Green wolf eel help

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TerribleJakes

AC Members
Dec 31, 2010
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37
Massachusetts
I got a green wolf eel (Charlie) the other day. He's active and already eating from my hand 8). Im having trouble finding any good information on caring for them though, I was wondering how much I should feed him (hes ALWAYS on the prowl...). Also from time to time he puffs his head up and sticks his gills out and twitches (almost looks like he's trying to puke...) does anyone know what would cause this?? Thanks!

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OldManOfTheSea

AC Members
Mar 21, 2007
677
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Hillsborough NC
I need to ask you a load of questions, for one, what size tank is this and what type of skimmer you have and model number? Another is, how long this tank been setup? What other tank mates it have? How often you do a water change and how many gals? Switch to foods like small pieces of shrimp, fish, scallops and anything else you care to try and feed in order to widening its diet. NEVER FEED FEEDERS!!!! Silversides may be OK to get any eel type species to feed, but I wouldn`t make it a habit for it offers your eel nothing like other marine sea-foods would offer your wolf eel, and also, you can widen its diet with octopus by cutting off its distinctive arms to offer your fish, you can do this with squid as well.
I see you that you recently set up this tank, just how long ago is recently?

(Quote) my tank is not fully cycled yet+ This is your problem, you rushed off to buy this species when your tank not even fully ready as yet to house it, you need to take yourself a step back and begin saying to yourself (I need to have a great deal of Patience)

Did you get this wolf eel from this lfs that sold you live bacteria that you can add the wolf eel soon after? Besides, you add bacteria, each and every time you add anything live into your tank.You bought this species long before you were even ready to own it. The wolf eel is suffering right at this moment because you simply had taken the word of your LFS provider who and which most are only concern to make their daily sales.

(Quote) He's always looking for food and "begging" against the glass when I walk in the room.
I can only believe that your not offering it enough food in any single feeding, if you had any med to small size fish in this tank with the wolf, you be most surely to kiss it good-bye.

(Quote) Is overfeeding an issue with this fish or is it just a matter of high waste?
It is always an issue due to the many differences your aquarium species will always most likely be over fed in most home aquariums, but if your wold eel survives the continuing cycle of its tank, you will gain certain knowledge that then you be able to feed it every third day, also, don`t hand-feed or place your hands in its tank, only do so if and when you must. But feed for now, every 2-3 days with the wolf eels and you need to offer them food until they refuse any further offerings.

Eels in general are high waste polluters, so first you need to wait for your tank to be were it should and following a few weeks after, you can begin making weekly water changes, or else you will see that your tanks nitrate level will rise extremely high in no time.

Buddy
 

TerribleJakes

AC Members
Dec 31, 2010
27
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Massachusetts
The eel is the only one in the tank. Its a 36" 30gal tank that we set up just for him. Its our first time trying saltwater tanks and it seems we got some serious misinformation... we were told to set up the tank with powerhead, filter and salt, adjust the ph and alkalinity, then add at least 10 lbs of live rock. We bought 34 lbs of live rock instead to give him more caves. They said we needed to add a fish to keep the live rock going, so we got a small damsel. The tank was only running for a week before we got the wolf eel which they said was ok because we used bacterial accellerants and fully cured live rock. The lfs also said we wouldn't need a skimmer unless we planned on getting more fish??

The place we got the eel (not our normal lfs) had him for about 3 months in a small tank, they only fed him live feeders (2 minnows every other day). I tried offering him shrimp, squid, and a frozen saltwater medley, none of which he so much as touched unfortunatly. Silversides have been the only thing he's eaten thats not alive. I'll keep trying new foods.

Last night I brought a water sample to my lfs and they said that everything was good accept that the ammonia was elevated and the nitrites had risen to just under 1.0 ppm. They gave us live bacteria solution to add (half yesterday and half today) and said not to feed for 3 days, and not to do any water changes until the tank was cycled. I did everything they said but the are nitrates are up to 20ppm and the nitrates are at 2.0... Im very confused with different people telling me different things can you please clarify whats right and whats garbage?? thank you
 

OldManOfTheSea

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Mar 21, 2007
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What type of filter you have? If your no skimmer, you do best to get a HOB skimmer being that I believe that your no sump and you done right to get more LR then you were told by your LFS. But as for what he is saying about having a fish in your tank with this wolf eel, it will no be too large enough to survive your wolf eels attacks when it wants more food, wolf eels tear flesh out of fish that are to large to fit into their jaws and any fish that would be safe enough, it most likely need a larger tank. Besides, the wolf eel is a fish and you done better for yourself if you had a slightly larger tank and gotten youeself a mating pair. The damsels with a wolf eel will not last, the damsels would survive somewhat better or longer with a pair of goldentail moray eels for better then with a wolf eel. NO!! Do change over your filter, which ever it is, I not believe it will do well for way too long, and a skimmer will. What filter do you have?

