My Blue Ribbon Eel eats! (pics and videos)
- Thread starter SantaMonica
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SantaMonica
Well-known member
Yes the idols, seadragons, and a lion are on order 
ReefJunkieOK
New member
Very impressive tank!
Kolognekoral
New member
Bryan,
great fotos! and Nice approach to making the eel comfy.
I have one since over a year, now, we call Elvira. Started out black and is now in the blue phase. I can concur with your results, as a frenzy does seem to stimulate the capture/drag-away/swallow instinct. I have quite a few voracious fish in my aquarium and Elvira had to learn to compete, which is not really in the character of these fish. They are really quite gentle and, I get the impression...blind! Like you said, they stare off into the wild blue and ignore their surroundings until...
Mine was pretty easy to get eating. The first week was a no goer, but suddenly, as all the fish were chasing after food, Elvira snatched a small Anthias (which had been ailing from cyanide(?) poisoning) and dragged it into its den! I was speachless :eek1: . After that, I tried strips of frozen red snapper and we were off! You mentioned that your fish showed a preference for goldfish, which are similarly coloured as Anthias. Perhaps this is a natural food for them?
Interesting how your eel also reacts to a long stick-type object. I was sticking the frozen fish onto a bamboo stick and waggling it in the front of the den. Elvira seemed to accept the stick as a competetor and would always aim for the point where the fish and stick met. It would have been much easier to grab the loose end of the fish and play tug-o-war, but instinct seems to dictate a head to head approach, although, if the other fish start playing with her food, she tends to let it go for a moment and then reapproach to snap it and drag it away. For an eel, she is pretty polite and shy!
I am toying with the idea of getting another eel, as company may be closer to their natural lifestyle. I have heard that this can stimulate a colour change in one of the eels, apparently a classic protandic-hemaphrodite developement. If I get that far, I'll report back.
great fotos! and Nice approach to making the eel comfy.
I have one since over a year, now, we call Elvira. Started out black and is now in the blue phase. I can concur with your results, as a frenzy does seem to stimulate the capture/drag-away/swallow instinct. I have quite a few voracious fish in my aquarium and Elvira had to learn to compete, which is not really in the character of these fish. They are really quite gentle and, I get the impression...blind! Like you said, they stare off into the wild blue and ignore their surroundings until...
Mine was pretty easy to get eating. The first week was a no goer, but suddenly, as all the fish were chasing after food, Elvira snatched a small Anthias (which had been ailing from cyanide(?) poisoning) and dragged it into its den! I was speachless :eek1: . After that, I tried strips of frozen red snapper and we were off! You mentioned that your fish showed a preference for goldfish, which are similarly coloured as Anthias. Perhaps this is a natural food for them?
Interesting how your eel also reacts to a long stick-type object. I was sticking the frozen fish onto a bamboo stick and waggling it in the front of the den. Elvira seemed to accept the stick as a competetor and would always aim for the point where the fish and stick met. It would have been much easier to grab the loose end of the fish and play tug-o-war, but instinct seems to dictate a head to head approach, although, if the other fish start playing with her food, she tends to let it go for a moment and then reapproach to snap it and drag it away. For an eel, she is pretty polite and shy!
I am toying with the idea of getting another eel, as company may be closer to their natural lifestyle. I have heard that this can stimulate a colour change in one of the eels, apparently a classic protandic-hemaphrodite developement. If I get that far, I'll report back.
peteralexander
New member
santamonica how is the eel doing today. Has it gone after anything in the tank? That is amazing how you got it to eat. I guess some times you get good ones and bad ones. My friend tried and his starved to death.
SantaMonica
Well-known member
ReefJunkieOK: Thanks much.
Kolognekoral: Great to hear about this. Yours is the first, I believe, of someone else having one currently. Mine too goes for the "stick" first, before grabbing the food. That is why I started playing with him first, since he wanted to play with or "check out" the stick first anyway. Sounds like you got yours eating without any "pipes"... you must have lots of rock.
peteralexander: He's doing great. Many of the pics and videos of him are just a few days old. He does indeed have interest in two things in the tank: The coral catfish, and the blue gudgeon goby (both, interestingly, long narrow fish). He also really likes the frozen silversides I feed him, which also are long and narrow. Did your friend have places for his BR to hide?
