Snowflake Eel Hunger Strike

Earl Karl · Jul 2, 2018

So it seems to be the time of hunger strikes for me. My CBB stopped eating for two weeks until now. My lionfish stopped eating for a week. My Moorish Idol stopped eating for a week. (Don't worry they are all eating now). Now my 30 inch Snowflake eel is not eating. He refused to eat for a week, then 2 days ago he ate a piece of shrimp, then he stopped eating again. Water parameters are ideal and stable. I'm not worried about this one though because this isn't his first hunger strike. But I would like see opinions on why eels go on hunger strike. My theory is that eels only go on hunger strikes (with the exception of getting used to surroundings) if you feed a lot. I only feed 3 times a week, but he eats a lot during those feedings. Feeding a lot creates fat deposits, which the eel will pretty much starve to use them up. That's just a theory however, it could actually be that the eel is sick, or the water parameter is bad, but seeing more opinions (or a proven fact, which is better) would be appreciated.

jasonrusso · Jul 2, 2018

My dwarf golden moray went 2 months without me feeding him. I THINK he ate some crabs but I can't confirm that.

I think maybe let him go for a week or 2. Maybe he needs to pass something. He won't die in 2 weeks, that's for sure.

lion king · Jul 2, 2018

You sound like you might be onto something about the feeding. I've found once an eel is settled in, there's always a reason when they go off feeding. Some sort of stressor; whether a new addition, tank parameters, any change at all no matter how minor to you. Might be ok to just let him fast for a couple of weeks, then start feeding every 3 days instead of 3 times a week.

coral49 · Jul 3, 2018

Agree it has to do with passing an item. I have a banana eel, been in tank for a year, 1 hunger strike for 2 weeks right after i fed him a much larger than normal shrimp, I was testing to see how large an item he could get down. I regret that move and never did it again. Last 6 months he get 2- 3 smaller chucks feedings 3 times a week. Haven't seen a strike since.

coral49 · Jul 5, 2018

For those who were wondering why I would be testing max size of the banana eel could eat. Wanted to add more fish and needed to understand the capability. It was shockingly amazing how large a piece it got down. So no clowns for me as I'm sure they would be dinner.

Mfreddy · Jul 20, 2018

My 2’ snowflake has gone through periods, never longer than 2 weeks, where all food was refused. No apparent cause. Every time I offer large cherry stone clams he/she goes nuts and the strike ends.

The past month it’s been a total lunatic, eating every day, swimming across the top of the tank over and over. A couple weeks ago I dropped a piece of shrimp from the tongs, tried to get it before the triggers, and my pinkie was mistaken for the shrimp. Let’s just say I’m glad I have a pebble tooth eel. It still hurt though.

Mfreddy · Jul 20, 2018

Mfreddy said:
My 2’ snowflake has gone through periods, never longer than 2 weeks, where all food was refused. No apparent cause. Every time I offer large cherry stone clams he/she goes nuts and the strike ends.

The past month it’s been a total lunatic, eating every day, swimming across the top of the tank over and over. A couple weeks ago I dropped a piece of shrimp from the tongs, tried to get it before the triggers, and my pinkie was mistaken for the shrimp. Let’s just say I’m glad I have a pebble tooth eel. It still hurt though.

To clarify, I remove the clams from the shell. Cherrystones are easy to get here in KC, and what you have once you remove the shell is about the size of an xl egg and yoke. I cut it into strips.