Dwarf moray care tips

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Kirschy17

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I've had a GDM in some form for the last 5 years (I lost my first one during a tank transfer. He wrapped around a heater and burnt himself. I was devastated. I got another one because I simply love them).

First off, I suggest using CP (chloroquine phosphate) over copper, especially with scale less fish. Also, get him eating before you add the meds. I had to go fallow because of a velvet outbreak. Mine refused to eat while the meds were in the water. He would sniff it and hide. 2 days after adding carbon to remove the CP he was eating normally. Maybe the smell of the meds were screwing with his nose?

The good thing is they can go months without eating, so fill his belly first.
Im from europe and i dont know how to get cp here. I know about avoiding copper so ill skip on the preventive ich treatment. Ill do general cure only for parasites and infections.
 

jasonrusso

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YellowFinsReef

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Hi,

If anyone could help me troubleshoot care for my golden dwarf eel, it would be awesome!

I bought it from Live Aquaria for over a month now and it hasn't eaten. I've tried live ghost shrimp, krill, LRS chunky, PE mysis, clams, squid, octopus, and silversides - nothing! It sometimes shakes its head, then darts away.

What am I doing wrong? What are best practices in trying to get them to eat?
 

Fishnut

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Is the eel in a QT with ProziPro or other meds.?
A couple of things to try: Make sure it is comfortable in the tank with no fish that are stressing it. They love a small tight cave with a small opening.
It may help to keep your lights dimmer by putting something between the glass canopy and the lights to block out some of the brightness.
When feeding turn off all pumps so it can smell and locate the food easier.
I have had many eels go a few weeks without eating but I have never had a golden dwarf eel. Good luck
 

jasonrusso

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Hi,

If anyone could help me troubleshoot care for my golden dwarf eel, it would be awesome!

I bought it from Live Aquaria for over a month now and it hasn't eaten. I've tried live ghost shrimp, krill, LRS chunky, PE mysis, clams, squid, octopus, and silversides - nothing! It sometimes shakes its head, then darts away.

What am I doing wrong? What are best practices in trying to get them to eat?

The head shaking means it is smelling it. Maybe there is something it doesn't like. What kind of tool are you using to feed it?

Mine didn't eat out of the tongs for the longest time. It didn't like the smell for some reason. If I placed the food by it's burrow it would eat. Now that it has associated the tongs, it comes out every time the tongs go in the water!!
 

jasonrusso

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Is the eel in a QT with ProziPro or other meds.?
A couple of things to try: Make sure it is comfortable in the tank with no fish that are stressing it. They love a small tight cave with a small opening.
It may help to keep your lights dimmer by putting something between the glass canopy and the lights to block out some of the brightness.
When feeding turn off all pumps so it can smell and locate the food easier.
I have had many eels go a few weeks without eating but I have never had a golden dwarf eel. Good luck
This also, mine wouldn't eat with meds in the water. It also was VERY shy in QT living in a pipe. In the DT with sand and rocks, it is much more personable and active.
 

gonzo620

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@YellowFinsReef I struggled feeding for a little over a week. I had really good success after my little guy had his first bite. I ended up just leaving a small silverside inside a piece of pvc after he wouldn’t take it. Came back an hour later and found half the silverside in the opposite side of the tank. Next morning that other half was gone too. Did this again a couple of days later. Then a couple more days past and I went to do it again and he swam up and ripped from the tongs.

I’m guessing in the wild they are opportunistic feeders and scavenger. So I gave it a try. It payed off. With that said he was in a qt tank with a flame angel and a longnose butterfly so nothing that was intended in the silverside. This is what worked for me. Hope your little guy eats for you.
 

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Thinking about the dwarf eel. I'm temporarily keeping a snowflake in my 40 fusion. Bit tight for him but will be looking for a home soon. Just love watching there way he comes out when it's feeding time. Are they much differences in the care between the snowflakes and gdm?
 

Webslinger

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Thinking about the dwarf eel. I'm temporarily keeping a snowflake in my 40 fusion. Bit tight for him but will be looking for a home soon. Just love watching there way he comes out when it's feeding time. Are they much differences in the care between the snowflakes and gdm?

the snowflakes are more of a shellfish eater. The GDM are fish eaters, squid. The snowflakes are more bold and gdm hide alot. I've had my golden about 3 years and I've only seen his whole body a few times. I feed him as soon as he gets hungry as I don't want him eating his buddy diamond goby or my mandarin.
 

Saumann7

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Where are you guys getting these? I’ve been looking around for them but I haven’t seen any other than one I saw for 600 bucks. Others I’ve seen that were out of stock were only about 350 or so
 

jasonrusso

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Where are you guys getting these? I’ve been looking around for them but I haven’t seen any other than one I saw for 600 bucks. Others I’ve seen that were out of stock were only about 350 or so
I got my first one on Ebay. That was almost 6 years ago. I got my last one at my LFS after I waited them out for a while. I got the GDM and my porcupine puffer for $250.
20181001_185503.jpeg
 
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Kirschy17

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Im from europe so advice only applies for europeans. Dejong marinelife is a dutch wholesaler that gets even the rarest stuff from time to time. I was waiting for~ 2 months till they got some in stock. You will have to find a store to order for you because as a wholesaler they dont sell directly.

I got mine for 280€ including some shipment/handling fee to my lfs.
 

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Im from europe so advice only applies for europeans. Dejong marinelife is a dutch wholesaler that gets even the rarest stuff from time to time. I was waiting for~ 2 months till they got some in stock. You will have to find a store to order for you because as a wholesaler they dont sell directly.

I got mine for 280€ including some shipment/handling fee to my lfs.
Do you know if they are deal with shops outside the EU and could you please send me there internet site address.I would love to have a GDM.
 

Wtyson254

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I got mine from liveaquaria a week ago, had yet to eat (PE music, krill) I will try silversides tmro.
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Wtyson254

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So my little guy still has not eaten and I have had him since 9/25, he is very active and wanders all over the Tank, but has no Interest in anything I have given him so far (krill, silversides, mysis). Anyone have any recommendations
 

Dsnakes

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So my little guy still has not eaten and I have had him since 9/25, he is very active and wanders all over the Tank, but has no Interest in anything I have given him so far (krill, silversides, mysis). Anyone have any recommendations
Can you get some fresh squid or scallop? Mine eats anything, but those seem to have good scent. Make sure it’s appropriately sized piece.

My little guy recently ate my blue chromis :eek: I hope that was an isolated incident. I didn’t see him for a couple days afterwards. Probably a belly ache of regret. It was a good size chromis.
 

jasonrusso

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So my little guy still has not eaten and I have had him since 9/25, he is very active and wanders all over the Tank, but has no Interest in anything I have given him so far (krill, silversides, mysis). Anyone have any recommendations
Do you have other fish in the tank? Snails or crabs?

The reason I ask is whenever mine has gone on hunger strikes, I find snail shells by his burrow. I also see him on scavenger duty when I feed the other fish. If you have other fish, he may be going around cleaning up.
 
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Wtyson254

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Do you have other fish in the tank? Snails or crabs?

The reason I ask is whenever mine has gone on hunger strikes, I find snail shells by his burrow. I also see him on scavenger duty when I feed the other fish. If you have other fish, he may be going around cleaning up.

I have other fish and feed them regularly, I just haven’t seen him eat anything yet.
 

jasonrusso

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I have other fish and feed them regularly, I just haven’t seen him eat anything yet.
There is a chance he is eating leftovers. I can tell how hungry mine is by how far he comes out when it is feeding time. If it's just his head, he is good. If its 50% of his body, he's hangry!!
 

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