Feeding frequency

[Gp!]

@lion king

I am curious of your opinion as to whether I am feeding my dragon eel often enough or not.

He is about 30" long. About as big around as when I close my largest finger to my thumb. I've seen bigger in length and diameter so this guy still has some growing to do - but isn't a baby.

I'm currently feeding him once per week.

He regularly comes out with his head in the air looking for food before it is time for the once per week feeding - stretching out to the top of the tank as far as he can looking. As I sit here typing he is stretched out on a rock looking at fish in an acclimation box. But he doesn't get to the point where he is swimming around frantically looking for food now that I have established the weekly routine.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@lion king

I am curious of your opinion as to whether I am feeding my dragon eel often enough or not.

He is about 30" long. About as big around as when I close my largest finger to my thumb. I've seen bigger in length and diameter so this guy still has some growing to do - but isn't a baby.

I'm currently feeding him once per week.

He regularly comes out with his head in the air looking for food before it is time for the once per week feeding - stretching out to the top of the tank as far as he can looking. As I sit here typing he is stretched out on a rock looking at fish in an acclimation box. But he doesn't get to the point where he is swimming around frantically looking for food now that I have established the weekly routine.

dragon eels digest food slowly and do not need constant feedings as fish do. Once a week and even bi-weekly is often sufficient. They eat literally anything but avoid feeder fish and overfeeding. If overfed, they may regurgitate their food

 

[Gp!]

Once a week and even bi-weekly is often sufficient.

I've also read that twice a week while growing is sometimes a good idea. Trying to decide how I pick the right balance.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've also read that twice a week while growing is sometimes a good idea. Trying to decide how I pick the right balance.

Try every 5-7 days and you can always increase it if you realize its not digesting food fast enough or looking for a meal more or less frequently. Shrimp - squid- calamari are good foods

 

[lion king]

Once a week is a good metric for a dragon eel at that size, down to 5 days. Offer food items that are more like a large bite size than larger pieces they need to wrestle down. Feed them their full on feeding day, they will retire to their den when full. If he's not fully cruising out and about, then you're feeding him just fine.

How long have you had them, and have you seen noticeable growth. They will train you to feed them too often; by doing so you will establish a very lazy, boring eel. Feeding too often is also very detrimental to their long term health, this is likely a contributor to fatty liver disease. If you are seen notable growth at this stage, you are not underfeeding. They are also gorgers, so if they are being underfed, they will start to eat more on feeding day, as a natural biological response. Fine tuning is a trick that is individual and takes time.

 

[Gp!]

Offer food items that are more like a large bite size than larger pieces they need to wrestle down.

I am still working on this part. I had been feeding smaller pieces but he wasn't taking the food very vigorously - one might say he was even timid. Two feedings ago I tried a whole squid (think bait squid size - about hand length and maybe 1.5" wide) from a local Asian market and he ate it quite well. That was the most I'd been able to get him to eat. So I tried it again last feeding and he very aggressively ate two. I have been swapping around food from shrimp to fish to scallops to squid and using vitamin supplements. I am a little nervous to go back to smaller pieces?

How long have you had them, and have you seen noticeable growth.

I have only had him about two months.

They will train you to feed them too often; by doing so you will establish a very lazy, boring eel.

I am worried about this. So far he is very active even during the day most days. You can tell he sleeps some during the day but when I get home from work and walk up to the tank he usually becomes pretty interactive.