Kolognekoral: Great to hear about this. Yours is the first, I believe, of someone else having one currently. Mine too goes for the "stick" first, before grabbing the food. That is why I started playing with him first, since he wanted to play with or "check out" the stick first anyway. Sounds like you got yours eating without any "pipes"... you must have lots of rock.
peteralexander: He's doing great. Many of the pics and videos of him are just a few days old. He does indeed have interest in two things in the tank: The coral catfish, and the blue gudgeon goby (both, interestingly, long narrow fish). He also really likes the frozen silversides I feed him, which also are long and narrow. Did your friend have places for his BR to hide?
Kolognekoral
New member
Dear Santa...hmm, not right...dear SM...hmm..too personal,
Ha,
Hey Bryan!
yes, I have quite a few rocks in my aquarium and the den has at least three entrances. I used to have an echinata, but she blundered into the anemone and was lunch .
I know of a few aquaintances (met as the LFS) who, also, keep ribbon eels without a problem. We have never found them to be overly difficult to maintain. I remember, when I lived in San Francisco, they were considered very delicate and poor eaters. It never occured to me that they were still problematic in the states. It may just be the source, perhaps we are lucky in Europe, as most of our fish are imported by and from German expatriates. Quality is a huge issue in Germany (just look at the autos!) I used to get fish from a German in Kenya, but he no longer exports (retired). They were simply amazing! My eel probably came form Bali or Timor, I really don't remember. All I know is, it was not from the Philippines (although I have other fish from the P-islands, many collectors are excellent).
I think 'the stick' is a major tool to get these beauties interested in food. They seem to love a bit of play.
Ha,
Hey Bryan!
yes, I have quite a few rocks in my aquarium and the den has at least three entrances. I used to have an echinata, but she blundered into the anemone and was lunch
.I know of a few aquaintances (met as the LFS) who, also, keep ribbon eels without a problem. We have never found them to be overly difficult to maintain. I remember, when I lived in San Francisco, they were considered very delicate and poor eaters. It never occured to me that they were still problematic in the states. It may just be the source, perhaps we are lucky in Europe, as most of our fish are imported by and from German expatriates. Quality is a huge issue in Germany (just look at the autos!) I used to get fish from a German in Kenya, but he no longer exports (retired). They were simply amazing! My eel probably came form Bali or Timor, I really don't remember. All I know is, it was not from the Philippines (although I have other fish from the P-islands, many collectors are excellent).
I think 'the stick' is a major tool to get these beauties interested in food. They seem to love a bit of play.
reef_research
New member
Kudos to you both!
Do either of you use supplementals/vitamins at all when feeding?
Since the pipes seem to play such a crucial role in this, i must ask:
do you think that effect could be duplicated by using LR?
Thank you both for what you have done.
Thomas.
Do either of you use supplementals/vitamins at all when feeding?
Since the pipes seem to play such a crucial role in this, i must ask:
do you think that effect could be duplicated by using LR?
Thank you both for what you have done.
Thomas.
SantaMonica
Well-known member
ReefJunkieOK: Thanks... doing my best to decorate tanks around the world
Kolognekoral: Wow glad to hear. I have not tried strips of any kind of meat... maybe I should. You should post pics/videos of your guy.
peteralexander: He's going great. Not gone after anything at all in the last few days... just his food I give him. As for good/bad ones, if your friend did not have pipes/tubes, I know my BR would not have survived there.
Kolognekoral: Wow glad to hear. I have not tried strips of any kind of meat... maybe I should. You should post pics/videos of your guy.
peteralexander: He's going great. Not gone after anything at all in the last few days... just his food I give him. As for good/bad ones, if your friend did not have pipes/tubes, I know my BR would not have survived there.
Kolognekoral
New member
Thomas,
I've not tried adding anything to the fish strips that are my fishes main diet, although I try to feed pieces with a few bones in them and I do feed whole shrimps occaisionally. I do feel that small whole fish would be better, live or frozen, as they are a more complete food. Admitedly, I feed these not very often, due to the logistics of obtaining live fish and still working! (they have only just changed the opening hours of shops in Germany. Most are closed at 6:00 PM, still. Change takes time ) As my eels changed colour from black to blue in the aquarium, I get the feeling the blue would be more intense if I fed something else into the diet, I just don't know what.
A den is all important to any of the eel family. Mine rarely comes completely out, prefering to poke its head from one of the openings and checking out the action. So fast as I feed the other fish, those little feathered nostrils pick-up the scent and the eel makes an appearance. I typically feed two pieces of fish at a time, as the angels and tangs are much more agressive and pull the food away. With two pieces, Elvira manages to snatch one away into the den.
