then he should be fed to satiation about 2 times a week. If you do indeed have an Echidna polyzona, then your eel is a crustacean eater and will need to be fed things like shrimp and crab. My Zebra Moray loves lobster. As a matter of fact he did not eat for a month when I got him home. He had refused all but krill at the LFS for the year he lived there, but would not touch it in my tank. I tried everything and one day I bought a bag of mixed shell fish from Trader Joes. I was offering the Puffers a small piece of lobster and the eel came out of no where, in a flash and stole the lobster off the feeding stick. I was thrilled and amazed. I fed him lobster for a few days and that was the end of his hunger strike. Now the lobster is only a treat. Keep in mind Morays don't chew. So be sure to cut up his food into appropriately sized pieces. These guys do not see well at all but have a great olfactory sense so they will smell the food as soon as it hits the water but have difficulty seeing it. Target feeding with a feeding stick is very helpful. I gently bump my eels nose with the food at the end of the feeding stick and he takes it from there.> I will do what ever it takes!!!!!!! <Wonderful attitude my friend A little patience will go a long way. Also have a look at the articles and FAQs on Moray Eels, start here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morays.htm and learn as much about your eel. Best of luck with your newest wet pet. HTH, Leslie> - Eel Feeding - Hey thanks Adam, I Appreciate the quick response. <JasonC here this time, but I'm sure Adam appreciates your gratitude.> I treated the water for chlorine with a half cap of Prime conditioner and ammonia remover. since then my ammonia has dropped to a consistent .5 and nitrite is at .3 (probably a little higher). Hopefully in a week or so the biological filtration will pick up. Any ways thanks again and I have one real quick question. I have a tessellated moray and was wondering how much to feed him? <A couple of shrimp every couple of days.> I fed him 4oz of silversides and he stilled seem hungry so i gave him 2 0z of raw salmon and he gobbled that up to. <I'd skip the silversides as they are quite fatty, and instead offer other sea foods like shrimp, squid, and the salmon sounds good too.> I want to make sure I am not overfeeding him or underfeeding him. <You should be able to get away with a decent feeding every one to two days.> I read the FAQs but feeding varies. well if you can answer that it would be quite helpful and i will leave you guys alone because i know your busy with others who need help. thanks again. Justin <Cheers, J -- > Question about a ghost eel Hello, I have been reading your web page trying to find more information about a ghost eel (Uropterygius concolor). I searched for it on fishbase.org, but it still does not give me much information to go by such as what I should be feeding it. I talked to my LFS after finding it on fishbase.org and they ordered it in for me but didn't know much about it. I acclimated some ghost shrimp for it to entice it to eat, but I have yet to see it try for any. I was thinking of trying some black mollies to see if he will go for them. I have only had him a few days and am probably just getting too excited about it, but I do not want to lose him because I am feeding him something he will not like. He seems to be doing fine. He settled under a rock and just shows his head, occasionally taking a swim around the tank. So if you have any feedback on him I would greatly appreciate it and thank you for all the help you've given me by reading through the articles! Bret Caprilla Fort Lauderdale, FL <After the fish is "settled in" for a week or so, I'd try some small fish (marine in origin) or flesh of same, frozen, defrosted or fresh, attached to a "feeding stick"... wiggled in front of the eel... You can collect your own or buy silversides et al. from the fish store, grocery. Bob Fenner> Mexican Dragon Eel I have had a Mexican Dragon Eel for about 4 weeks. He ate quite a bit right before leaving the pet store. Since then it hasn't eaten at all. A few days ago it ate a fish, and then threw it up. Is this something I should be concerned about? There are no other fish in the tank. Thank you for any advice. <Harley, I would give it time to adjust. These eels are known for their aggressive eating habits and can even attack other fish when they are in a feeding frenzy. Hope this helps you out. James (Salty Dog)> Moray Eel Not Eating Hi Crew, I have a Gymnothorax miliaris (Spotted Golden Moray) which has stopped eating. She use to have a great appetite and love eating shrimp and octopus but for the past month I can't get her to eat. I've tried Shrimp, Octopus, Squid & Scallops. I used Garlic Extreme on the food but she still won't eat. She started eating less and less after I consolidated all my fish from my 240 in her 92 gallon while I finish my 380 but is there anything I can do to get her eating again, since the 380 will probably not be ready until another month. Thanks. >>>Hello, Moray eels have modest caloric requirements. It's not uncommon for them to go off feed for a time after being fed well. Remember, they don't move around much. After taking in enough calories to maintain biological functions, weight, and depending on the age of the animal, grow, extra food may be rejected for a time. Stress from added tank mates in a crowded space can play a factor as well. I've never known a moray to starve itself though, so I wouldn't worry. Leave the food in the tank after lights out, and chances are the eel will eat it. If not the first time, then eventually. Remember, they're nocturnal. Regarding the garlic, it's not proven to do anything but make your spaghetti sauce taste better. Cheers Jim<<< Eel Stuff <Hi, Mike D here> Will the eel eat blue fish or fluke.<That depends on what kind of eel it is. Some, like the Zebra, Snowflake and Chainlink may well refuse fish flesh of any kind and insist on shrimp and crustacean meat. Many of the others will gobble it with relish.> I am not mike D but nice name for me<I'm not sure how to take that.**grin** I was stuck with it at birth and Mom and Dad just weren't into Tarzan or Jaques.> My Snowflake Eel <Hi! MikeD here> I recently purchased a snowflake eel and it hasn't eaten anything. Could you guys tell me what this eel would eat<Two foods almost guaranteed to get it eating are 1) frozen squid or octopus, obtainable at many Greek or Sushi specialty food shops and coastal bait shops (why it isn't carried in the same packages in LFS is beyond my ken), and 2) frozen shrimp of the same variety that you would eat, obtainable from local grocery store seafood sections. As to why THAT isn't readily available at any LFS is another case of the hobby paying no attention to itself and CAUSING its own problems. In my opinion, any predatory species will likely do far better if you get its food anywhere EXCEPT an LFS who should only sell reef safe fish, apparently.