Jac Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Hi there, just wondered if anyone had any advise re a fire eel. I have had him for over a year now and he is just over a foot long. He is a very fussy eater prefering to only eat mealworms and the occasional waxmoth when he is hungry enough and I have run out of mealworms. He does not appear to eat frozen bloodworms. Would also like to know how you handle the planting of the tank - I have given up on any plants in the gravel or pots as he keeps disturbing them. The only plants I have are those that grow out of wood. I would love to be able to have the tank looking better. For all the problems he causes I wouldn't be without him - he has real personality!! Thanks, Jac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northland chic Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 I have never seen a fire eel, but we have a normal eel. I know they are probably totally different but our eel is really fussy too. We tried evrything when we first got him cheese, bread, bloodworms, live fish and sheep heart. The only thing Eli eats is earth worms, in his prime in summer he can eat about 10 a day and he is only a foot long. As for the plants we gave Eli fake ones and they are always floating. I went to my friend Nick's house in Ahipara the other day and he had plants in his axolotl tank in little jars don't know how well it works though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Hi Jac This is one subject i feel i can help you with as i have kept a fire eel for the last seven years. Slimey jake is his name and he or her is about three feet long now. I fed him with ox heart for about four years then he decided he wouldnot eat it any more. After a month without food i ended up trying worms from the garden. This he relished with great joy, only thing was my back lawn started to look like the moon after digging for worms everyday. So i invested in a worm farm, not a good investment as the tiger worms that came with the farm obviously did not taste the same as the garden worms. So after another week of trying different food i bought some mussels from the supermarket this hit the spot. He has lived on mussels ever since. Just put them in a pot and bring it to boil so the shell opens. Then freeze them after they cool down. When you feed him take the mussel and put it on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds. Then cut it into smaller pieces. Make sure to separate mussels in the freezer or they will stick together. On the planting of the tank dont bother! as the eel will only dig them up Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jac Posted November 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 Thanks for both your replies - very much appreciated. I will try the mussels to see if Eric will eat them - not sure how I will cope with them (I am vegeterian and even giving him the live food is a bit revolting) but will give it a go. I have tried him on earthworms but found that they disappeared under the gravel before he got them - I was worried then that they would die and decompose under the stones. I don't think I could cut up the worms first as someone once suggested to me! I don't think I could feed him hearts or anything like that either. How big a tank do you have Jake in now that he is three foot long? I would like to let Eric get as big as possible and are prepared to get him a bigger tank. Thanks, Jacki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted November 16, 2003 Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 Just a thought here Jac. Since you are finding the cutting up of worms, ox heart etc difficult, had you thought of getting the butcher to cut up the ox heart in the desired strips? Then all you would need to do is to just feed with tongs as Eric needs it. Some people are allergic to blood worms and feed their fish using gloves. IMO he will need the ox liver, worms etc to reach his growth potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northland chic Posted November 16, 2003 Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 I find that earthworms can live for quite a while as long as the water is aerated. If they do die I just siphon them out. I have had them live for more than a day or two quite alot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted November 16, 2003 Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 Slimys home is 1.5mtrs long. I have read that the fire eel will grow to 1mtr in the wild. He use to have three Discus for tank mates but when feeding time came he use to lunge at them so i thought it best to let him have the place to himself. I have tried to feed him guppys but he does not seem to bother with them. They tend to die off after a few days i think due to the PH being very low from feeding meat. The ox heart i use to put in a blender then flatten it out and freeze it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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