Fire Eel

[kniesh]

Hi, just after some info on if anyone has converted their fire eel to Massivore pellets. Mine will only seem to eat frozen blood worms. Can't seem to get it eating anything else. Its currently in a tank with differing Bichirs, and smaller Datnoides and BGK, amongst a few others which I am trying to convert. Just wondering if anyone else has succeeded at this?

 

[nmonks]

Don't buy any spiny eel expecting it to eat pellets or flake. If you do that, you'll end up with a dead spiny eel. They compete poorly for food when kept with big fish, so it's best to train them to be hand fed. Failing that, keep them with species that don't feed on the same sorts of foods, herbivores for example.

Earthworms are an extremely good staple food. Gut-loaded river shrimp are a good supplement. You can also feed fire eels small pieces of tilapia fillet, whole lancefish, cockles, mussels and prawns (though mussels and prawns contain thiaminase, so should be used sparingly).

Cheers, Neale

 

[kniesh]

Thanks Neale. I have actually had him for about 5 months now, if not more. He's around 8-9 inches and has always ate Bloodworms> He comes to the surface to collect them, he actually competes really well, always gets his fill quite quick. He would feed from my hand if I tried, but I don't like doing that really, being I'm from a wildlife conservation background, it's not best practise as you know an just a habit really now, not to try. He comes quite close all the time, no real harm in this case I suppose. I just wondered how likely it would be to convert him. I will still feed him bloodworms if he doesn't after a while of trying.

Thanks Neale

I have tried, Mussels, Prawns, and Squid on different occasions too, as I feed the others these sometimes. He never seems interested, so I don't really fancy my chances to be honest.

 

[nmonks]

Bloodworms aren't particularly nutritious; they're fine as part of a fish's diet, but shouldn't be the only thing it eats.

Cheers, Neale

 

[kniesh]

Bloodworms aren't particularly nutritious; they're fine as part of a fish's diet, but shouldn't be the only thing it eats.

Cheers, Neale

I have just bought a tub of small mealworms to try and get my Striped Gar on, so will see if he will take them too. He literally will not take anything else.

 

[nmonks]

Earthworms. He'll eat 'em.

Cheers, Neale

 

[always4lora]

I tried with a tire track eel and was unsuccessfull, earth worms did the job for me. Get your self a wormery , its saved me a lot of money!

 

[zeke the black ghost knife]

I tried with a tire track eel and was unsuccessfull, earth worms did the job for me. Get your self a wormery , its saved me a lot of money!

so this could work with my peacock eel? (ive never seen him eat)

 

[kniesh]

I tried with a tire track eel and was unsuccessfull, earth worms did the job for me. Get your self a wormery , its saved me a lot of money!

Looks like this is the plan now. looks reasonably easy to set up. Might get one going over the weekend. Cheers

 

[simonas]

in the meantime Vinny theres a lady on ebay selling the earthworms, i usd to get them for my fire eel, luckily he went on to prawn and lancefish and other stuff and he shot up in growth then,