> Zebra Moray Not Eating Hello Friends, <Hi Dan, I'm in KY here so nice to meet a neighbor.> I just bought myself a new Zebra Moray 3 days ago to go in my 180 gallon. <I'm so jealous, Zebras are so very nice and that's a good size for one.> I have 8 other small fish in there, with a Chainlink eel also. The Zebra is 18 inches, the Chainlink is 15 inches. Both of them are getting along just fine, moving about the tank occasionally, and checking out the different caves and coves I aquascaped for them. <Sounds like they are settling in fine.> My question is, what is the longest I can expect my Zebra to starve herself? <That's a hard one to judge because you don't know how long it had been since she's eaten. They can go quite a while without food.> I was told by my local saltwater store that to offer crayfish, and fiddler crabs and krill. I have done this and she still does not want anything. I get nervous when my fish don't eat, and I'll probably go into a joyous spasm when I see her eat. <I used to feed mine with something on a stick. Their eyesight isn't very good.> My Chainlink eats frozen shrimp, and mussels, these are the foods that have no preservatives, they are taken out of the ocean and flash frozen. I am just wondering if there is anything else I can try to get her to eat. She is such a beautiful chocolate brown, and I would seriously go into despair if I lost her. Please help me to understand these beautiful creatures. <The biggest thing is to let her settle and find a home them tempt her with food that smells pretty strong. I think once she settles that things will be fine. Since she can't see well she'll need foods that tempt her with smells.> Dan In Ohio Seriously Concerned about Zebra Moray 8/3/04 <Dear Anxious in Ohio, (Oooohh, I feel like "Dear Abbey"!<g>> Okay, now I am seriously concerned about my Zebra Moray. It has been 6 days, and she has not eaten. I was told by the guys at the fish store to feed her live crayfish, but she does not have a clue as to what to do with them. And I asked the question, since crayfish are freshwater, then how the hell do the saltwater eels get to them? I was told it did not matter. It sounds like to me I have run into some real incompetence.<Not really. Although freshwater crustaceans are not good long term food options for marine predators, they do resemble their natural prey, and the fact that they are alive often helps stimulate feeding.> I have even tried stick feeding her fresh shrimp, and mussels, but that does not work either. Her color is beautiful, and she acts normal in every other way, it just bugs the bejeesus out of me to try what I was told, and it does not work. I'm going tomorrow to try and find some live fiddler crabs, maybe that will work. Any ideas? Anxious in Ohio <First of all, relax! Hunger strikes of weeks are not uncommon on the part of morays and many other large predators. Live but maimed ghost or grass shrimp may be better first food choices. Once the eel is eating, it should be easily weaned to frozen meaty foods. Best Regards! AdamC.> Ribbon Moray, eating, not hello, Bob Fenner <Hello, MikeD here> I saw your web site and the FAQ section on the ribbon eels and I was wondering if you have time to answer a eel question and concern. I have a white ghost ribbon eel for 3-4 months that I rescued from work. He was not eating for months so I took him home and nursed him back to great health (it took at lease a week to get him to eat).<Congratulations on a job well done.> He was always been a active swimmer and swimming about for the longest time.<This is abnormal behavior, not normal or a good sign for an eel, particularly a ghost eel> Know last Wednesday he did a complete 360 he eat his usually meal 2- 3 half silversides every other day the next feeding I go to feed he never came out to eat. so I think he might of not been in the mood of something but now its been one week to this day that he has not eaten or came out to swim like he always has and I'm worried. He's my favored animal in my tank and I must do anything to help him. What do you think is happening?<I think he's finally fully recovered and now acting like a normal Ghost eel. By feeding every other day, I suspect he's built up sufficient body fat so that he's now acting normally, and another week to ten days more w/o food won't surprise me> I have not changed anything since last week I always clean my 75gal tank every Wednesday I maintain aquariums all over Denver and I lack the experience of this species of eel can you help.<You've dove very well. Don't panic now and create a problem, but rather try to just sit back, watch and enjoy.> thank you for your time,<You're more than welcome> Chad Smith Snowflake EEL not eating (or anything else for that matter!) Hey gang. How are you? I recently purchased a 6 in snowflake eel for my 120g FOWLR tank. When I first bought it about 3 weeks ago, he found his way to a particular rock that he likes and honestly,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HE HASN'T LEFT THAT ROCK SINCE THEN! <That is odd... maybe take a look at night with a small flashlight...> Now I know that snowflakes like to hide in rocks but he hasn't come out at all. Not to eat, not to explore the tank, nothing. Do you think he'll stay in there forever? Any foods you could recommend to get him to start eating? <Most any shrimp (sans cocktail sauce or cooking) will do to instigate a feeding response... Maybe even some live ghost shrimp or glass shrimp would really get this eel out and going. Bob Fenner> An addicted eel!!! Hey all, <Hi, Pufferpunk here> I wonder if people remember who I am. <Not really, I'm kinda new.> I've had no problems so no real need to come scrambling back for new advice. <That's good.> My little experiment with a saltwater aquarium went well till I got bored of the maintenance and dropped it back down to a brackish tank again. <Hmmm, the only difference is a protein skimmer, IMO.> My Tetraodon nigroviridis that was in that tank through the saltwater and now brackish has grown very fat, and ever since I added in bumblebee gobies he's been looking much more content to have the company of their species again (he was raised from the smallest size with two bumblebee gobies before I traded them away). <GSPs are best kept in marine conditions as adults. See: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm I have never been able to keep smaller, slow-moving fish with my adult GSPs.> My hunt for aquatic plants ended when my aquarium now looks like a jungle and I have to frequently cut and remove the excess foliage to allow the light to hit everything. <Curious, how low BW SG did you go? There are no plants that could survive over 1.005, never mind grow into a jungle.