Feeding a Zebra Eel ....

[ca1ore]

.... or in my case, not feeding.

Bought a small (18") one from LA 2 1/2 weeks ago and have not observed it to eat anything. I have tried clams, krill, even silversides ..... nothing! Anyone with experience with this fish have any clever suggestions?

Not looking for any general 'use garlic' comments please ... those are not useful!

 

[anbosu]

How are you introducing the food? Mine have always been fed with a stick or grabbers.

My current zebra, which I got at about 16", has never eaten anything other than shrimp. Often squid can entice a feeding reaction, even though I find zebras won't eat squid as readily as say a snowflake.

 

[ca1ore]

Yes, on the end of a stick. Do you use store bought shrimp? I have been trying the large krill.

 

[LotsaTanks]

I have a 3 foot zebra. He eats shrimp only, will not recognize anything else as food. Get smaller raw shrimp and take the shell off and slice it in strips. Dangle it in front of the eels face on the end of a feeding stick. That should work. After it is used to this, add a bit of selcon vitamins to the shrimp. Mine will not touch squid, fish, mussel, clams etc. I feed mine 3 large sliced shrimp twice a week. If the piece is too wide mine spits it up a while later.


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[anbosu]

Yes, on the end of a stick. Do you use store bought shrimp? I have been trying the large krill.

Yes, I buy the raw frozen shrimp or fresh at the counter, whichever is cheaper.

 

[anbosu]

I will add that if I feed the other fish in my aquarium that will invoke a "hungry" response if he is interested in food at the moment. Generally with zebras if they aren't moving around looking for food they aren't going to eat. If you put some mysis into the tank early to pique the eel's interest it may help you get it to take prepared foods.

 

[Mike Ordner]

Same here with shrimp. The ones from the seafood market. I don't even take the shell off. Chop a shrimp in several pieces. Zebra eels are blind as a bat but can smell stuff from a mile away. I toss a couple of pieces in the tank and make the eel hunt for them. I am just the opposite feeding from the above post. Feed eel first so no other smells are in the tank, then feed the rest of the fish. I do have to use a rigid air hose to keep the other fish away from the shrimp until the ell finds it. They can go a long time between feeding. Good luck.

 

[jmicky41]

Years ago I bought one that refused to eat. After a month of trying, I bought 2 live fiddler crabs from the FW section of the fish store. By morning they were gone. That seemed to get the eel going and from then on it would take the usual krill, whole shrimp, squid etc.

 

[ca1ore]

Thanks folks, all very useful advice. Funny thing is I had a zebra some years ago that was easy to feed. Not this guy though. Will get some shrimp.

 

[Cliving1]

I will add that if I feed the other fish in my aquarium that will invoke a "hungry" response if he is interested in food at the moment. Generally with zebras if they aren't moving around looking for food they aren't going to eat. If you put some mysis into the tank early to pique the eel's interest it may help you get it to take prepared foods.

This is a great point. Always made my previous eel start looking for a handout.

 

[hotelbravo]

I had a zebra moray eel go almost 2 months without eating before finally I found the food that he couldn't resist - LRS Chunky.
before I tried LRS Chunky I tried fresh squid, LIVE squid, frozen shrimp as well as live shrimp (3-6 inch tiger shrimp not those tiny ghost shrimp), clam, oyster, and scallop. I wouldn't try to feed Silversides there are to many bad stories of them being spoiled during shipment and causing fish to get sick and/or die.

 

[nereefpat]

You could try some live ghost or peppermint shrimp.

 

[ca1ore]

Thanks to all who offered suggestions. Got a couple of frozen shrimp from the store and the eel ate a strip.

 

[Dmorty217]

Try crawfish too, I had one in the past that only wanted to eat live crawfish unless he was starved for several weeks then krill would suffice

 

[ca1ore]

Try crawfish too, I had one in the past that only wanted to eat live crawfish unless he was starved for several weeks then krill would suffice

Haven't seen u around much, all good I hope. Zebra is now taking shrimp strips consistently. Looks to be good to go.

 

[Cliving1]

Glad to hear. Now that its eating something consistently, soon you can branch out and vary its diet.

 

[Dmorty217]

Haven't seen u around much, all good I hope. Zebra is now taking shrimp strips consistently. Looks to be good to go.

Glad to hear it. My big tank got away from me because of lacking time and equipment going bad from a power outage/lightening strike. Currently revamping it and replacing some equipment. I will have things back to where I want them in a few months I hope.

 

[humaguy]

<---killer, good to see you! you were missed by us dude.

 

[Dmorty217]

Hey Ted, I have some serious catching up to do on your thread! Hope all is well with everyone

 

[humaguy]

Hey Ted, I have some serious catching up to do on your thread! Hope all is well with everyone

all is well, thanks... glad you are back!