Snowflake eel bite?

A

Alexj716

New member
For those of you who have a snowflake eel, have you ever been bitten while working in your tank?

I was re-attaching a loose coral today and all of the sudden I see him "flying" toward my hand. I got out before he made contact, luckly. I'm wondering, do they have a rep for attacking people in their tanks?

I had just fed him about 2 hours before this, the almost attack shouldn't have been brought on by hunger.

Before I bought him, I asked the guy at my LFS if they will bite when you are in you tank and he said "No". I know you can't always trust "THEM"

Has anyone had this happen?
 
Use caution as I have been bitten before and lost most of the skin on one of my knuckles! It grew back but it was painfull. I was not actually attacked in the tank. The snowflake escaped and I grabbed him with a wet towel which he slid out of and turned on me.
 
I havent been bit but mine will bite my tongs when feeding and you can feel the teeth vibrations on the tongs.
 
My opinion is that he/she will eventually warm up to you (not try to bite you). Give it a few months and please feed with tongs. Mine has never once tried to bite me and I put my hands in the tank pretty frequently (although never at dinner time). Good luck.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8024747#post8024747 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dandy7200
My opinion is that he/she will eventually warm up to you (not try to bite you). Give it a few months and please feed with tongs. Mine has never once tried to bite me and I put my hands in the tank pretty frequently (although never at dinner time). Good luck.
Click to expand...

That is the strange part, I've him/her for about 4 or 5 months now. This is the first time it's ever done this. I do feed with tongs and try to keep him well fed so he doesn't get crazy aggressive. I hope this doesn't happen again. Fingers crossed!
 
Well snowflakes are not very territorial eels, so he was more than likely hungry and your finger looked like a shrimp. How big is it and how much/often/what do you feed?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8024814#post8024814 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dandy7200
Well snowflakes are not very territorial eels, so he was more than likely hungry and your finger looked like a shrimp. How big is it and how much/often/what do you feed?
Click to expand...

He is about a foot long, I feed him Krill or Silversides once a week.
 
IMO he is hungy, once a week is not enough food unless you are absolutely gorging him for 30 minutes. Try some fresh shrimp from the supermarket and watch him GROW! I personally believe that the once or twice a week feeding thing for eels is garbage. I feed every single day, and don't get the hunger strikes that others report. If there is one day without eating than I just cut back a little on the daily portions, if I think that he needs more food I slowly increase the portions until I see that he stops eating for a day. Once your eel gets used to a feeding pattern like this it is an extremely quick process. Stick shrimp nugget on prong, in tank, gone in 2 seconds.
HTH
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8025125#post8025125 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dandy7200
IMO he is hungy, once a week is not enough food unless you are absolutely gorging him for 30 minutes. Try some fresh shrimp from the supermarket and watch him GROW! I personally believe that the once or twice a week feeding thing for eels is garbage. I feed every single day, and don't get the hunger strikes that others report. If there is one day without eating than I just cut back a little on the daily portions, if I think that he needs more food I slowly increase the portions until I see that he stops eating for a day. Once your eel gets used to a feeding pattern like this it is an extremely quick process. Stick shrimp nugget on prong, in tank, gone in 2 seconds.
HTH
Click to expand...

Ok, I will start feeding him more often. I didn't know they needed to be feed that much. Thanks for your input, I would rather fix the situation then take him back.

thanks!!!
 
No..but when I had my snowflake it was a family time in front of the tank, as I would have my daughter watch for him and the urchin all the time. Was scared to dealth of them.
 
My snowflake never showed any aggression towards me. i would just be smart and not try to provoke the eel. Study it's behavior and make a decission from there.
 
ive been bitten several times by different snowflakes, doesnt hurt one bit, just is a creepy feeling. they latch on for a second, but it feels like all gums. no pain, just icky.
 
I have one about the same size that I hand feed "I know not very smart " . he nipped at me in the begining but learned quickly what was food and what was finger . I feed 3-4 times a week.
Usually if he is out of his rock he is hungry , so thats when I know to feed him .
 
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