> In that tank I have a male and female pair of johanniis, a very lively banded archerfish, a masked Julie, a Melanochromis exasperatus and four angels that I just acquired today. The angels are actually absolutely fabulous specimens, which I had personal pick between from friends of mine who are professional angel breeders. I wasn't able to pick any purebreds, but I did get a chocolate/marble, marble/smokey, gold/koi and marble/koi angel. <All of the fish you just listed are not BW fish (except the archer. Are these all in the same BW tank as the GSP? The angelfish are actually soft water fish, which is the opposite of BW conditions. Also, those angels are going to be without fins in the very near future in the company of your puffer.> Then finally there is the Red Sea Whitespotted moray eel, who brings up the subject of this email. Four months have gone by since I made the trade for this eel, and it took two months just for him to get accustomed to his new surroundings. After the first month he would come out and explore, and after the second month he was finally eating the krill that I'd stick in front of him on the end of air tube. Since then he's started to show more signs of aggressiveness when exposed to the smell of food, and when he actually attacks the food on the krill-on-a-stick. He seems to be acting like an adult based on how adult morays are supposed to be aggressively, but what I find weird is that as aggressive as he may be he wont attack anything live. I've put live mollies and silverbacks (the only thing he would eat when I first got him) right in front of his face, but he wouldn't dare touch them, even if I helped by half killing them for an easy catch. Now he eats krill like a starving hog in heat but I can't find anything else to vary with his diet. Also I'm noticing that there are frequently pieces of krill too small for his poor eyesight to see. What I mainly need is to find out what I can use as a larger version of krill, and another type of food that he might be coaxed into eating so I can vary his diet. He's a real healthy stinker, but he's still an addicted stinker nonetheless. Any other ideas would help. <Try threading most any food you can find from the fish dept of your grocery store. Bounce it in front of his nose on the end of the thread. You need to be very patient, it may take a while, but he should eat it. You could start with shrimp. Again, this fish also prefers high-end BW & SW as an adult. ~PP> EEL...and feeding Is it okay to feed my eel squid and octopus I don't really know what to feed him. I got him free from my cousin, that was a break seeing as I was going to buy one anyway. Well thanks guys you've been a BIG help to me <I would feed him silversides and krill...That is what my golden moray loves, IanB> Jeffery Muraena retifera food habits hey. I saw on your website that you have a photo of m. retifera, a photograph of an eel that bears an uncanny resemblance to a hardy little trooper I also have. however I noticed that this eel is supposed to eat crustaceans, which seems strange to me as my eel has viciously long, narrow teeth, like a dragon eel, only brown not orange and with the black eyespot on the gill. upon researching, I discovered that most other images of m. retifera do not look like the eel in question, rather they are mostly brown or black and do not have the distinctive protrusions on the head or the obvious black spot on the gill area. is this image (and my specimen) simply a juvenile form? <Am presently in Hawai'i and don't have reference materials other than the Net for TWA organisms. Do agree that the pic on fishbase.org does look very different. However, Google images has one that is quite similar: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.marinelifeimages.com/carib/fishid/pages/eel/images/FSD565.jpg http://www.marinelifeimages.com/carib/fishid/pages/eel/pages/FSD565.htm&h=355&w=480&sz= 120&tbnid=boo7xK_43EgJ:&tbnh=92&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMuraena%2Bretifera%26svnum% 3D20%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG . And is likely also a juvenile as this one appears to be> I have mine for quite some time and it is not that large (maybe two feet or so) but he is quite aggressive. he is also quite an efficient hunter of fish and hasn't touched any of the ornamental shrimp he cohabitates with. I'm really interested in finding out more about the specific taxonomy of this animal (especially in the interest of the eel, though he seems quite content thus far) and without it I have been unable to best simulate his native environment. do you have any natural history? <Well do I agree with you that the bulk of genus Muraena eel species are opportunistic feeders on fish, squid and crustaceans. I am going to amend the caption with this one on WWM. Thank you for your input. Bob Fenner> thank you so much! Reuben Will He Last That Long? >In about a week am leaving my home for a week. I have someone to feed my clown trigger, however feeding my Goldentail moray is a bit tricky and will not be able to be performed by the person I have feeding my trigger. >>Why not? It would seem to me that creating or purchasing a feeding stick or tongs would make it just as easy, but the trigger will likely have to be distracted with food first. >Would it be ok for the Goldentail tail to go without food for a week or would that propose a problem. I no morays have been known to go on "hunger strikes", however I fear this is different from just not feeding it. Thanks, Brad >>Just about any fish will be just fine going a week without food. Question is, with food readily available in the tank, will it tolerate it? You can certainly try it, but don't be surprised if the moray decides to have a late night trigger snack. Marina Moray On A Hunger Strike? My Goldentail moray of late has not been excepting the food which i have been offering it. A few times it accepted silversides, but now it looks right past them even though he is obviously hungry. He is constantly swimming around the tank, looking for food. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on what I should be feeding my Goldentail moray.-Brad <Well, Brad, assuming that the environmental parameters are all in line (check for nitrates and metals in your water, as these can cause some problems for eels) and that he is not showing any signs of disease, you should be able to get him to eat by simply trying as many "meaty" foods as possible. Use items like krill, squid, chunks of shrimp, mussel, or fish. Enrich the food items with Selcon or Vita Chem, as they not only will provide some additional nutrition, but they will also add more "scent" to the food that may trigger a feeding response. Don't give up- but don't stress out too much, either. These fishes are known to go on "hunger strikes" lasting anywhere from a few days to several weeks! If you keep trying, and keep maintaining a good environment, things should turn out in your favor, and he'll start chowing down once again! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.