I've not tried adding anything to the fish strips that are my fishes main diet, although I try to feed pieces with a few bones in them and I do feed whole shrimps occaisionally. I do feel that small whole fish would be better, live or frozen, as they are a more complete food. Admitedly, I feed these not very often, due to the logistics of obtaining live fish and still working! (they have only just changed the opening hours of shops in Germany. Most are closed at 6:00 PM, still. Change takes time
) As my eels changed colour from black to blue in the aquarium, I get the feeling the blue would be more intense if I fed something else into the diet, I just don't know what.A den is all important to any of the eel family. Mine rarely comes completely out, prefering to poke its head from one of the openings and checking out the action. So fast as I feed the other fish, those little feathered nostrils pick-up the scent and the eel makes an appearance. I typically feed two pieces of fish at a time, as the angels and tangs are much more agressive and pull the food away. With two pieces, Elvira manages to snatch one away into the den.
reef_research
New member
Do you think that two of these eels should be able to be housed together if allowed plenty of room and separate pipe systems?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Kolognekoral
New member
Thomas,
I'm planning on trying it out myself. On the reef they often come in small groups, but I do not know if they are terratorial in an Aquarium. I did read a piece from someone who did have two together and one went back to being black after the other blue specimen was added. As to tank size, etc., I have no information. It may have been a public aquarium.
I'm planning on trying it out myself. On the reef they often come in small groups, but I do not know if they are terratorial in an Aquarium. I did read a piece from someone who did have two together and one went back to being black after the other blue specimen was added. As to tank size, etc., I have no information. It may have been a public aquarium.
reef_research
New member
What size do you and SantaMonica keep your individuals in?
I am working on some 3D models to show you a few of my ideas for pipes/DIYLR, so that we can discuss it here.
Thank you.
Edit: My graphics skills werent what I thought they were, but the design basically involves the entrances/exits to certain hole to extend and either exit or continue through a DIYLR substance, possibly ending in a close-ended cave.
Last edited:
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Whoops I see my post got put into the wrong sequence. Anyways...
Kolognekoral: Yes the stick (the grabber-took that looks like an eel with it's mouth open) seems very important. It's also a good judge of whether the eel will eat that day or not. When I put the grabber tool in by itself (with jaws open so it looks like a BR), if the BR comes out right away and comes up to the tool, then I know he will eat a fish that day. If he does not come out to meet the tool, then I do not have to try to feed him, since he is still full and will not eat.
reef_research: I have not used any vitamins for the eel food... just the regular tank-maintenance things. My (limited) opinion on LR is that it would have less chance than pipes, because light can still get in the rocks. I have 100 pounds of LR, and the BR will STILL never eat unless he is in the pipes. I would think this says something as to the preferece the BR has to total darkness. If you don't want to bury any pipes, I would at least try weaving some flexible ones through the rock. I'm thinking of two-inch flexible plastic pipe like you see on some vacuum cleaners. As for two BR together, I don't know... have not tried it yet.
Kolognekoral: Actually in all the pics I've seen of BR in the wild, they are always by themselves.
29special: Thanks. And your mention of the overflow just got me thinking: The BR must be looking for a dark place.
reef_research: Mine is a 90. But in reality, even when the BR comes out, he stays on the bottom in the corner 90% of the time. Maybe once a day (for about 20 seconds) he'll swim all over the top of the tank like you see in the pics. Thus, I would think that a smaller tank... even 20 or 30 gallons, might work as long as you had the three feet of pipe. As for your pipe layouts, remember the BR will spend most of the day with his head 2 to 6 inches out of the pipe; so you want this pipe opening to be where you can see him the best.
Kolognekoral: Yes the stick (the grabber-took that looks like an eel with it's mouth open) seems very important. It's also a good judge of whether the eel will eat that day or not. When I put the grabber tool in by itself (with jaws open so it looks like a BR), if the BR comes out right away and comes up to the tool, then I know he will eat a fish that day. If he does not come out to meet the tool, then I do not have to try to feed him, since he is still full and will not eat.
reef_research: I have not used any vitamins for the eel food... just the regular tank-maintenance things. My (limited) opinion on LR is that it would have less chance than pipes, because light can still get in the rocks. I have 100 pounds of LR, and the BR will STILL never eat unless he is in the pipes. I would think this says something as to the preferece the BR has to total darkness. If you don't want to bury any pipes, I would at least try weaving some flexible ones through the rock. I'm thinking of two-inch flexible plastic pipe like you see on some vacuum cleaners. As for two BR together, I don't know... have not tried it yet.
