Upside Down Fire Eel

[Scast109]

Hey everyone, new to the forum. I have been fish keeping for about 10 years now and have finally reached my show tank. I have a discus tank with a fire eel. Have had them for about 4 plus years now. Recently I changed my fire eels home. He was getting way to big for his rock cave. I only ever saw him when he would come and beg for food. Now I have above gravel in a PVC pipe. He’s really thick and has a big appetite. I feed him bloodworms and live blackworms. Now that he’s in the PVC pipe, Ive caught him like 6 times now sleeping upside down. IT SCARED THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME. I tap the glass of throw food in and He’s out and about like nothing happened. I have never seen him do this before the PVC pipe. I don’t know if this is new behavior or because I can see him so well in the PVC pipe. Is this normal or do I have a problem? Please let me know guys. I love the little eel. He’s my fish baby. My husband doesn’t think anythings is wrong. Especially when we go down at night and see him roaming and “hunting”. I read a really old forum from like early 2000s that half the people said it was completely normal and the other half was said it was internal worms. Are eels okay with metro? I check my water perimeters and everything is showing up perfect. Help please.

 

[Colin_T]

As long as the water quality is good (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, less than 20ppm nitrate, pH close to 7.0) and the fish is eating well and pooping normally, there is nothing to worry about.

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Intestinal worms don't cause fish to sleep upside down. Sleeping upside down is just normal behaviour for some nocturnal fishes that live/ sleep in caves.

Intestinal worms cause fish to lose weight and do a stringy white poop. In really bad cases fish can become really fat over a period of months due to the large number of worms in their intestine. They still eat well but do a stringy white poop.

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You need a picture on the back of the tank to make the fish feel more secure.

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The Melanotaenia boesemani rainbowfish need plant matter in their diet.
Duckweed is a small floating plant that rainbowfish eat. They can also be fed on vege flakes.

The fire eel should be fed more types of food and not just blackworms and bloodworms. Raw or cooked prawn, fish, squid/ octopus can all be used for all the fish.

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The eel looks like it has a bit of excess mucous on its body (creamy white film over it). This is normally caused by poor water quality.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. Then do a 75% water change once a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[Aussie_Bristle]

Oh I have been waiting for you to reply on this one Colin to see your thought

 

[Scast109]

Thank you for your quick response. Its very much appreciated. I did a big water change and he’s eating a lot. I don’t know if I’m overreacting or just stir crazy from being home with the virus. But he is swimming around alot. More than usual. Looking at me and begging for food or just inspecting the aquarium. Normally he just sits in his home all day from what I’m used to. Is this something that should concern me? He’s not swimming weird, breathing is normal. Mouth is barely open. I have alot of oxygen in the tank. Ive been noticing this for the past 3 days that he’s out alot. Test the water and everything is super normal. Thank you.

 

[Retired Viking]

You have a colorful group of beautiful fish and very nice looking tank