Dragon Moray

[chicken]

Hi, my Dragon moray stopped eating a few weeks ago. He has done this every 12-18 months since I got him 5 years ago. From what I have heard this is somewhat normal with Morays. Normally when he is on a hunger strike he will act totally normal. He just keeps his body in the rock work with his head sticking out of it. This huger strike is different though. He has been hiding back in the rock work refusing to eat or come out and now for the last 1 1/2 days he has been completely out of the rock work just laying in the sand. I have never seen him in the 5 years I have had him do this. He looks totally normal besides just laying there somewhat on his side, no marks, no spots, color looks good, etc. Nothing on this tank has changed at all in 6+ months, no additions, etc except I changed salts about 4 weeks ago. The tank is at a SG of 1.022 and kept at 77 degrees. No Ammonia, no Nitrites and Nitrates are around 25. As for salts I have changed from Oceanic over to Reef Crystals. I have done probably 4 10-15% water changes over the last four weeks. I have really no idea on where to start from here. There seems to be no information about treating eels anywhere on the Internet and I just don't want to overreact and throw him in the QT tank and start medicating him. If anyone has any ideas on where to start I would appreciate it, I really don't want to loose him.

Thanks!

 

[mkinna1]

Wow that horrible good luck with what ever the problem is!

 

[DFRESH]

ahh a fellow dragon tamer lol. ok some info please, how long is he , what do u feed, how much/often, and how long has it been since he ate ? i will try my best 2 delve in2 my gargantuan reef/fish library, id also h8 2 c ur eel die :/

 

[DFRESH]

?

 

[JHemdal]

Here is a link to my recent article on anorexia in fishes - but I'm afraid it doesn't address your specific case:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/12/aafeature1

I doubt if the change in salt is the root of this issue. Whenever I hear of a problem with a long-term carnivore, I immediately think fatty liver disease (although this issue is rare in eels).


Jay