HELP,Can't get Snowflake to Eat

[fio1022]

Hi,
I recently(2 days ago) purchased a Valentini Puffer and a Snowflake eel.Both are being housed together in a 20g quarantine tank.
Hopefully both, will ultimately make it to their permanent 240g home.
This is the first time I've ever tried to keep an eel and I cant seem to get him to eat.
I've tried frozen mysis,clam on half shell,and now a sm.piece of silverslide.(all w/1-2 drops of garlic extreme).
The puffer eats mysis like a pig.
What should I do?

 

[juniorrocketdad]

I am not an expert from what I hear even when in normal tanks eels will go on hunger strikes for months at a time so I would not worry too much

 

[Cliving1]

Your off to the right start. Variety is key until they start eating. However getting them to eat frozen can be a challenge with eels. Whats in your quarantine? Any PVC pipes? The eel may not feel safe without being able to hide its body. What size is the eel?

 

[fio1022]

My QT is plain Jane.It consists of an aquaclear30 power filter,and a large sponge filter that has a small maxijet driving it(no air bubbbles).and 1 1/4 x 6" pc of pvc.
I don't know what else to try.

 

[Reef908]

Haven't tried an eel yet but I will once I upgrade and make my current 75 an eel tank. Based on research reading these forums and talking with a few LFS so far, I'd say try adding more pvc to the tank so it can fully hide and not share a spot with the puffer. Also just keep offering variety in food. I'd think the silversides would be the best bet to get to eat though. How long is the eel? Could the food bits be too small or big to entice it?

 

[cougareyes]

Eels eat chunky food they will not likely take food from the water column. Are you using a feeding stick or tongs. Depending on how big he is cut up a piece of shrimp and wave it around in front of him and even make him chase it a bit. If that doesn't work try some live ghost shrimp. Once he starts eating he will eat you out of house and home. I should have said newly acquired eels usually don't take from water column. It's also probably best to train them with a feeding stick, because of their eyesight they can inadvertently bite one their tankmates if they are feeding from loose food.

 

[scooter31707]

Try some fresh shrimp from your local supermarket.

 

[fio1022]

I have very long feeding tongs.i actually had the piece of silverside in his mouth,but he would not bite it.
I'll try a shrimp later today
I'm assuming raw uncooked?
Also he is about 12"lg and about 3/4"dia.

 

[cougareyes]

Yes raw uncooked, if you can find a bag of calamari(squid) in the frozen section they tear that stuff up. My jeweled goes crazy when I'm feeding him squid, I guess it's like a delicacy to them. I'm actually going to chinatown today to get some octopus for him, I've heard they go crazy over that too. So far I feed mine silversides, shrimp, and squid; snowflakes will tend to like shrimp over silversides.

 

[scooter31707]

if you don't mind me asking, did you see him eat before purchase?

 

[fio1022]

if you don't mind me asking, did you see him eat before purchase?

When I was there, there was some Un eaten food in the tank.I went against my better judgement and assumed he ate already.I knew better and still made the purchase.
Bad on my part.Hopefully I will learn from my mistake. And hopefully I can get him to eat.....

 

[cougareyes]

I wouldn't stress so much, they can take a while to eat. Cut up enough shrimp for a feeding and have ready when you feed the other fish, chum the water with some mysis and when the eel comes out he will likely take the food. Again last resort is to settle him in with some live food like ghosties or even fiddler crabs, once settled in he is more likely to take what you are offering. Also because they are nocturnal it's sometimes easier in the beginning to get them to eat after lights out.

 

[cdjim]

Use whole head on bait shrimp for mine. He eats like a pig.

 

[fio1022]

Still has not eaten....

 

[cougareyes]

Have you tried live yet

 

[fio1022]

Not yet,I'll give him 1 more day.
Hoping not to go live at all.