Snowflake question..

[regina13]

I was given a free snowflake eel last week after a friend did not want it anymore. He could not get the eel to eat, so I have tried just about everything. The only thing he will take is krill. The krill to not seem like they would give enough nutritional value for him to live off of. Any ideas of how to get him to eat a variety? You have to remember he is very small though, and now he only eats one krill a day and is done.
Right now he is in a ten gallon by himself. He is only 6-8inches so it works for now.(I have a bigger tank coming.) I am doing a two gallon weekly water change and all parms and in check.
Any help would be great, this is my first eel and I am a little lost with him.

 

[crypt keeper]

You can try getting uncooked shrimp or octopus from your grocery store. Soak it in garlic for about 30 minutes. Mine only ate the freeze dried krill for about 2 months before it would take anything else. IMO you should be fine. If he doesnt eat anything but the krill try soaking that in selcon garlic and vitamin c and feed him.

 

[ca161406]

if its a jumbo krill you can take the insides out and replace it with scallop/shrimp/ect. and the pierce it with the feeding stick so it stays together. kinda like gut loading ghost shrimp...just with meaty stuff in a dead krill

 

[regina13]

I have another question. The eel twitches his head sometimes.. It's like he just moves is head back and forth a few times really quick. Is that ok? I do not see any signs of problems.

 

[arlene1995]

What I'd do is keep feeding him Krill, but on the same feeding stick, but in front of the Krill, say a piece of octopus or squid. He'll eventually take to it... I've never had any problems with my eels so far even after multiple tank transfers...
Regarding the head movements: I've seen both my eels do that... I think it's just like they have an itch or something. I don't think it's anything to get too worried about unless it becomes incessant...

 

[ironeagle2006]

Do what I did to get mine to eat something besides krill I loaded up the feeding stick with Krill Squid and Sliversides however he could not get the Krill without eating the other stuff. Now the sucker at close to 2 foot long will not even look at a piece of krill however a chunck of squid he will fly out of his hiey hole and grab it faster than a Politican wanting some Campaign Cash to run on and you are giving it to him.

 

[it's chuck]

Originally Posted by ironeagle2006
http:///forum/post/3021501
Do what I did to get mine to eat something besides krill I loaded up the feeding stick with Krill Squid and Sliversides however he could not get the Krill without eating the other stuff. Now the sucker at close to 2 foot long will not even look at a piece of krill however a chunck of squid he will fly out of his hiey hole and grab it faster than a Politican wanting some Campaign Cash to run on and you are giving it to him.
I am yet to come across an eel that wouldn't eat clams

 

[salami trigger]

Don't over think it.
I have had Snowflakes before...They ate just Krill for months then started eating what ever I put in the Tank for the other guys.
As far as The head twitch....Thats A Moray!
Remember to keep lid closed and holes blocked of....They love to find their way out.

 

[regina13]

The snowflake seems to be doing good. Still will only take krill, but I will give him time. He is starting to put on a little bit of weight, so he is isnt a thin as a pencil anymore. He is growing on me, and I am glad I took him off my buddies hands instead of him letting it die.(Hope he learned his lesson about reading up before you buy things

)
I am just scared that he might try and eat other fish when my bigger tank is up. If he becomes a problem, I have a fish store that would take him off of my hands no problem.

 

[joslinhome]

As a newbie to the saltwater world...one of my first additions to my new tank was a snowflake eel. I had not researched them nor heard of them. Bob (eel) is about 12 inches. We orginally started feeding him by hand freeze dried shrimp. Since then (3 wks since i had him) we tried frozen krill but he will not eat it. only when we bring out the freeze dried shrimp will he come out and eat. Its amazing to see...he snatches it like a hungry lion and twists his body in knots and finally rushes under his rock to finish it off...i love Bob!!!