Snowflake eel in trouble, possibly stung by lionfish?

[andrewkw]

My snowflake eel has been hiding for several days and is also breathing very heavy. He has just come out of the rock work somewhat and is very much laboring. I've had him and a volitan lionfish since april. Both have grown considerably since I got them. The lion is still acting normal and took food normally. The bulk of their diet is uncooked shrimp from the grocery store but they also eat scallops and very occasionally LRS.

I've never added anything other than astrena starfish from my reef to the tank. I don't think there is anything I can do but given the lack of adding new creatures and the lionfish acting fine I suspect that he was stung. He does get close during feeding a lot. Temp and salinity are both normal (1.026, 77f)

I really don't think I can do anything but wait and see if he bounces back. Anyone have experience with eels being stung?

 

[Daniel@R2R]

@melypr1985, @Humblefish, @ngoodermuth or someone else from the #reefsquad could possibly help.

 

[andrewkw]

He's still alive still in the same general area and still breathing heavily. Lion is still normal. I've thought about doing a large water change but realistically I don't see how that would possibly help. I don't think he is sick it's either stung or a different kind of injury. Unless someone can chime in with something else.

 

[melypr1985]

When was the last time he ate? Are you able to see his whole body to check for injuries?

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Eels are moody eaters... one week they can be the most voracious eater ever, then go on a hunger strike for no reason. I honestly wouldn't
worry until a month with out food for a grown eel. 3 weeks for a juvi.

 

[andrewkw]

It's only been a week or so since he last eat. I typically feed anywhere from 2-3 times a week. Only once has he gone on a bit of a hunger strike. My concern is not so much that he is not eating but that he appears to be breathing heavier and is certainly not moving around much. I am hoping he is just on a hunger strike and not moving due to that. I cannot see the whole body but when he was small there were times I could not find the eel at all. He is still able to hide pretty well in the rockwork but at least part of him pokes out now that he is longer and thicker. I have been thinking lately he is getting much bigger so I should bury some pvc in the sand so he has more hiding places. Hopefully I still get that chance.

Usually I use the eel as a sign where it's time to feed, the lion will take food until he explodes but the eel has more self control. I will just let him be since it doesn't seem productive to try and tear the rockwork down to get a full look at him.

 

[andrewkw]

So he did end up dying. Probably yesterday but perhaps today. He came slightly out of the rock and then was motionless.

There does not appear to be any injury that I can see but the body is already turning pale so hard to tell for certain. I don't see any possibility of this being disease or water quality related since the lion fish is fine. I had hoped keeping a snowflake would be a stepping stone towards a blue ribbon eel but I only managed to keep this guy 7 months so that is definitely a failure on my part. I had previous kept garden eels for several years and sold them before I moved, they were much trickier to care for.

He grew thicker and longer in the short time I had him, and I don't see any obvious injuries on the body but since he had been like this for some time if he was punctured by the Lion it may not be obvious.

 

[Ghostwhisper]

Did your eel pass or what was the outcome? I would start giving him vitamins B1. Our eel had the same symptoms any day he would have passed. We started feeding him silverside and putting vitamin b1 in the gut cavity. He has bounced back.