peacock eel looking bad

[windeindoiel]

I wasn't sure how to feed the eel, which I posted about on the newbie forum. I hadn't yet found a tube suitable to put the food in, but I had been dropping meat pellets in the water at night in hopes maybe he'd come out and munch on them.

Well he came out today. He was hanging out by the powerhead so I got a good look at him. He's thin. He has white patches on him that make him look like all the scales in the area are missing. And his beautiful tail is a little shredded.

I consulted my boyfriend and seeing how we don't have a quarantine tank we thought the best thing to do for him was to put him in a bucket with tank water and some tank rocks to hide under. So that's where he is now.

We also have silver dollars, a bichir, and some plecos in the tank. Lyder (boyfriend) thinks that the bichir is getting at him, the eel is smaller than the bichir but way to big to be eaten by the bichir. I don't think it's the silver dollars because they go to sleep at night and I never see the eel during the day. Another theory of mine is that perhaps the sand is too abrasive and that's what's causing the damage? Or perhaps something else, and he actually has some sort of disease?

Any theories about what might be wrong with him and how to treat my baby and perhaps some recommendations with what should be done with him in the future would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

:help:

 

[windeindoiel]

I just realized I forgot my parameteres. I checked them 3 days ago, and they were:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 30
pH: 8.0

Also the tank is a 44 gal with lots of tufa rock in it and sand substrate.

 

[windeindoiel]

Bump

Sorry to bump it so soon after I posted, I'm just really worried.

The eel still isn't eating even though I put food in the bucket with him. He seems more active. He comes out from under the rocks now and then and swims around. Not really sure if it's good or not though. :help: :help: :help:

 

[pjdutche]

I had peacock eels years and years ago. What are you offering him to eat? When they were new, mine always needed live worms to start eating. Live blackworms, really tiny earthworms depending on the size of the eel, etc. Once they were going on live worms, they would graduate to frozen bloodworms, boiled and chopped earthworms, and then frozen brine shrimp. They never took pellets or any kind of prepared fish food at all.

To get the food to mine, I used a turkey baster. Put some live black worms in a cup with some water and suck up the worms with the baster. Then ease the baster near the eel and gently deposit the worms and withdraw the baster. Usually the wiggling gets their attention and their predatory nature comes out.

I don't know what to make of the scales, but if he is thin, you really need to get him eating as soon as you can.

good luck! Hopefully someone else will know more.

-Pam.

 

[windeindoiel]

Thank you for the reply. I haven't tried live food, just frozen. I'll go get something live as soon as I can, I really hope he starts eating. Thanks.

 

[TorturedSOUL]

I would feed it tubaflex worms in the manner that I mentioned in your other post(put the live worms in a cup and sink the cup).
If it has infections you may want to add a little salt or some antibiotic to the water. Also make sure there are plenty of hiding spots for him. Eels like sandy substrates as well. It may be cutting itself up in your tank.