QT Issue For Eel, need advice

[ksicard]

Hey all,
I'm a QT nut and put every fish I buy through a 4-8 week QT regimen. The problem is that I'm picking up at golden dwarf moray eel on Monday and I'm not sure how I'm going to QT the eel. I had one of these eels in the past but while in QT it managed to escape out of the tank. My QT's both have glass tops but since I use HOB equipment there are small gaps in the glass tops where the filters sit. I have 2 QT's, 1 being a 15g and the other a 55g. Does anyone have any recommendations on how I can QT the eel without it being able to escape. I've played with the idea of not QT'ing but that just seems extremely scary to me. I would really appreciate if someone were able to provide me with some kind of solution for QT'ing the eel, they are expensive so I do not want to risk the eel escaping out of QT.

 

[Duke4life]

Prazipro for parasites, then observe. Their slime coat helps them a lot. Use window screen and duct tape for the openings. With eels you just never know. I'd ttm just to rule out ich but there again that's risky.

 

[Jeff4777]

Maybe ttm him into the tank. A run or two of prazi during ttm. A formalin dip could be done at the start too (assuming eels can handle that i havent personally owned a eel.)

 

[Daniel62]

I know this might sound crazy but when I qt my golden I put my smaller tank inside a larger tank. The smaller tank was covered, but just in case, I filled the larger tank about 1/2 way with water. This gave me time to notice if he had escaped, the water in the bigger tank was only a few degrees cooler, and of course there was no flow but I figured if he got out I would soon find him. Just an idea. I will also be getting this eel for my Hawaiian biotope tank. Good luck

 

[scuzy]

I put mine in a critter cage

 

[Dmorty217]

+1 for the critter cage. I would suggest Chloroquine phosphate to treat for ich with eels

 

[ksicard]

Can you post a link to where I can purchase a critter cage? I've actually never heard of one, I picked up the eel from a local wholesale supplier today and I ended up getting screened in door mesh and loads of duct tape to secure the tank.

I'd like to still give this critter cage a try though just in case.

 

[xkon]

For the open spaces on the tank near equipment, maybe try to tape some syran wrap or something over the spots. If the eel makes his way to there and bumps his nose on the syran wrap it might be enough to make him change directions. The window screen would probably be a better option as it is more rigid.

I have two fimbriated eels. I believe the one eel got an internal parasite and would twitch his head and went on a hunger strike for over a month. Ended up dosing prazipro in the DT and after a few days, his appetite has went from nothing to out of control.

Like mentioned, the slime coat on eels is very thick and beneficial in helping with disease. Because of the lack of scales, DON'T use copper. I have never read/heard of anyone having an eel with ich but that doesn't mean it isn't possible. If you needed to treat for that tho I would suggest hypo.

Everyone has the own level of risk, or lack there of, they are going to take. While many will probably say otherwise, if it were me, I would just add the eel or try two rounds of prazi then add. Like I said, that is just me for this case.

 

[jbvdhp]

QT Issue For Eel, need advice

Can you post a link to where I can purchase a critter cage? I've actually never heard of one, I picked up the eel from a local wholesale supplier today and I ended up getting screened in door mesh and loads of duct tape to secure the tank.

I'd like to still give this critter cage a try though just in case.

You have a local Walmart near by? They sell the clear cages with the colorful slotted tops for $5.97 and it's a very decent sized one too. It has a plastic carrying handle on top

Not the best pic but you get the idea.

http://www.kingprof.com/files/news_images/(0)1247224039-09921900.jpg

 

[Jade5051]

Stuff the openings with filter floss or use egg crate and try to cut it really close to the hob equipment?

 

[Dmorty217]

For the open spaces on the tank near equipment, maybe try to tape some syran wrap or something over the spots. If the eel makes his way to there and bumps his nose on the syran wrap it might be enough to make him change directions. The window screen would probably be a better option as it is more rigid.

I have two fimbriated eels. I believe the one eel got an internal parasite and would twitch his head and went on a hunger strike for over a month. Ended up dosing prazipro in the DT and after a few days, his appetite has went from nothing to out of control.

Like mentioned, the slime coat on eels is very thick and beneficial in helping with disease. Because of the lack of scales, DON'T use copper. I have never read/heard of anyone having an eel with ich but that doesn't mean it isn't possible. If you needed to treat for that tho I would suggest hypo.

Everyone has the own level of risk, or lack there of, they are going to take. While many will probably say otherwise, if it were me, I would just add the eel or try two rounds of prazi then add. Like I said, that is just me for this case.

Ich will live in the gills of eels. Chloroquine Phosphate or TTM are the treatments of choice for ich. I have a Zebra moray that comes out of CP in 6 days so I know it doesn't hurt eels and works

 

[ksicard]

How badly will copper affect eels? I'm already running cupramine in my 55g QT and thats where the eel is. I do have a second QT that isn't running copper and I may end up adding him to when I pick up that critter box.

 

[xkon]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2499783

 

[ksicard]

I just picked up a critter box from walmart, I will be transferring the eel over to the non medicated tank.