Ribbon Eel

[cb747]

A few weeks ago at Aqua Hut i bought a Blue Ribbon Eel. It ate 3 pieces of frozen silversides at the store. It didnt eat anything frozen sense being in my tank. Getting desperate to get it to eat i bought some feeder minnows today and it readily devoured several of them. Guess it was a little hungry Anyone know of any tricks to ween it on frozen food? I know your not really supposed to feed fresh water feeders to saltwater fish and in a few months i can go catch small killies and such at the beach for food but till then im stuck. I also have a snowflake Eel and that will eat anything! Fingers included

 

[billsreef]

Stick a piece of defrosted silverside on a feeding stick and try teasing it a bit, after getting it excited with a couple of live feeders

 

[mgny]

I just read a cool thread about a ribbon eel. The guy buried pvc under his sand to give the eel a place to hide. He was having success. I think it was either the fish or advanced topic forum. I will see if i can find it if you cant. Good luck Mike

 

[mgny]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1050101

Here it is. Too bad i have a bb.

 

[Justjoe]

A feeding stick made from rigid airline tubing. Make a small hole in the tubing and insert a short piece of heavy monofilament fishing line knotted on one end, and use the fishing line to skewer some food, and dangle/ dance it by the eel.

Local grass shrimp would also be a good source of nutrition.

 

[cb747]

Bill i tired that today inbetween live minnows and it expressed interest but the piece of silverside was too big i think.

Mike thanks and ill be reading that right after this. I have BB too and the eel is more than happy to wind itself among the rock work. I kinda have 3 piles of rocks and the ribbon has taken up residence on the left side and the snowflake in the middle. Kinda cool to watch. I have a cleaner shrimp that is going to be short lived. It lives inches away from the snowflake. Not very smart LOL Im trying to get my hands on a Dwarf Golden Moray.

Joe i like that idea! Thanks for the info. It beats my wooden skewers taped together! Id get more wiggle action out of it with your method. When do the local grass shrimp show up or are they permanent residents year round? I still have a bunch i collected last year in my sump.

 

[billsreef]

Chris,

I've found both grass shrimp and mysis off the local docks this past week

 

[cb747]

Ahhh very good! Ill have to take a ride during the week thanks Bill!
My buddy and i are going to be doing our now annual fluke trip out of Greenport probably the beginning of May. Care to join us?

 

[billsreef]

Remind me when it gets close to time for that fluke trip

 

[cb747]

You got it Bill
I went down to the beach today to collect some grass shrimp with no luck. Didnt see one single live thing except for some mussels. Either way it was a nice day to wander the beach. Minnows will have to work for a few more weeks i guess.

 

[cb747]

As an update its now eating frozen! I gave it a dead Minnow today that it devoured then later tried a piece of frozen silverside and finally a small Lance fish all of which it readily devoured. Mike the link you posted had a lot of good info and ive posted in it a few times. I notice alot of similiarities with his BR and mine.

 

[LCGoldman]

Great news Chris!!

 

[cb747]

Thanks Lonnie I like when i can defy the odds on things. I feel these eels require time and effort to get to eat but once accomplished they seem to readily eat. Ive always wanted one. Joes feeding stick works better than mine did. I was able to make the frozen food wiggle more. Now i dont even have to as the eel just grabs the food. It even went for a piece of frozen krill but it dropped it and one of my tangs instantly snapped it up.