> Lion Practices Non-Violent Disobedience? Hello! <Hi! Ryan Bowen with you> I've read all the emails asking about training a Fuzzy Dwarf Lion to eat frozen, but none of them really say what to do if he still refuses to eat. I bought a baby (about 2") Fuzzy Dwarf 10 days ago and I've not seen him eat anything. He won't eat the brine or the Mysis shrimp, and refused my offerings of silversides and krill. I wiggle them in front of him and he turns away. He is starting to lose color and I'm worried! He seems healthy otherwise and the LFS claims he was eating frozen silversides. He shows some interest in the hermits but not in the food. <I would get some live brine shrimp, soak them in a little Selcon. It's better than nothing, and you've got to get something in him quickly. If not, even a few feeder guppies may work, but are not ideal. Are there other fish in the tank that eat what is on his menu? It may help. Chopped clams are a good food to get picky eaters eating.> I also have a Banded Eel that is a real piggy. He even ate the first day in his new home! How often should I feed him and how much?? He is about 7" long, is it possible he ate my 1" yellow tail damsel that recently vanished?? <Not possible, certain. You can feed him twice a week or so, and vary his diet as much as possible.> Thanks so much for your help! Your site is amazing! <Thank you for being a part of it. Good luck, Ryan> Dayna Zebra Eel Problem (2/2/04) Hi. <Howdy> So I'll try to make this short. First off I did look on your site to try and find the problem myself <thanks> but since I am still fairly new to salt water I couldn't really find much. I have a 1.25 ft zebra eel in a 55 gallon tank. <I disagree with Scott Michael's assertion that a 55G tank is big enough for an eel that can exceed 4 feet in length. 120G is better.> As you can see in the picture he's starting to turn pink (not white) in his black stripes. <Do you mean the white stripes in between?> At first this didn't concern me cause I figured it was just cause he only ate krill for a year (bad info from store) so if you can suggest something else for him to eat (besides silver sides)<why not silversides?> I would appreciate it. <sand eels, squid, octopus tentacles, mussels--a variety of marine meats. I feed mind a seafood gumbo mix I get at Albertson's for $3 per lb.> Anyway, this concerns me now because my 1.5 in Sailfin tang (only other fish in tank besides some signature coral) has some pink forming above one of his eyes and the eel has started acting strange. <Suspicious for HLLE, look this up on WWM.> Sometimes it looks as though he's trying to breathe without opening his mouth at all, and then he'll thrash around like he's having a seizure. <Almost sounds like maybe he's got something stuck in his throat. Don't know what to do for that if it were the case.> Other times (I saw that other people on the site had this problem too but I didn't see what it was) he'll lay on his side or up against something like he's dead for half the day. <Possibly toxic water conditions or malnutrition.> I know you would like specific numbers on water quality but sadly enough the store said that they can't give me exact numbers they just say that "your water is fine, nothing's off" and oxygen should be fine cause I have the powerhead from the Fluval 304 breaking the surface and creating bubbles. <I'm no longer a fan of canisters in marine aquariums. Frequent (at least weekly) cleaning is required.> Anything that you could suggest would be great help, thank you so much for you time. <Buy some test kits of your own so you can have real numbers for the most important parameters. Salifert, Hatch and LaMotte kits are well-regarded. I've been reasonably satisfied with Hagen. Feed the fish a better variety of foods and soak these in Selcon & vitamins before feeding. Get the Tang some live algae to eat (e.g. Tang Heaven from www.ipsf.com) that you might want to grow yourself. Maintain excellent water quality & see if this causes improvement.> Sincerely, Shaun Welsh <Hope this helps. Steve Allen> New snowflake eel 1/5/03 Happy holidays guys, <You too!
Sorry for the slow reply. Things have been quite hectic with the
holidays and all!> I am fairly new to marine aquariums (only had my
55gal set up for about a year now) and I've never added to much too
it, a few damsels and a Koran angel. I just recently got myself in a
little deeper then I really was expecting. My LFS had a snowflake in
one of their freshwater tanks and was asked to re-locate him by a few
knowledgeable shoppers. Well the employees scooped it up and dropped it
straight to a salt water tank (yea it freaked out) <Yikes!! Not very
good handling. I would beware of an LFS that first of all would make
the mistake of housing a marine animal in fresh water, and second
subject it to such rough handling.> after letting it settle and
regain its color I couldn't in any good conscience just walk away
from it. So I now have a snowflake. <Walking away might have been
the wiser choice, at least asking them to hold it for a few days to be
sure it survived this ordeal.> I have been going over WWM site and I
may have missed things concerning this, but how long should I wait
before getting worried that the snowflake isn't eating, it had a
mighty fright and I was warned that it would probably be a few day
(they said it hadn't eaten for some time to the best of their
knowledge)? And how/when should I start to get a bit aggressive in its
feeding? <It is quite common for a lot of fish (predators in
particular) to go on hunger strikes after stress, and yours certainly
has been stressed! Any kind of raw meaty seafood is appropriate, but
you may have to try something living to break the hunger strike. Live
feeder guppies aren't suitable as a staple, but are OK for a one
time use to break a fast. I wouldn't get too worried unless the
hunger strike lasts more than 10 days or so or if the eel starts
looking wasted. Best of luck. Adam> Eels With A Gourmet Taste? Hello there, I have an interesting question for you all. Have a snowflake and zebra moray who have become particularly fond of frozen angel sponge to the point where they will more preferably eat that as opposed to anything else...is that okay? Thanks for the input. <Well, if you're referring to "Angel Formula" by Ocean Nutrition- this is a fine food, and it does contain more than just sponge. All of my fishes seem to love it, not just the angels. Of course, feeding ANY food to the exclusion of all other foods is not a good idea, but you needn't worry about any possible "bad effects" as a result of feeding this food. Bon app?it! Regards, Scott F> - SFE (?) Stopped Eating - Hi guys, Hope everything is well..
My SFE has stopped eating and need to know if I should be worried or
any suggestions on how to fix it. <Pardon my lameness - SFE... I had
to ask Anthony, he thought it might be Snow Flake Eel? I'm not
familiar with SFE, but Snowflake Eels, sure... they sometimes go on
hunger strikes.> I feed my tank Frozen Krill and brine shrimp and
occasionally throw a crayfish in. <I'd do that a different way
and only throw in brine shrimp occasionally, or not at all if you can.
