Chain link Eel stopped eating

[Bruce Fenwick]

Hello All! I am new to this site so this is my first post. Having a problem with my chain link eel. I have had him for 5 months and of course for a few days after I got him he didn't eat and was skittish but then started eating krill quite well. He would take 5 to 6 large krill in a single feeding. I once had an extra piece of lobster and gave him some of that and he loved it. After that he went back to eating krill no problem. Then about a week and a half a ago I move the rock around in the tank as he was growing and I wanted to give him some more space. All was fine for a day or two then he stopped eating. It has been a week now and still won't eat. Some days he wouldn't eat but the next day he always did. Now he just sniffs the food and shakes his head as if he doesn't want it and turns away. he is moving around and I can see him and looks fine. I am wondering if he is just sick of the krill? I tried crab but he won't take that or octopus. I am running out of ideas. Should I try garlic on his food to get him eating again. Please help. Thanks!

Bruce

 

[tanker]

After 5months he must have grown. What are your water parameters?
If all is really well, you might try some shrimp or clams.

 

[Bruce Fenwick]

Water parameters are great 0 Ammonia, in fact did test just after I posted this and left for 3 minutes then another 10 minutes, still no color change. I got a Reef Octo HOB 2000 on tank. is 40 gallon custom with 30 gallon sump. Big enough for now for him, a few mollies in there converted to saltwater, they are in great shape too. PH is 8..2. Magnesium, 1300, Calicium 440, KH 10.5. Getting lots of oxygen in tank. I did recently move some rock around this could have caused him to be skittish. He does move around and is active. I will try some clams see if that helps. It would be nice to offer live shrimp or crabs but that's expensive. I was looking up ways to cultivate live shrimp but that takes time for sure. Thanks.

 

[tanker]

Try some ghost shrimps. What are your Nitrate levels? Does he have a place to hide?

 

[FreshyFresh]

Bruce, welcome!

Any new additions to the tank that could have brought in something?

 

[Bruce Fenwick]

No nothing added but some good news. He ate 1 krill today, wouldn't eat at first but then I soaked it in my special fish food I made and he ate it. I think he is bored with the plain krill combined with having his rock moved recently. My fish food I make consists of fish eggs, oysters, silver sides, marine flakes and red kelp. The smell of this got him going because 30 seconds earlier he wouldn't eat the same piece of krill. Not totally out of the woods yet but promising. I am picking up clams tomorrow and maybe some garlic or will simply do this every time before I feed him. He looks good, is active and has not lost weight. I will let you know of progress. Thanks all! Bruce

 

[Bruce Fenwick]

Nitrate levels are 0, My water quality is top notch, booster pump and ro unit through carbon, sulfur or GFO then run through clean aquarium for two days of aragonite and crushed clean coral to raise ph. No need for kalk or supplements in this particular tank as the tank and sump are full of coral skeletons which provides high alkalinity and trace elements, lots of purple coralline, sponge in there. tonnes of copepods, arthropods.