new snowflake eel

sean r

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hello all. just set up a 90gl tank with established rock and substrate so the tank cycled quick. my wife saw a sfe at the lfs and wanted it so he is now in the tank. its been almost 3 weeks and i cant get him to eat. put feeder guppies in on their own. used long tweezers with cut up raw shrimp, and put in gold fish and waited till they died then grabbed with the tweezers and dangled in front of him with no success. for the most part he would just shy back into the rock but today he just stayed in one spot but didn't go for it. my question is, is this normal and when should i start to get worried that he is starving himself? he is the only creature in the tank. i am planning on adding fish very soon so i was wondering if he is just being shy cause there is no other life in the tank.. thanks to all that can help.
 

Duke4Life

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Eels go on hunger strikes, but have you tried squid, ghost shrimp, or clams on the half shell?
 

Duke4Life

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I hope you have any small holes blocked and a lid, it's just a matter of time until he starts to wonder about.
 

nubbs

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I have snowflake myself. He is about 2 feet long and about 2 in around. Please don't feed any fish feeder gold fish. They are very dirty fish and full of ammonia. You can actually poison the fish if used and not to mention feeders are not a saltwater fish. If they die in your tank and leave one in by accident it could create larger problems. With that being said. I use frozen silver side for mine. They will go on hunger strikes, I can account for that first hand. My eel did not eat for 10 weeks. I tried to feed everyday and if did not eat I just re froze the silver side and tried again the next day. Then one day he just started eating. If they are hungry they will eat. Just give it time.
 
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sean r

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thanks all. he, about 12-18" long. i just did some more reading and going to try a couple of ghost shrimp. i was also told frozen krill. i will also pick up some silver sides as well.

the frozen stuff do you thaw and throw or use long tweezers and dangle in front.

and yes all holes blocked with a glass lid. it was the first thing the lfs said to us that they are escape artists.
 

nubbs

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If you get the ghost shrimp make sure that you "gut load" first because they really have not nutritional value if you don't
 

nubbs

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I thaw it out with some tank water in a glass and use tongs and dangle in front of his face. They have very bad sight and rely on smell more then anything
 
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sean r

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If you get the ghost shrimp make sure that you "gut load" first because they really have not nutritional value if you don't
at the risk of sounding stupid what do you mean by "gut load"
 

nubbs

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When you get them they will be in a bag from the LFS. Put a few drops of PhytoFeast in the bag. Essentially it is liquid algae that they will eat and then in turn will be eaten by the eel. Just google gut loading Copepods I am sure it is out there some where.
 

nubbs

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Keep the thread updated and let us know your progress of feeding him
 
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sean r

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do you think he would eat a unicorn tang that was the size of toonie. just put one in the tank last night and now its disappeared.
 

nubbs

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Not sure how big it was but it can fit in their mouth they will eat it
 

Lynn52

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Snow flakes are not naturally fish eaters. Your tank is way way too small for a unicorn tang, they get to be 2 ft long.
 

FeliciaLynn

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at the risk of sounding stupid what do you mean by "gut load"
You want the ghost shrimp to have nutritional value when the eel eats it. Since ghost shrimp are freshwater shrimp, they're not going to have any inherent nutritional value to a marine fish. However, if you feed the shrimp something that would be nutritional to a marine fish shortly before using it as food, then the eel will be getting the nutritional value from what you fed the shrimp. I think the easiest thing to use to gut load is a high quality marine pellet or flake food. Ghost shrimp readily eat those and they're nutritionally balanced for marine fish.
 

FilterFreak

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I fed my snowflake at dark time, no lights on... Krill was his favorite food but also ate small fresh shrimp, scallops and all the foods listed by Duke4life.1 other thing i have done is use Tuna juice, dunk dried krill in it and offer it up.. Sometimes it can be a tempature issue, some like it warmer, some cooler... Sometimes animals just need resting periods in their life... Eels can be Eels... hang in there and keep us posted...
 

nessjosh

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Make sure you have a tight lid, I lost my last snowflake because he decided to explore my carpet. He found the only 2" opening I had on top of my tank.
 

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