Any tips on feeding a zebra eel

[thehat]

I went to buy some and the guy at the fish store told me to wait another week. Says they can go a really long time without eating. He said to play the eels game. If he is on a hunger strike then I should not try to feed him and leave him alone cause it causes stress. When he gets hungry he will come around. I tried to feed him today when he was out. The little guy gave me the finger again. Should I listen to this guy?

 

[fishy88]

it depends, i had a eel go on hunger strike and it died. i also had one that it went on a hunger strike for 3 weeks and it ate after.

 

[fishy88]

also is it a new fish or have you had it for a while?

 

[thehat]

yea It is a new eel. Although he is like 22 inches long. He has had to of eaten somewhere or sometime in his life! I have had him for 12 days now. I am gonna try the crabs on tuesday. That will be two weeks. This is frustrating.

 

[thehat]

Is there a proper way to present him the crabs? If I have to go this route.

 

[fishy88]

you have to put the crab by him. if he wants it he will go for it. if it was not eatenin a few min. take it out.put it in freshwaterwith a air pump

 

[thehat]

Gave him the crab and he gave me the finger again. He looks healthy and is active when the lights are off just don't think he wants anything to do with me and eating. Although I haven't seen my cleaner shrimp that was a stowaway in the tank. Maybe he ate him I don't know. I am so frustrated and do not want to pull a 2 foot long dead eel out of my tank. God. Someone told me to try krill? I bought some I am gonna try as soon as it thaws.

 

[thehat]

Well I got him to eat . Yeaaaaaaa. The only thing is I got him to eat at 5 this morning and he only ate one piece of krill and wouldn't come back for more. Is this a good sign or a bad sign. How long should I wait beofre trying to feed him again.

 

[chelle]

Hello, I have a snowflake eel and I give him thawed shrimp. He loves it. He eats about 3 small pieces. Mine hides in a piece of barnacle and I just get near him with a stick and shrimp on the end he takes it great. He has never not eating though. I think he ate the day I got him. GOOD LUCK. You may try to the garlic it is suppose to encourage them to eat it. Try soaking it.
Chelle

 

[thehat]

So I can give him any kind of store bought shrimp? If he is almost 2 feet about how much should i feed the litlle bugger? That is if he keeps eatin.

 

[stacyt]

sammy,
Do we get to see a pic of the eel eating? I've been checking on this thread for a while to hopefully see your eel eat.

 

[stacyt]

Sammy,
Thats to cool. Gives me a new idea. How about everyone posting pics of their aggressives eating?

 

[thehat]

Ok that helps alot. So its typical for them to eat one piece and run for cover and be done.
What kind of vitamins should i use to soak the food in?

 

[stacyt]

You can soak the food in zoecon. most LFS should carry this. Also probably not a bad idea to soak in garlic from time to time as well.

 

[thehat]

Well he seems to be for adapted to the tank now. His head lays out of a couple different holes in the tank about 50 percent of the day. He is swimming ouround and moving alot more throughout the night. This all seems good. Still haven't gotten him to eat any more though. The problem is my porcupine puffer. Will not leave me or the food alone. I got to get rid of him or the eel will never eat. So frustrating.
Does the zebra prefer to eat at night compared to the day? Also were you feeeding him raw shrimp or the precooked. I got him raw cause it seemed more natural.