Instead feed more of the meaty foods - squid, shrimp [krill, prawns,
tiger, Mysis, etc.], clams/mussels.> I actually broke down yesterday
and through a couple of goldfish in to see if I could entice him to eat
however unfortunately my Lionfish turned into a pig and ate everything
that I threw into the tank... Any suggestions. <Hmm... do attempt to
feed the eel (?) I hope that's what it is, directly with a feeding
stick, wiggle small chunks of food in front of its face, that should
help.> Thanks for your help Chris <Cheers, J -- > Eel stocking 10/5/03 Alright, I have a beautiful jewel moray in my 55 now; He's loving it compared to the 7 gallon he was in at the pet store; <good grief... a 7 gallon?! Shameful> But I have 3 questions for you: -First would he be alright with a white mouth or stout moray of his similar size? (if not please list a few he might get along with). <eels can be territorial with each other. More importantly... your tank is not big enough for an adult jewel moray in the 3-5 year picture... let alone a second eel. They need room to grow... else they will stunt and die prematurely> -Second is there any inverts that would be alight to keep with him, maybe something like cleaner shrimp. <possible... but a slight risk. You would be safe with echinoderms (starfish, cucumbers... perhaps urchins)> -Third I feed him 2-3 silver sides a night, and plan on switching it up with squid and other goodies... but do you think that is too much feeding, or is 2-3 silversides a night alright for a 16 - 17 inch jewel moray eel? <feeding just 2-3 times weekly is more appropriate... and please increase the variety of its diet with more prey items (krill, crayfish, fish meats)> Thanks for your time, I just want the best for my buddy to grow large, healthy and live a long happy life.... <it needs to be the only fish in this 55 gallon tank then, my friend. Do enjoy hardy sessile inverts in stead for tankmates. Try some low-light polyps (Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, etc). Best regards, Anthony> -Zebra moray not eating- Hello, I recently purchased a Zebra for my 400 gallon tank, at first I put fiddler crabs for him to eat and he scarfed them all up, I have been trying to feed him tiger prawns (fresh/frozen) but have had no luck, he turns his nose up at them. he actually attacked my feeding stick when I put it in front of him, but he wanted nothing to do with the shrimp. I have asked some LFS for any ideas and all they can say is keep trying... <That's why it's best to make sure the LFS you bought the eel from has already dealt with this> when he gets hungry... he will eat what is available. <It rarely works out that way, you really need to keep trying. Try different foods, and it's all about jiggling!> I think this to be a little cruel (starvation), what if he never wants to try the shrimp. Any suggestions? <They can go for a pretty long time without food, so avoid any live stuff for as long as possible. You could try putting a fiddler crab on the feeding stick so the eel might make the connection. Good luck! -Kevin> Feeding Snowflake Eel Hi. <Hello! Scott V. here> To feed my fish, a snowflake eel and puffer, how would you suggest feeding them. <Carefully> I Have read conflicting suggestions, just drop the food in the tank or take a feeding stick or tongs to do it. Which one would you recommend? <Well. I would say "try it." If you're lucky, and can just drop the food in, then you will have no problems. However, be sure to watch carefully. I would suspect the puffer to hog all the food before the eel even becomes interested, if it ever becomes interested in food just floating around in the first place. Another danger is that food will go uneaten and cause further problems with the tank. I think it would be worth a try once to see what happens, but I think you will end up feeding the snowflake with tongs to make sure 1. It's eating, and 2. Nothing is going to waste and polluting the tank. The puffer may be finicky, but I think it's likely to happily eat either way> Thanks so much guys <You're welcome. I hope I was of some help :) Scott V. > 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 -Eel feeding- Dear Crew, We have a 250 gallon marine aquarium with a zebra moray eel and a shark. <An appropriate shark for such a system I presume?> Both seem to be doing fine and the only aquarium parameter we seem to have some trouble controlling is the Nitrate level. <To be expected in larger heavily filtered aquaria, do your best to keep it low. The tank would benefit tremendously from a refugium, check out the articles and FAQs on the subject> But my real question is how much to feed the moray? We feed the moray eel krill on the end of a stick every other day. <Sounds fine to me. I'd feed it some krill, silversides, etc a few times per week. You can even hand feed him so he gets some fingers in his diet ;) > He is about 24 inches long and quite active. Do you have any guidance on the matter? Thanks, Max <Good luck Max and keep that tank covered! -Kevin> - Eel Eating Habits - What's going on guys, I have a question regarding my Blackedge Moray (Gymnothorax nigromarginatus). I've had him for about 2 and a half months now. The first question that I had was regarding his feeding habits. He is very active seeming hungry very often especially lately. I started feeding him freshwater feeders, which the LFS said they were feeding him prior to buying him. However when placing the fish in the tank he seems to have difficulty locating the fish at times (sometimes even swimming by his face without him being able to catch them even expiring before he catches them. Other times he will catch them within seconds of being placed in the tank. I know eels use their sense of smell, because of their poor eyesight but at times it doesn't even look like that is working. I also noticed that this may coincide with the water temperature, is it my imagination? But it seems if the water temperature elevates a couple of degrees he is a little more inaccurate. Ideally I would like the temperature around 77-78 degrees, but with the heat and humidity where I live it sometimes gets up to 80-81 degrees. <Understood - I'm not aware of an effect on ability to locate prey caused by temperature, it could just be coincidence. Often times the eel just gets so excited about food that they miss sometimes.> Also I try to vary his diet but he at times seems very finicky. I gave him squid in the beginning which he readily accepted. He no longer seems to accept squid. I tried him on krill in the beginning which he did not want to accept, but now loves krill (which is what appears to have increased his appetite). I tried cut up fish he seemed liked it but no longer does. I tried cut up shrimp he didn't respond to it. What else can I give him to eat? , and should I try again with some of the things the he did not respond to, now that he seems to be eating well? <Absolutely... most important to get off of the live feeders as soon as you can. The best and easiest way to feed these other offerings to the eel is to use a feeding stick; skewer the food on the end of the stick and then waggle the offering in front of the eel's face, I think you will find it is much more receptive to these other offerings.> The last thing is at times he seems to do a type of thrashing motion with his head rubbing it against the floor of the tank. This is only occasionally. I do not notice anything in the area to indicate infection/disease of any kind. Can you explain this? <I wish I could, but I'm not sure... it's hard to know the motivations of eels.> Thank you Neville <Cheers, J -- > Strange Events in the Middle of the Night (& Questions About
Lighting) Howdy Crew! <Steve> It's way too late for
normal people to be up, but an aquarist with problems loses sleep
sometimes! I had a weird one today. I have a 1+1/2 foot Snowflake Eel
in an 18T QT with an Emperor 280 and an airstone. When I woke up this
morning, the eel was gone! I thought I had the tank sealed up tight. I
looked everywhere in the small basement bathroom where I keep the QT-he
was nowhere to be found. I have an open vat of LR curing on the floor
below the tank, so I figured he maybe got lucky and fell into it. Not
having the time to deal with it, I went about my day's activities.
