Blue Ribbon Eel

[Mikeeeee]

I introduced a Blue Ribbon Eel to my 280 gallon mix reef, housing 9 tangs, 4 wrasse, 6 Blue/Green Chromis, 2 Cardinals, 2 Clownfish, Garden Eel, and a Dwarf Lion.
The Blue Ribbon Eel has been swimming around the tank last two days and has not eaten any the frozen krill or silverside try to feed him.
What can I do to get him to settle in and feed him??????

 

[falconut]

I believe that is the difficulty with them. They just don't eat. I always considered one, but they just don't do well. Hopefully, he'll settle down. Are you using feeding tongs and wiggling the food?

 

[reeferstace]

This kind of fish is BLITO= best left in the ocean. Good luck with yours.

 

[Monkeyfish]

You'd have a better chance of getting him to eat if he was in a QT tank with a suitable hiding spot. Try small pieces of silverside with the head or krill with a few drops of garlic extract.

These eels are very difficult to wean onto prepared foods and typically don't fare well in home aquaria even if you do get them eating.

 

[mfish1]

Really hard to get eating
Almost impossible if not isolated in a small tank

 

[snorvich]

The odds are highly against. That being said, try pieces of fresh raw squid on a feeding stick waved in front. Remember their eyesight is poor and hunt by smell.

 

[Mikeeeee]

So far no progress, should have done more research before buying!!! I'm using a feeding stick, last thing I need is to be bitten.....
After doing some reading find they need food that gives strong smell, so tomorrow I'll try fresh squid (as suggested) and maybe peices of scallops...

 

[snorvich]

So far no progress, should have done more research before buying!!! I'm using a feeding stick, last thing I need is to be bitten.....
After doing some reading find they need food that gives strong smell, so tomorrow I'll try fresh squid (as suggested) and maybe peices of scallops...

Scallops don't have sufficient smell. The squid is best as you will find out when you get some!

 

[Drewbaby]

You may also be able to use live ghost shrimp for now to entice him to eat and make sure he doesnt stare. If you feed the ghost shrimp first with some brine or even pellets the eel will get the extra nutrients he needs from eating the shrimp.

Take the shrimp and put them in a net and hold the net right up to the eel. He should be more likely to eat live shrimp, but keep trying the squid. The shrimp is only good as a temporary to sustain the eel until he takes to frozen/prepared foods

 

[billdogg]

you said you have chromis? give him time he'll find them.

best of luck - I had one many years ago, finally got him eating stuff from the seafood counter at krogers - then my undulated moray ate him. :-(

 

[Drewbaby]

Sometimes submerging PVC mazes into the rocks or sand helps to settle them down by giving them a safe haven

 

[sprintermike]

I read someones blog recently who kept one for a couple of years. I wish I could direct you to it but I don't recall where it was. Try googling blue ribbon care.
Anyways, this guy couldn't get the eel to eat but a store owner said the eels need a "feeding frenzy" to eat. So, he put the eel in with all the other fish in a big tank, fed the tank heavy and used pincers to chase live food in front of the eel. Meanwhile, the other fish were darting around going crazy eating. The eel ate and eventually he weaned it onto non-live food.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

I've had one in my tank for over a year now. He was eating at the store where I purchased him and he's eaten from day one. He readily takes frozen squid from the bait store. I probably got lucky.

 

[DuchessDeanna]

My dad has two of these eels that he has kept for at least 3 years. He feeds them whatever is on sale at the grocery store...white fish, shrimp, squid, scallops and soaks it in Garlic Xtreme. His trick is to use pointed feeding tongs that look like another eel and "play" with them. Once he has their interest he loads the tongs and the eels will come steal it. They typically eat 3-4 small pieces a day but won't hunt for themselves. They do go into their PVC caves to eat though. Do you have anything like this for yours? Good luck!

 

[DuchessDeanna]

I hope it's not against any rules to post links to youtube but these two videos are almost exactly what my dad does with his eels...I'm not sure feeding goldfish is the best idea but the technique is similar to my dad's. I am including 2 links but this user has several more videos feeding his BRE. I hope that helps.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/user/SantaMonicaMale#p/search/12/b4UKICoLwwI

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/user/SantaMonicaMale#p/search/8/ad9KTIfYmaw

 

[Mikeeeee]

I'll have to get some of those tongs and try it out..... I didn't use any PVC for housing but may do that as well. Now he seems have housed under a rock cave..

 

[snorvich]

I hope it's not against any rules to post links to youtube but these two videos are almost exactly what my dad does with his eels...I'm not sure feeding goldfish is the best idea but the technique is similar to my dad's. I am including 2 links but this user has several more videos feeding his BRE. I hope that helps.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/user/SantaMonicaMale#p/search/12/b4UKICoLwwI

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/user/SantaMonicaMale#p/search/8/ad9KTIfYmaw

Excellent Deanna! You tube posts are welcome.