Kolognekoral: Actually in all the pics I've seen of BR in the wild, they are always by themselves.
29special: Thanks. And your mention of the overflow just got me thinking: The BR must be looking for a dark place.
reef_research: Mine is a 90. But in reality, even when the BR comes out, he stays on the bottom in the corner 90% of the time. Maybe once a day (for about 20 seconds) he'll swim all over the top of the tank like you see in the pics. Thus, I would think that a smaller tank... even 20 or 30 gallons, might work as long as you had the three feet of pipe. As for your pipe layouts, remember the BR will spend most of the day with his head 2 to 6 inches out of the pipe; so you want this pipe opening to be where you can see him the best.
cb747
Active member
I picked up a Blue Ribbon Eel almost 3 weeks ago. To my amazement it ate 3 pieces of frozen silverside in the LFS. It was in a tank with many other eels.
I get it home and ofcoarse it doesnt eat anything for the next 2 weeks. I tried everything in the frozen department. So today i go to the LFS and pick up some minnows. I put one on the skewer i use for a feeding stick and put it infront of the eel and it wiggles a bit and bam its gone down the eels throat! I do this 2 more times and the eel eats again. Victory!
Based on my observations i notice the eel getting very excited when i feed the tank and the other fish go into there "feeding frenzy" I did witness the eel going after the cleaner wrasse during this. I also notice the eel likes to have his head in the flow of my closed loop.
I dont have any pipes in my tank and its also a BB tank. However i do have 3 piles of rock that are connected to each other. The BR resides on the left side and winds himself up pretty well in and under the rock work. I have a snowflake as well who inhabits the middle rock work pile. Ive never seen the 2 eels interact besides passing each other occasionally.
These are beautiful looking fish and they do require time and effort to get to eat. Once eating though its a walk in the park.
Santamonica i think its great what you accomplished and your tank looks awesome! Its people like you that are inventive and creative trying different things that can bring the prospect of these eels to not have such a dismal survival rate that they currently do. Good work!!
I get it home and ofcoarse it doesnt eat anything for the next 2 weeks. I tried everything in the frozen department. So today i go to the LFS and pick up some minnows. I put one on the skewer i use for a feeding stick and put it infront of the eel and it wiggles a bit and bam its gone down the eels throat! I do this 2 more times and the eel eats again. Victory!
Based on my observations i notice the eel getting very excited when i feed the tank and the other fish go into there "feeding frenzy" I did witness the eel going after the cleaner wrasse during this. I also notice the eel likes to have his head in the flow of my closed loop.
I dont have any pipes in my tank and its also a BB tank. However i do have 3 piles of rock that are connected to each other. The BR resides on the left side and winds himself up pretty well in and under the rock work. I have a snowflake as well who inhabits the middle rock work pile. Ive never seen the 2 eels interact besides passing each other occasionally.
These are beautiful looking fish and they do require time and effort to get to eat. Once eating though its a walk in the park.
Santamonica i think its great what you accomplished and your tank looks awesome! Its people like you that are inventive and creative trying different things that can bring the prospect of these eels to not have such a dismal survival rate that they currently do. Good work!!
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Wow that's great that you got yours going so quick. Don't be alarmed if you hit a one-week no eating spell. As for the snowflake, mine took quite a while before he went after the BR, so keep an eye on yours.
cb747
Active member
I know eels can and do go for periods without eating. I only got concerned with the ribbon when we surpassed the 2 week mark. I was just going to feed him now but he was cruising the tank so im going to wait till he settles back under his rock pile then ill feed him and the rest of the tank. I will definitely keep an eye on the snowflake. Im hoping there wont be any issues among them.
cb747
Active member
Its now eating frozen! Gave it some silverside and also a lance fish and a minnow that had died. I fed it a minnow the other day while the lights were still off and it reradily ate thart too That was just something else i tried knowing that eels are nocturnal and there wouldnmt be any competion from its tankmates. Victory!!
That was just something else i tried knowing that eels are nocturnal and there wouldnmt be any competion from its tankmates. Victory!!Since you are in Germany, try getting in contact with Dr. Rüdiger Verhasselt in Düsseldorf, his contact info is in this link at the end:
http://www.seahorses.de/autorseaworld.htm
He has experience with them:
http://www.seahorses.de/muraenen.htm
His group (I believe they are black when young) :
At feeding:
The PVC home:
Viele Gruesse,
Honey
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