Your confurse because you did no research of your own and rushed into what your doing now, for normally, when your tank cycle is completed, your nitrates are or should be at zero, but then again, you rushed into something here to fast and too soon.
 

TerribleJakes

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Dec 31, 2010
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I did a lot of research, it just seems that theres many ways of doing things and a lot of the information I find contradicts itself. No need to be mean about it, just asked you for advice because you seemed to know a great deal about eels... Yes I am a beginner, this is my first salt water tank, im sorry I didnt get it right the first time but im learning. The eel is doing just fine now. I was feeding him until he wouldn't eat more but I was feeding him everyother day not every third. He is definatly not starving, just social it seems. Like I said he is my only saltwater fish, and the only one that im interested in (with the exception of a harlequin tusk later down the road).
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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www.centralcoastreefclub.com
Just a friendly tip since your new, OldManOfTheSea has been working with eels longer than you and I put together have been alive I would bet. So he does have a vast knowledge of eels. His internet/forum speaking is not the greatest, his post can appear to be mean and harsh at times, but try not to think that way with his posts. He isn't trying to be mean, he really is trying to be helpful in his own way. Once you understand that then you can focus on the advice he is trying to give you to help out then you can really appreciate his advice.

We ALL make mistakes.. LOTS of mistakes, it is part of the learning process. I kept a wolf eel for 7 years in the worst possible conditions possible because I didn't know any better, and it survived just fine eating nothing but goldfish for 7 years, about 5 goldfish a day. Would I ever recommend feeding goldfish now, absolutely not. Just one of thousands of mistakes I made when starting out.
 

OldManOfTheSea

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Mar 21, 2007
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TerribleJakes, It was ten days ago I last made some response to your situation and only now you think to believe I'm harsh!! NO!! I wasn`t being harsh about anything for if it is your taking it that where I said you didn`t do your research before jumping into something, it was only telling the truth as I seen it. For do note that if you did your research as your claiming to done or asked around in the forums, your results would then had been far differently then they were from the beginning of this new setup and thread.
 
And theire not really many things you can do for your eel, theire are only two ways it can be done, and that be the wrong way and the right way, their be no other in between ideas in this matter of caring for eels.
 
And yes, theire are info out theire at otheir links from store links or otheirs who claI'm to know something, but then again know that it be only that person opinion and nothing more then that. its the same thing to those who write books on eels, for the most part, they never housed these species themselves.

It was the same thing like about eight years ago if longer, an author wrote a article on the H. Dragon Moray Eel and his research studies only lasted a few weeks up near in the Japan waters. But this article has been nowhere to be found for i was looking for it to show what the author said in his research finds and he said these from what I can remember and he was wrong for the most part on all his facts, except one in which he never unstood why as an adult species, the Dragon moray will house in their own private lair alone.
 
He located a large group of Dragon Eels in a certain area, and in his article he said that you could never house more then one Dragon Moray in any tank, I housed for more then 14 years a male and female and while during their juvenile stages, they housed together in the same lair, when they reached their adult stages, only then did they housed on opposite sides of the tank and they done extremely well.

So with most to all eel species, while in their young juvenile stages, they will house together with other species of eels only for security means, and this includes as well the Fimbriated Moray eel and when it grows larger, it will rip into the other eels flesh to feed. So many things when it comes to housing eels, one needs to be careful on that eels tanks mates, for what may seem OK for a short time, not mean that it will stay that way for the longer term. That is why i told you that being your so small a tank, the larger type of fish that should be safe as long as you feed your eel correctly, there can be no guarantees however because we all not feed our tank pets the same.

I think, let me tell you a story from another forum link, this link has been shutdown, but the owner of that link, himself had a Fimbriated Moray eel in a 70 gal tank i think it was and he had a Stone and lionfish in the same tank. he was feeding his Fimbriated Moray mostly only silversides and he thought that all was to stay fine as it was for the time being, but i warned him that he had to either remover both the stone and lionfish, or remove the eel itself before it turns onto its tank mates. I kept on warning him that he needed to switch over to fresh fish and octopus and squid and such for his eel will soon enough turn onto its tank mates.
 
But he ignored my warning and kept posting pictures of the eel and lionfish side by side in the tank, and still i warned him that, that will change for the worst for his lionfish and stonefish. One day he posted when he came home, his lionfish was gone and the stonefish was moving around the tank as fast as it can.
 