Around midnight, I decided I had to ascertain his fate before I could
sleep, so I pulled all of the LR out of the bin and guess what-no eel.
I was beginning to think he'd been abducted by aliens. The last
place I hadn't looked was inside the filter. Sure enough-there he
was! That filter has a BioWheel and it had it's cartridge plus
PolyFilters padding in it. I still can't figure out how that eel
got past the BioWheel, but he is only about a half inch in diameter. I
swear that eels are not fish-they are piscine snakes. I always wanted a
python, but my wife said it was her or a snake, not both. This eel is
the next best thing. Now if I could just get him to eat-Arrgh! I've
had him for 10 days now. Acts fine & swims around, but I can't
seem to interest him in anything. I use a prong and have tried: frozen
Hikari krill, raw & cooked shrimp, various disgusting raw seafoods
from Albertson's, and life ghost shrimp-all to no avail. (The
3" Picasso Trigger I have instantly downed 3 of those ghost shrimp
in 3 snaps.) Any suggestions? <squid, capelin, non-oily fish
(salmon)> BTW, my 180 was delivered today. Setup is on Thursday.
I've been having a hard time deciding on lighting. It is FOWLR and
will contain the eel (if it doesn't starve), the trigger, a bird
wrasse, and a harlequin Tuskfish. The three sections will be covered
with glass lids. I was going to go with a pair of AGA 36" twin
tube standard strip lights end-to-end plus possibly a separately-timed
24" in the front of the middle section with an actinic to help
simulate dawn/dusk. However, I am wondering if I would be better off
with a single 72" CSL SmartLite with 2 96W power compacts. What do
you think? Also, are Moon-Lites of any value? They seem rather
expensive. <Power compacts are cooler and more bang for the buck,
and moonlighting is not necessary at all for a system with only
fish> Anyway, now that my eel is safely back in the QT, I'll
sleep now--at least until I start fretting again about his hunger
strike. Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful & helpful
advice, Steve Allen. <best, Chris> TOO MANY LARGE FISH IN A 90gal AQUARIUM! my eel is in a 90 gal with 15 pieces of different types of soft and hard coral 9 in lunar wrasse 7 in broom tail wrasse 6 in panther grouper 4 in big eye squirrel and 60 lbs live rock.<this is a huge bio-load for this aquarium-especially with the messy two foot eel> i just started feeding the eel squid and green back muscles with the same foods i feed everyone else which is cubes pellets krill and if i could get them silversides. the eel used to eat the back of the fishes tails but now it seems that it is too full to eat antones tail.<yes, this species of eel can be very aggressive towards tankmates-but with these fast moving wrasses I would not be too concerned (but do realize the eel could get the wrasses as they sleep at night-if he is large enough and that persistent> the eel is about 18-22 inches and the day i got the muscles and squid i feed it 4 muscles and a hand full of squid. now i feed it 1or2 muscles and 1 whole squid a day. it seems like that is too much but if it keeps it from biting my other fishes tails should i keep feeding it that amount and what else can i feed it that is not so expensive like cubes and krill.<I would not feed this eel this much, I would only feed him a decent size meal once or twice a week-and plan on getting a larger tank ASAP> hope to hear from you soon , matt Wolfe ps the fish stores around here don't seem to know anything about fish except how to sell the wrong kind and size to me.<Do research the fish before you purchase them, IanB> Gymnothorax fimbriatus Hi. I posted a question last week but
received no reply. <Sorry about that> I have a 15"
Gymnothorax fimbriatus I purchased as a 6"er last year. He's
very active, and thrives in my 150 gallon fish only tank. When I first
bought him, he ate twice a week, then once, then bi-weekly, and for the
past 8 months only once a month. He appears very healthy, always
swimming around the tank, and visibly hanging out in one of the
numerous live rock caves. He switches his tastes between silver sides,
squid, shrimp, and scallops. I've researched on line as much as
possible, and have read they sometimes go months without eating. I just
wanted to make sure once a month was okay for him? <I would go with
once a week as that's about how often they eat in the wild.> He
also escaped from a holding tank in October, when I was moving from
Chicago to Michigan. He was out for several hours, moving across the
floor. He was immediately placed back in the tank and shed his slime
coat. Since then he has had a 1 inch whitish discoloration near his
head, that hasn't grown, and doesn't look fungal/parasitic. My
water parameters are all right on the money. Could this be a normal
variation with growth, or an effect from the molting? <This is
likely just a wound and will go away with time. Cody> I appreciate
any help/answers you can give me. Thank you. Paul. When A Fish Won't Eat For More Than A Week- That's A Moray! <With apologies to Dean Martin...> Hi, <Hi there! Scott F here!> I have a Snowflake Moray Eel in a 29 Gal tank with 2 small damsel Fish. Temp.= 78 f / ph = 8.7 / Alkalinity 10 dKH/ Nitrate less than 10/ ammonia = 0/ Nitrite = 0/ specific Gravity 1.025. He seems to have lost his appetite and has not eaten in about 2 weeks. Usually he is a great eater. For a few feeds he ate very little and than he just stopped completely. <Well, this may be due to some kind of infection...look for any recent major changes in tank parameters or water quality for a possible catalyst for disease. As far as the "hunger strike" is concerned...don't be too worried-yet. These fishes can often go for very long periods of time (months, even) without eating! Not what we'd like- but be assured that he will not starve after a week or two.> I was wondering if these guys are prone to any specific malady. His eyes are slightly cloudy. <Well, they do occasionally contract bacterial diseases, which can be treated with antibiotics in a separate tank (don't use copper here, especially not if you're dealing with a bacterial or fungal infection.> He is about 13 inches long and I have had him for 1 year under these conditions. In the summer months the water goes up to about 84 degrees. He acts normally but at times he is less active. Any insight into this will be appreciated. Thank You, Joe Santini. <I'd just keep a close eye on this guy and be prepared to move him to a different tank for treatment in case he takes a turn for the worse. Good luck! Regards, Scott F> Moray eating habits Hi Bob; I have read several of your responses regarding the feeding of eels, and usually you recommend feeding no more than two times a week. I haven't seen why this is although I would have guessed to limit size, replicate nature, and or to limit aggression. <Yes, my friend... and to limit pollution> I currently have a Gymnothorax miliaris (yellow) approx 11" long <I modified the spelling... this is a small specimen!