dragon eel

[95Harley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14835221#post14835221 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dave168
Why is that? by the way how long does dragon eel live?

Eels are common food items in the ocean, so my guess would be when they feel the presence of big fish they stay a little more hidden. More fish and activity in a tank may be a direct cause to less active lifestyles.

Most eels have lifespans of 20+ years.

 

[anbosu]

Plus they are ambush predators, right? Could be hiding and waiting for the right chance to strike.

 

[dave168]

20+ years. WOW. Do you know how to age them?

 

[95Harley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14837253#post14837253 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dave168
20+ years. WOW. Do you know how to age them?

Afraid I do not but length and girth would be a start. Max out around 32".

 

[dave168]

question on feeding stick, any stick will do? or have to be acrylic.

 

[95Harley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14845623#post14845623 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dave168
question on feeding stick, any stick will do? or have to be acrylic.

I used to use the acrylic stick until my Snowflake grabbed it, wrapped around it, and snapped off about 2" of it and swallowed it. Luckily he passed it through.

I now use a metal shish kebab skewer. I also feed by hand over the tank edge with long pieces of shrimp so my fingers are protected.

You could always use airline tubing cut at an angle as well. Probably the best option.

That's enough from me I'll let others speak now.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I use a wooden skewer to feed my 3ft brazilian dragon moray. Sometimes I feed by hand as well. When I put food in my tank, even after feeding my eel, he comes out and about and isn't afraid of my tangs, angels or wrasse. He sometimes gets so food crazy that he tries to bite anything that moves, its kind of annoying, he's an aggressive feeder!

 

[LukFox]

I use a chopstick. I had an incident back when I had a dwarf lion and I was using a stick with a sharper point because it was easier to stab pieces of food. One day the lion was so enthusiastic he went too far and stabbed himself in the mouth. He didn't eat again after that and wasted away. The chopstick is safer because it's blunt, and isn't that much harder to use than a stick with a point.

 

[dave168]

when you guys feed shrimps with or without head and shells?

 

[95Harley]

For me I remove heads and shells, but I have heard that feeding shells is a good thing.

 

[anbosu]

I use the dull end of a wooden grilling skewer and I leave the shells on the shrimp. I figure they eat them and digest them in the wild and there may be a reason that benefits the fish that I don't know about.

 

[LukFox]

The ones I buy don't have heads, and if the eel will eat them with the shell on I leave it. My miliaris didn't have a problem with the shells, but recently (last 6 months or so) my BDM has been refusing to eat shrimp if the shells are on. My dwarf eel has never had shells on before because she's so small, and she's 4 and doing fine. If this was a problem I would expect to see signs by now.

So either way, I don't think missing out on the shells is going to be bad for the eel. If the eel eats the shells, great, but if it doesn't I wouldn't worry about it. It's always good to soak the food in something like selcon, though.

 

[newreef69]

I feed my dragon eel whole squid about 4 - 5 inches long. It will consume about 2 squid everyday. My dragon eel is about 2 feet long. I had also feed it shrimp with head and without head. No matter what I feed it, it just devours it.

 

[dave168]

Do you guy recommand sand bed or barebottom tank?

 

[Damascus]

I use plastic tongs you can hold and release food as they get near it. Its like a modified trash picker upper. I will take pic.s I want that eel. I dont have room though

 

[95Harley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14966635#post14966635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dave168
Do you guy recommand sand bed or barebottom tank?

I use Aragonite, wont pack as tight as sand which will create gas pockets.

Never liked a BB, would guess an eel wouldn't either.

 

[bluedevils32701]

i use a sandy substrate bottom but also have some crushed coral in there. i don't really think the dragons mind, all mine concentrate on are guarding their territory and feeding.

 

[bluedevils32701]

here is my 20+ inch supermale.

 

[dave168]

nice

 

[dave168]

Question, dothey grow their teeth back? I notice my have a broken tooth and is not completely off. would that fall off and regrew it back?