It is like always, others do certain things in their tanks and only because they seem to be getting away with doing the wrong thing at the tI'me, they figure that they can do it all the time. So I know that you are a beginner and that you are here to learn what is best to do and I'm sorry that you assumed that im knocking you, for I'm not for understand this, i too was once as you are today, it has taking me a great deal of researching and personal studies of a great mamy different eel species to be where I am today in the knowledge of the many marine or freshwater eel species. Also if you look around and find links that they will mostly tell you that there are some 700-800 species, but in reality, there be more then 1000 species and still counting for as is, a few years ago a new species was discovered.
 
I know that your wolf eel would survive the tanks cycling, that it will only suffer somewhat while the tank is going through its cycle, but did you understand it to where i said that your tank will do much better with a skimmer other then with whatever HOB filter filtration you now have?

Buddy ;)
 

leocom2000

AC Members
Dec 27, 2007
434
0
0
I got a green wolf eel (Charlie) the other day. He's active and already eating from my hand 8). Im having trouble finding any good information on caring for them though, I was wondering how much I should feed him (hes ALWAYS on the prowl...). Also from time to time he puffs his head up and sticks his gills out and twitches (almost looks like he's trying to puke...) does anyone know what would cause this?? Thanks!

Probably amonia or nitrite poisoning. your tank is still cycling. Adding bacteria might or might not help. The best way is to cycle (at least wait until your amonia and nitrite is zero for a while) then add fish. But it is too late now is it?
LFS is trying to earn money, they are business. My advice, listen to what people here say and learn.

Anyways, welcome to the saltwater fish keeping.
 

K1llaKhan

AC Members
Aug 2, 2016
10
0
1
51
I need to ask you a load of questions, for one, what size tank is this and what type of skimmer you have and model number? Another is, how long this tank been setup? What other tank mates it have? How often you do a water change and how many gals? Switch to foods like small pieces of shrimp, fish, scallops and anything else you care to try and feed in order to widening its diet. NEVER FEED FEEDERS!!!! Silversides may be OK to get any eel type species to feed, but I wouldn`t make it a habit for it offers your eel nothing like other marine sea-foods would offer your wolf eel, and also, you can widen its diet with octopus by cutting off its distinctive arms to offer your fish, you can do this with squid as well.
I see you that you recently set up this tank, just how long ago is recently?

(Quote) my tank is not fully cycled yet+ This is your problem, you rushed off to buy this species when your tank not even fully ready as yet to house it, you need to take yourself a step back and begin saying to yourself (I need to have a great deal of Patience)

Did you get this wolf eel from this lfs that sold you live bacteria that you can add the wolf eel soon after? Besides, you add bacteria, each and every time you add anything live into your tank.You bought this species long before you were even ready to own it. The wolf eel is suffering right at this moment because you simply had taken the word of your LFS provider who and which most are only concern to make their daily sales.

(Quote) He's always looking for food and "begging" against the glass when I walk in the room.
I can only believe that your not offering it enough food in any single feeding, if you had any med to small size fish in this tank with the wolf, you be most surely to kiss it good-bye.

(Quote) Is overfeeding an issue with this fish or is it just a matter of high waste?
It is always an issue due to the many differences your aquarium species will always most likely be over fed in most home aquariums, but if your wold eel survives the continuing cycle of its tank, you will gain certain knowledge that then you be able to feed it every third day, also, don`t hand-feed or place your hands in its tank, only do so if and when you must. But feed for now, every 2-3 days with the wolf eels and you need to offer them food until they refuse any further offerings.

Eels in general are high waste polluters, so first you need to wait for your tank to be were it should and following a few weeks after, you can begin making weekly water changes, or else you will see that your tanks nitrate level will rise extremely high in no time.

Buddy
 

K1llaKhan

AC Members
Aug 2, 2016
10
0
1
51
Excuse me for intruding on this conversation but I also have freshwater moray wolf eel.
I know there are only found in freshwater they're not exactly a freshwater creature. He was a freshwater when I got him and then I slowly introduced him into a saltwater tank which was a 24 gallon nano cube now he is in a 55 gallon saltwater tank.
While he was in the nano cube I was feeding him shrimp almost every day to every other day and then one night I had a party and my mother said my Eel looks pretty fat well needless to say my Goldenhead goby disappeared.
Since then he hasn't eaten anything and By anything I mean pieces of salmon pieces of clams,mussels, oysters,squid ,octopus ,shrimp, even the silversides.
I've even gone as far as garlic extract on some of the food. But he does swim around looking for food to eat just not what I put in there for him .
Any suggestions ?
 
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