> that becomes extremely active when any food is put into the tank for the other fish, and flies around looking for food. Sometimes he makes me nervous in respect to the proximity to other fish, but no chunks missing yet. This morning he ate four Spirulina flakes with gusto; this makes me wonder if I am not feeding him enough, or if he is just a slightly strange individual. I usually feed him 3 times a week with silversides, dried shrimp, frozen shrimp, and live ghost shrimp. Should I change his diet or regularity? <You are correct in your stating that smaller eel species/individuals are better fed more frequently. I would likely offer yours food daily. Bob Fenner> Thank you, Ken Kiefer Feeding? (and keeping a moray eel) Hello, I am a new tesselata Eel owner. It's about 2 feet long. How often should I feed it? and what? <Twice a week maximum. Something meaty... cut fish, squid, crustaceans... take care to provide sufficient filtration, circulation, aeration... messy animals... and don't use your hands to feed.... devise a feeding stick, routine. Please read over the Moray Eel section on our site: http://wetwebmedia.com/morays.htm and FAQs> I heard many different things. For instance, 2 large feeder fish every other day, another one is...anchovies everyday. (Engraulids are sometimes too oily...> I personally like to feed it the feeders, it's fun to watch and he seems to like it too. Please help. Thanks, Dave <Keep that tank lid weighted down... Bob Fenner> Need Info on a new tesselata eel Hi. I read your FAQs and you article on marine eels and loved it. But I have a question for you. A few actually. I bought a baby Tessy about 2 weeks ago and he is doing fine. Staying under the rock for the most time till I turn on the light then he swims for about an hour then goes under the rock again. I guess this is normal. <Yes> He is about 10 inches long, and I have him in a 20 gal. tank, just for now. all that I have running in a AquaClear 150 power filter, with bio-max that I took from my existing 120 gal. tank, also I took the substrate from there also is this enough for now?. <For now, yes... do keep the top sealed from jumping...> I am using Florida crushed coral and Aruba Puka shell. is this substrate ok for eels or do I need something smoother? <This should be fine> All he eats is live fish, which is ok with me, but I don't think its too nutritious. I feed him rosy reds (freshwater). he seems to not eat anything unless it is alive and swimming around. I'm trying to feed him krill but he wont take it. <Not yet... all in good time... with practice, exposure...> Also the guy at the LFS told me just the power filter alone is causing enough aeration for the tesselata. is this true? <Probably... but I would add another source... for safety's sake... maybe a powerhead with a venturi intake...> Lastly, I want to put a decoration in the tank that he can take refuge in, but it broke about 6 months ago and I repaired it with crazy glue. Is it still safe for saltwater? <Yes. Acrylates are used for even affixing new coral fragments...> thank you in advance for your help. <You're welcome my friend. Bob Fenner> Ribbon eel/Dragon eel I have always heard all the horror stories about Ribbon eels. Well, I took at chance with a black ribbon eel about 1 wk, ago. He has been getting along with the Dragon eel. The Dragon has been in my tank for >6months. My tank is a 65 gallon. Both eels eat Formula 1 cubes with a passion. My Dragon will eat other things as well. The Ribbon eel did eat some ghost shrimp, also. <Very good news... you have one out of many Rhinomuraena... one that eats> Do you have any suggestions on food supplements or is formula 1 cubes good enough?? I plan within a year or so to get 150-200 gallon tank. The Dragon eel is around 1-1.5 feet (he was <1 ft when I got him) and Ribbon is 1.5 ft. <No worries re the Dragon... it will easily accept most all meaty foods. I would keep the Ribbon readily supplied with whatever types of crustaceans you can get it to take. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Suresh Ribbon Eels I've started a fish-only tank as a change of pace. Normally, this would be easier, but I would like to keep several Ribbon Eels and have heard they can be very, very difficult to keep. Do you have any advice on Ribbons? What should I feed them? Are there any particular techniques for getting them to feed consistently? Are there any unique frailties for this species that I should keep in mind? << All sorts of advice about Rhinomuraena... First off, yes, they are amongst the fishes with the most dismal survival. Most jump out (very good at finding very small spaces in their tops) or starve to death. Some folks have had success with scooping up their Ribbon Morays in a net with an intended food item and swishing them back and forth till the animal grabs/inhales it... other people force feed them (tricky) with a baster type arrangement, others grow small shrimp and train their eels to take these, offering them right about "sundown".... Though if it were me, I'd look for other eel species... these animals don't make it in captivity. Bob Fenner, who says take a look at other Muraenid choices on Wetwebmedia.com>> Squid tentacles for a picky feeding eel The frozen squid worked like a charm (It only came in 2.5 lb packages. I got enough for a long, long time :0 ). He didn't even pursue the Rosies like he did the squid! <yes... I would have been very surprised and worried a bit if the eel refused this most ideal food/enticement> Should I add some type of liquid vitamin to the squid before feeding? <yes... some Selcon would be nice until you get the little bugger to eat a better variety> Also the LFS said to feed Rosies twice a week. Should I continue feeding (the squid no more Rosies) twice a week? More? Less? <not at all... I am not mincing words or exaggerating here: your eel will die within 2 years most likely if not much sooner if freshwater fishes are any significant part of the diet. I feel that they should almost never be fed to marines. Much better live foods include ghost/grass shrimp and appropriately sized crayfish. Do mix in other frozen meats too over time. No one food is complete. Best regards, Anthony> Tesselata (Gymnothorax permistus or favagineus?) I have a Tesselata his name is Eli, he is currently about 3 feet in a temporary 40 gallon tank, I just moved. I am in the process of getting a 240, <good my friend... your going to need it (and if you have the larger Tesselata that won't be big enough!)> but anyways, how often should I feed him and what do you recommend, <highly variable per individual and will wax and wane a bit naturally, but several times weekly is appropriate. They really can fast for quite a while if necessary (many weeks)> I have been feeding him Jumbo Tiger shrimp, 10 a week but he gets other variety as well, like shark fillet salmon, halibut, whatever is nice looking at the fresh market.... <all very nice but do get a healthy amount of shell-on prey in their as well (live crayfish, fresh/frozen crabs, krill, etc). Also... frozen squid (calamari) with the tentacles are VERY exciting for them... do feed and entice him with squid. Always a varied diet and some Selcon soak would be nice too.> also how long do they usually live for and what would be their max size <lifespan is well over a decade...several decades are quite possible. Two species are shipped under this name... one maxes out under 3 feet (less common in trade) and the popular import can approach 8-9 feet!!! Although only about six foot is likely. Still a monster and rather aggressive for such a beauty. Please read more on WWM at: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morayfaq.htm and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/morays.htm> thanks <best regards, Anthony Calfo> Feeding Eel So I can feed my Tesselata shelled stuff, I
don't need to peel the shrimp it wont hurt him? Thanks Jared
<correct Jared... the shelled Crustacea will not hurt him and are
quite natural. In fact, the eel (like puffers, triggers and other
toothy predators) need the nutrition (protein/Chiton) from the shells
as well as the exercise for dental hygiene... they will suffer without
shell in the diet. Anthony> Eel/Crayfish It appears my eel ate a small crayfish that was
destined for another species (trigger or puffer). It doesn't look
like its anything for concern, but generally is it healthy for an eel
to munch on crayfish ? Not sure if this is a good habit to continue or
not. <For many species of eels (what are referred to as the flat
tooth eels), this is completely normal and can be continued.>
Thanks, Ed <You are welcome. -Steven Pro> Albino Ribbon Eel? Hello,
<Greetings friend... Anthony Calfo here answering Bob's mail
while he participates in a scientific study on the excess production of
belly-button lint (and he's not the control subject...if you know
what I mean <wink>> I've acquired a white (albino I'm
told) ribbon eel, <I suspect that you were told wrong. Is it yellow
or pale yellow and looks exactly like (in form) any given photo of
Rhinomuraena quaesita? If so you have a terminal phase (female) Ribbon
eel. Good luck keeping it alive in the 2-20 year plan. One of the most
difficult marine fishes and arguably should not be imported
responsibly. If that eel does not look like yours... there are some
light colored Gymnothorax species and Siderea grisea that are imported
and rather hardy (good choices except for adult size in some cases)>
that has been captive about five months, and has eaten previously
peppermint shrimp in the store's (and my ) tanks. <holy cow...
why such an expensive meal?> Are there any other species I should
try adding to the tank? I've tried live ghost shrimp, but they seem
to die before the ribbon eel takes interest. I've tried day and
night feeding of the ghost shrimp, but with no success. <Bill...
ghost shrimp live in full seawater in Florida but some wholesalers ship
them in brackish or fresh water... change suppliers or acclimate them
slower yourself. They live indefinitely in saltwater> I am thrilled
that the eel has been alive this long- keeping him from escape is a
minor miracle. About once every two weeks he finds his way into the
overflow box, which is heavily guarded with sponge material I placed as
to block his jumping right in.. I do make efforts to clean the sponges
weekly along with my sump intake sponge filter.. Any suggestions for
food sources would be appreciated, I don't mind the peppermint
shrimp, he only seems to consume one shrimp every week or two, but want
to know if I can diversify for him. <you're breaking my heart,
dude! One shrimp every week or two is a shame. Your eel will be dead
within six months if not a matter of weeks. It is suffering from a net
daily deficit and will die by attrition: fact. I realize that you
admire this animal, but let's work very hard to improve the
frequency and quality of its diet and perhaps not buy another one. My
advice is to set up feeder tank for the ghost shrimp (a 20 long minimum
as they are cannibalistic). Then gut load the shrimp before feeding the
eel by feeding the prey a wide variety of marine grade dry and frozen
foods. Again, my apologies for sounding critical... I largely fault the
LFS for making this animal available for impulse purchase. And if it
was special order, then enough homework was not done... unsexed
juveniles are black (and have a slightly better history in
captivity)... next they turn blue (male and extremely difficult to
keep)...then yellow (female, rare and difficult to say the least). Good
luck, my friend. Anthony> Ribbon Eel Follow-up <Bill.. Anthony again... got your follow-up messages, answering with this one. Excellent to hear you have Pseudechidna sp... a wonderful eel and much easier than the Ribbon eel. Feed heavily with shell-on animals (krill, shrimp, crayfish, ghost shrimp, etc.) and feed squid with tentacles; they are incredible eel food!!! Get them at the Italian groceria (calamari)> If I purchase ghost shrimp that are in freshwater conditions, and slowly raise the salinity of the system.. will that work? <absolutely> If not, can you recommend any places that sell ghost shrimp that are already acclimated to saltwater conditions? I'm still interested, and setting up a 20 long or larger shouldn't be a problem.. what will such a feeder tank require? <Lots of bushy plastic plants for cover, a simple sponge filter and air pump, heater and not much more> would fluorescent lighting, a power wheel type filtration system, and some LR/sand/water from one of my current tanks be sufficient to get one going? <more than enough...like a palace. Best regards, Anthony> Sick moray eel I have a snowflake moray eel, and I've
been feeding it small ghost shrimp. I switched to scallops for a while,
which it seemed to love, and then the other day I switched back to the
ghost shrimp. After that day he has stopped eating, and a portion of
his body seems limp like when he swims, he is not able to move his
lower half very well). Any suggestions on what caused this or ways to
help. thank you - Ian <Hello Ian, this could very well have been
caused by the lack of a varied diet. No one food is complete...
especially whole prey items (krill versus Formula I, for example). This
fish may very well be suffering from severe dietary deficiency. I would
continue to offer him various food items with hopes that he will start
eating. Also, check water parameters to make sure everything is in
line. Best of Luck, Gage> |
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