fire eel problems

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
P

pauly187

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 2, 2010
173
0
0
U.S
i just dont get it....
first fire eel i had when i bought him died a week later had fungus infection couldnt pull threw
began just throwing his body in a loop over plants breathing heavy finally didnt really swim around and stayed in curled upside down position...died sad
now got a new eel
eats fine but latly breaths heavy like hes stressed
stays in pvc tube
looks like hes on his side sometimes
then i look again and his head is poking out breathing heavy
no sign of infection on the body he looks healthy and fat
hes not eatting right now at least today he hasnt
i lowered the water temp to 78 in stead of 80 were i had it
water peramiters are at 0-0-5
am i just not ment to keep an eel Damn i wana yell.....
tank is 6ft 135 gallon
1 oscar
two sevrums
comman pleco
then the fire eel about 17inch
can anyone help me out
does he need salt in his water at all to keep him happy and healthy?
from what ive read he doesnt.....and if he does how much? and will this affect other fish?
i just cant figure out whats stressing him out none of the fish bother him
 
couple q's

what have you tried to feed him?

eels normally breathe heavy...do your other fish appear to be gasping for air? Maybe you could add an airstone or two.

also, watch your pleco..it might develop a tast for your eel's slime coat.

did you quarantine this fish or just toss him in your established tank?
 
ok i did throw him in but not before aclamating him first
pleco doesnt bother him from what i can see?
no other fish gasping like the eel
i just took about 3inch out the tank and pointer fx5 nozzels strait up breaking surfice creating o2 and the AC 110 is breaking the surfice as well and i have a air stone in there
he eatting earth worms but has stopped today
caught him on his side breathing heavy then moved back up
 
also what pleco would be best to keep in this tank im thinking of getting rid of the comman pleco because everyone does tell me that he will eventually go for the slim coat :(
and i cought it going for the sevrum slim coat already
 
If your pleco is eating the slime coat off of other fish that means it isn't getting proper nuitrition. What do you feed it?


Since you just got the eel, I wouldn't be too worried about it. If it continues refusing to eat for more than a week or two, then I would start to worry.
 
lettuce and the allgie pellots basiclly it and it will eat the left over food from the oscar
 
I agree with drgnfrc, no need to feed him right now nor be worried about it since he is fat. Did you possibly overfeed him?

So how long have you had this eel? The original thread didn't say. Maybe he is still in a state of shock and still acclimitizing to your tank. Changing temp, currents, etc, doesn't help if he is stressed.

However, if you want to stimulate metabolism and appetite, raise the temp a little bit after your next water change.

As for pleco of choice, I would go with a large goldie L14 pleco. They are colorful and don't ususally develop a taste for the slime coat. I've had several and they stay pretty mellow.


You may want to post in the eel forum here, there might be something i'm missing.
 
i have noticed
that when i feed the eel he does take 2 full grown fat earth worms then begins to breath heavy!!! maybe an hour later
could this be it?
but its wierd because he ate yesterday afternoon and still acting this way? but whats even wierder is today i cought him on his side today?
maybe i could be over feeding :(
the eel is exactly 1 week in the tank today
 
sounds like he is overfed...probably laying on his side to digest? Again, ask the eel folks, there are many fire eel keepers on the forums, myself included.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom