Feeding Zebra Eel

[brmreefer]

Lion King makes some great points and I feed mine a fairly similar diet. One thing I like to do is mix it up occasionally by using "rods predator blend" this food has a mixture of clams, scallops, shrimp, fish, and other things. It's large grain size is suitable food for most medium-large sized eels.
I believe LRS also has a chunky blend for predators, but i've yet to find it as not many stores carry it.

How big are the "Grain Sizes" in that blend? Curious as I would like to provide a more varied diet for our tank buddy. Looking at additional feeding options and I think one of our LFS's may carry it as well, but we'll see. Thanks.

 

[Dolphins18]

How big are the "Grain Sizes" in that blend? Curious as I would like to provide a more varied diet for our tank buddy. Looking at additional feeding options and I think one of our LFS's may carry it as well, but we'll see. Thanks.

They vary to an extent, but generally there are large pieces that are around as long and thick as a pinky finger. Its nice that it is in a flat pack, when you break some off you get a little mix of several different things once it thaws. I feed silversides and shrimp as well, but there are much better options than silversides. When feeding silversides I soak them in vitality for added nutrients.

 

[brmreefer]

Thanks. Im going to purchase a pack and give it go. :D

 

[Seneca]

I also have a zebra eel I that recently passed through quarantine. Its happy in the main display (720 gallon) and eating shrimp pieces (frozen from grocery store). This thread is useful, and has some good tips, but otherwise what generally should I be doing to ensure it lives a good long life?

Feed salmon? supplement vitamin b1 and E? Feed twice weekly for now but switch to once weekly once it reaches a certain size? (what size?)

 

[ASIN28]

I also have a zebra eel I that recently passed through quarantine. Its happy in the main display (720 gallon) and eating shrimp pieces (frozen from grocery store). This thread is useful, and has some good tips, but otherwise what generally should I be doing to ensure it lives a good long life?

Feed salmon? supplement vitamin b1 and E? Feed twice weekly for now but switch to once weekly once it reaches a certain size? (what size?)

First off, let’s see a picture of this 720 gallon tank it must be beautiful.
Secondly, I’m in the same boat you are but @lion king gave such good information and advice that I will be following. Fresh market seafood is the route I went, muscles too for the nutrients my zebra loved it yesterday. Mine is approx. 14 inches right now I’m doing every 3 days as he’s growing but as he gets bigger I’ll begin to transition to the weekly schedule

 

[Seneca]

First off, let’s see a picture of this 720 gallon tank it must be beautiful.
Secondly, I’m in the same boat you are but @lion king gave such good information and advice that I will be following. Fresh market seafood is the route I went, muscles too for the nutrients my zebra loved it yesterday. Mine is approx. 14 inches right now I’m doing every 3 days as he’s growing but as he gets bigger I’ll begin to transition to the weekly schedule

I have some pictures in my build thread. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/720-gallon-acryllic.652087/

 

[ASIN28]

@lion king So out of curiousity, how active is your zebra eel? I understand each fishes personality is different however I did read that the zebra will be active during the day time. Mine just stays in his cave until it’s time to eat. And today was feeding day and he only ate 2 pieces and he was done not interested in the food anymore I thought he’d eat more.

 

[Damon Jensen]

@lion king So out of curiousity, how active is your zebra eel? I understand each fishes personality is different however I did read that the zebra will be active during the day time. Mine just stays in his cave until it’s time to eat. And today was feeding day and he only ate 2 pieces and he was done not interested in the food anymore I thought he’d eat more.

I am told and have experienced hunger strikes. I hadna Zebra for about 5 years and was surprised when it died. Then after reading thread's like this I learned I had been feeding it wrong.

I feed squid, lobster, shrimp and Silversides to my two eels. White eye 22inch and Tasseleta 20 inches. They eat very differently.

White eye I feed about every 3 days and he can be picky. Tess I have only had for about 2 weeks, so I am trying to learn. The concern with Tess is eating my other fish......one so far. Tess eat the fish and then nothing for 3 days. However the next 3 days she ate almost constantly.

I do love feeding time

 

[ASIN28]

I am told and have experienced hunger strikes. I hadna Zebra for about 5 years and was surprised when it died. Then after reading thread's like this I learned I had been feeding it wrong.

I feed squid, lobster, shrimp and Silversides to my two eels. White eye 22inch and Tasseleta 20 inches. They eat very differently.

White eye I feed about every 3 days and he can be picky. Tess I have only had for about 2 weeks, so I am trying to learn. The concern with Tess is eating my other fish......one so far. Tess eat the fish and then nothing for 3 days. However the next 3 days she ate almost constantly.

