eel hiding behind filter intake and refuses to eat

[qieter]

Hi,

I just got an 8inch eel..i think its a peacock or a tire track today for 4.99...but it is now curled upbehind the filter intake...i tried putting a piece of krill in front of it but it wouldnt touch it....it could be eating small fish in LFS....what else should I try to feed it with?? thanx

Vic

 

[dethjam316]

i have a zig-zag eel and a tiretrack. they're preferred meal is live blackworms; however i know the zig-zag must scavenge a bit, because i had him for almost six months and had never seen him eat anything before i caught onto the blackworms idea.

seeing them suck down the blackworms like a vacuum cleaner is quite a sight!

 

[OrionGirl]

IME, these guys need a long time to acclimate and settle in. I'd give him a week or two. Larger specimens seem to take even longer than smaller ones.

For feeding--frozen worms will work, as will brine (live or frozen). Avoid larger chunks, since they have a very small mouth, but will try eating HUGE pieces. Mine will take anything he can get--prepared frozen foods, mussel, shredded fish, bits of earthworm, etc. I had him for about 6 months before I actually saw him eat anything.

 

[dethjam316]

also, i'd recommend adding a cave or hiding place....i've found fish like that hide behind the filter intake only when other hiding places aren't available. mind hide during the day inside a cave and under a rock buried in the gravel (respectively)

if you already have these, it'll probably claim something given a couple weeks

 

[hc0007]

We've got a couple of tire-tracks, and as long as they are comfortable in the tank, ie. plenty of hiding places, they are quite easy to feed (especially with black worms). In fact, we were able to hand feed ours within a couple of weeks of settling into their new tank.

 

[hc0007]

We've got a couple of tire-tracks, and as long as they are comfortable in the tank, ie. plenty of hiding places, they are quite easy to feed (especially with black worms). In fact, we were able to hand feed ours within a couple of weeks of settling into their new tank.

 

[Mantis_22]

Originally posted by dethjam316
also, i'd recommend adding a cave or hiding place....i've found fish like that hide behind the filter intake only when other hiding places aren't available. mind hide during the day inside a cave and under a rock buried in the gravel (respectively)

if you already have these, it'll probably claim something given a couple weeks

100% true....

 

[bghost1961]

you should have places for it to hide in the bottom then it will leave the intake place...

they love earthworm too, if finding other live food is a problem

and yes, cover all holes (big or tiny) on your tank or you'll end up having a dried eel..