SF hunger strike..2 weeks and counting

[dlsmith21]

My SF hasn't eaten anything in over 2 weeks. I have had him for 3 years and the longest he ever went was 3 to 4 days. I catch glimpses of him in the rockwork but he never sticks his head out to eat. Should I be concerned or is this normal?

On a side note...I added a 5" dogface around the same time he quit eating. I haven't witnessed any aggression from the puffer toward any of my other fish. May be coincidental but just thought I would add it.

 

[kirkaz]

Are your water params normal? Tangs will let you know if your water is sliding a bit. They are also known for hunger strikes (I had an Achilles that went a week but recovered), 2 weeks is quite long....What food are you giving that he is he ignoring? Have you tried dosing it with fresh garlic?

 

[prime311]

Is that a Sailfin Tang or a Snowflake Eel?

 

[kirkaz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12810725#post12810725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by prime311
Is that a Sailfin Tang or a Snowflake Eel?

DOH!!! Your probably right.

I hearby change my earlier post....Are you using feeding tongs? Puffers can make it hard for eels to get food as they are greedy pigs and eat the same foods....BTW SFE=Snowflake Eel.

 

[bigred16]

Eels are know to go on hunger strikes every once in a while, my SF went on for almost 2 months before, he goes on week to 2 weeks every once in awhile. They can go for ong periods without food, compared to fish. I have had my SF for about 6 years know, and he is about 32" long about 3" tall and just as wide.

 

[Antiloser24]

I have two SFE that havent eaten for a good 2-3 weeks now aswell ... I just keep trying to feed, they'll eat when they are hungry enough ....

 

[dlsmith21]

Sorry about forgetting my E on SF. Was early..lol.
I feed him silversides and krill. That's all he has ever wanted to eat. He turns his eel nose up to squid. I feed him with a feeding stick after I feed everybody else. While they are munching I can get to him without my niger stealing the food.
My dogface is pretty docile when it comes to feeding time. I have to stick feed him also. The person who owned him before me started that and now that's the only way he will eat.
Thanks for letting me know that this isn't out of the ordinary. It is just the first time he has ever gone more than 4 days without eating. He was my first addition to my FOWLR and I would probably bawl like a baby if he died on me.