I do love feeding time

How were you feeding your zebra that you now say you were feeding wrong?

 

[lion king]

@lion king So out of curiousity, how active is your zebra eel? I understand each fishes personality is different however I did read that the zebra will be active during the day time. Mine just stays in his cave until it’s time to eat. And today was feeding day and he only ate 2 pieces and he was done not interested in the food anymore I thought he’d eat more.

I don't have a zebra eel, I've just raised a few in others tanks and a friend's lfs display, so I do have about 20 years of observation on the zebra. For the most part the zebra does seem to be one that tucks away most of the time and there are obviously differences in each individual. Too frequent feeding will also add to this, as they will become more active when they start to get hungry, it is best to allow them to cruise a bit before feeding, it's kind of like an indicator to get onto a proper feeding cycle. Him not wanting to eat much may be a sign of overfeeding but not necessarily. Yours is a little guy so a couple times a week is not out the question. As long as all your water parameters check out and there's no one bullying him, you don;t have to read so much into it. Just give him a break and when he starts to cruise around, feed him again. I'm a fang tooth guy but all captive morays are cared for in the same manner.

 

[Damon Jensen]

How were you feeding your zebra that you now say you were feeding wrong?

I was trying to feed daily, taking the shells off shrimp, leaving food in the tank for him to graze. Thus I didn't vary his diet, cause I thought he was a picky eater.

I definitely notice with the white eye, about every three days and he isn't very picky....more than than,he become picky.

Tess eats anything

 

[ASIN28]

I don't have a zebra eel, I've just raised a few in others tanks and a friend's lfs display, so I do have about 20 years of observation on the zebra. For the most part the zebra does seem to be one that tucks away most of the time and there are obviously differences in each individual. Too frequent feeding will also add to this, as they will become more active when they start to get hungry, it is best to allow them to cruise a bit before feeding, it's kind of like an indicator to get onto a proper feeding cycle. Him not wanting to eat much may be a sign of overfeeding but not necessarily. Yours is a little guy so a couple times a week is not out the question. As long as all your water parameters check out and there's no one bullying him, you don;t have to read so much into it. Just give him a break and when he starts to cruise around, feed him again. I'm a fang tooth guy but all captive morays are cared for in the same manner.

Sounds good I would like to see him out and cruising around at his own will which will be obvious that he may be looking for food so I will give it an extra day or two this week and see if he comes out! He has also only been in the tank for a week so he could still be stressed too

 

[ASIN28]

Thanks. Im going to purchase a pack and give it go. :D

How active is your zebra?

 

[brmreefer]

How active is your zebra?

It knows when it is feeding time and sticks its head out due to scent I'm sure. Early in the evenings and on occasion during the day it roams the whole tank. It's a sight to see.

 

[adsf430]

I had a zebra eel in my old fish only system, the eel was invincible. It survived hurricane sandy in a tank without power for days, equipment failures etc. I would feed him just one shrimp from a bag of frozen tail on shrimp from the grocery store every 3 days and sometimes switch it up with fresh squid and a live crawfish rarely or a fiddler crab. I would be shocked if you ever notice aggression towards fish, but anything with a shell is toast. Mine was incredibly active at night and I added moon lighting to the tank so I could observe him. Had to take the tank down before college and the fish store took him in.

 

[ASIN28]

@lion king @brmreefer So I’ve been feeding my eel by hand and with metal tongs. The metal tongs are not going to be used anymore because he grabbed the tongs and I don’t want him to hurt himself on the metal again. What do you guys use to feed?

 

[lion king]

@lion king @brmreefer So I’ve been feeding my eel by hand and with metal tongs. The metal tongs are not going to be used anymore because he grabbed the tongs and I don’t want him to hurt himself on the metal again. What do you guys use to feed?

I use tongs without incident, metal and these plastic ones from Eheim. I think the ones from Eheim may be marketed for moving plants and corals around, but they work great for feeding eels. You might feel safer using those instead of metal. Hand feeding can be extremely risky.

 

[Damon Jensen]

Metal tongs, he won't hurt himself

 

[ASIN28]

He’s really active today. Wow

 

[brmreefer]

@lion king @brmreefer So I’ve been feeding my eel by hand and with metal tongs. The metal tongs are not going to be used anymore because he grabbed the tongs and I don’t want him to hurt himself on the metal again. What do you guys use to feed?

I been using a set of 24" long tweezers I got off Amazon a long time ago.