My New Spiny Eel

[simonfa]

Hi guys, im new to this board and a relative newcomer to the tropical fish world after becoming addicted once my son had been given a small tank for christmas! Anyway thats another story...

Ive recently bought a Spiny Eel and have had it in the tank for 4 days now, although this is my first Eel i can tell something is not quite right with him. He started out at the bottom of the tank hiding and looking for places to hide but now since yesterday morning he has stayed around the top of the tank swimming fine but erratically at times and generally through the bubbles from an air stone i have. He seems to also have developed what can only be described as a cloudy white substence on the back half of his body. Also around 3 quarters of the way down his back seems to be very slightly bumpy also as if he had very small stones inside under the skin... Does anyone have an idea on this at all? If needed i could try and get a pic of 'Dave' for you to view.

Any help would be most appreciated and thank you in advance.

 

[simonas]

it doesn;t sound as if things are right

I know that when they are emaciated, not well fed then the stomach and underside can look nobbly and they can swim funny as if balance is wrong

obviously if you;ve had him 4 days its not your fault but clearly it could be that he is lacking in food

or it could be water quality, if the tank is a newish tank then maybe stats aren;t right for the eel

maybe do a water change and buy some live bloodworm or small earthworms and try and get it eating. spiny eels can;t reisist a worm

 

[simonfa]

it doesn;t sound as if things are right

I know that when they are emaciated, not well fed then the stomach and underside can look nobbly and they can swim funny as if balance is wrong

obviously if you;ve had him 4 days its not your fault but clearly it could be that he is lacking in food

or it could be water quality, if the tank is a newish tank then maybe stats aren;t right for the eel

maybe do a water change and buy some live bloodworm or small earthworms and try and get it eating. spiny eels can;t reisist a worm

Hi Simonas and thanks for the promp reply.

I have been feeding the Eel as well as others frozen bloodworn since Saturday and TBH ive not seen him eat at all yet. As for his balance, it all seems fine

I had my water tested in the middle of last week and was told all was ok and spot on and has been up an running for over a month.

 

[simonas]

they often will ignore frozen so its live worms you need to provide, I;ve had eels like that then one day they just go for the frozen and then your off and away!!!

you can;t mistake them eating as they stab at the food and cock their head as they get it down their necks

 

[simonfa]

they often will ignore frozen so its live worms you need to provide, I;ve had eels like that then one day they just go for the frozen and then your off and away!!!

you can;t mistake them eating as they stab at the food and cock their head as they get it down their necks

Thanks for the reply Simonas after visiting my local aquarium specialist today i was told it was a fungal infection and was told to segragate him in my spare tank and administer some of the ointment sold to me, unfortunatly when i got home several hours later Dave was laying on the bottom of the tank lifeless. RIP

Think i shall be visiting A5 Aquatics as soon as i can to play bloody hell!

 

[simonas]

bummer

If you want another I;d let water mature a bit more maybe then get a fat eel that you know is already feeding and healthy as they are great fish and worth the effort