# feeding spiny eels



## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

What do you feed yours? 

My fire eel, Boudin,(my little sausage), will only eat frozen blood worms. Turns his cute little nose up at everything else.
Dunlop, my tire track eel, has been witnessed eating frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, and frozen krill. He is growing a little faster than picky Boudin.
My newest guy, no name yet, because he hasn't eaten in three + weeks, is a striped pea**** eel, a slightly different version of the regular pea**** eel. He won't open his mouth. I have tried, in no particular order, frozen: blood worms, krill, brine, plankton; live ghost shrimp, and guppies; flakes, and floating and sinking pellets.

He's making me a little nuts, and he's starting to look thinner. What else should I try? Is there some kind of enzyme to put in the water and stimulate an appetite?

(oh, and, Boudin and Dunlop live together, but the pea**** eel is in a single eel tank. I didn't want him to feel picked on)


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

okay, just a note- my pea**** eel was censored. kinda funny. Ha.


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

The only thing I can think of that he'll eat are plain old worms.

I thought you were saying pea eel, I was like what's a pea eel? lol


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## heatherhoge (Nov 13, 2005)

I have never seen my spiny eel eat but he is a little fatty. lol. I feed live black worms goast shrimp guppies and shrimp pellets in my tank for all the fish. They don't get all this at once this is a variety through a week. Out of these items he must like one of them I just couldn't say what his taste is lol.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

I always say, if you can't see the fish, what's the point in having it? 
I had a redtail catfish that only came out at night. I sold him because I never ever saw the big bugger.LOL


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

I tried the bait worms- INSTANT reaction. Unfortunately, he lives with a very piggy severum. So, four worms later, he got a full meal. 
Thankyou for the advice. 
And, cichlid man- my eels, once acclimated, are out all the the time and have fabulous personalities! I love the spiny eels.


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## Fishboy93 (Jun 11, 2005)

At my lfs they have some spinyeels that are 3 to 4 inches big. They had lots of personality and came right out to the front. What is the min. tank size for them?


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## heatherhoge (Nov 13, 2005)

I would have to say at least a 30 gal. mine is in a 55. I am not sure how big they get and was told about 10 inches. I know most pets stores will say anything to sell. So far mine is about 8 inches but got as a baby so may still be growing.


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## Fishboy93 (Jun 11, 2005)

alright do they need to be in a species tank or can they have tank mates?


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

The small pea**** most likely came straight from the wild, and hasnt been weened onto frozen foods. your best bet is to get something very small that wiggles. my pea**** wouldnt eat either, I had to isolate it in a 5 gallon, clear out all the substrate and drop in little white worms, baby redworms, and grindal worms, those were the only things he ate.

fishboy, they dont need a species tank. in fact when mature they hate eachother. tire tracks and fire eels are the ones that can't be in a community tank. pea****s, striped and other smaller ones will do fine in one as long as they get food.


there is no minimum tank size for spiny eels, as "spiny eels" is the family _mastacembelidae_ covering african to asia, of about 50-ish species ranging in size of around 8 inches to a couple feet.

The smaller species, zebra, pea****, striped pea****, zig zag, and others can be kept in 20 gallon tanks.


Of the more common asian spiny eels, _Macrognathus_ and _Mastacembelus, _Tire tracks are the more agressive, most piscivorous and will also eat the biggest variety of foods.

I feed my spiny eels a staple of earthworms, "dilly worms" are just smaller more "bite sized" earthworms sold at bait shops. Redworms are a smaller cousin of the earthworms and also work great, i have a small redworm farm under my tank. but variety is best, shrimp, bloodowrms, blackworms, whiteworms, and things like that are closest to their natural diet. Of course mosquito larvae is a definate favorite of theirs. They will however never accept prepared foods, and definately not pellets. only once has my eel eaten a freeze dried tubifex cube because earthworm scent was in the tank. make sure any food is "swallowable", too large of worms and they must work it down their throat.


Pvc pipe is a favorite home for spiny eels. make sure its not too narrow in diameter, they will try to squeeze themselves into it. Dont keep sharp gravel int he tank as they like to burrow, and cover all openings on your tank, theyre jumpers. once adjusted an secure to their environment, with cover and hiding places they adjust to your feeding schedule and dont become so nocturnal, although they will still be dominantly nocturnal.
http://www.britannica.com/memberlogin


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## Fishboy93 (Jun 11, 2005)

So a spiny eels could it live in a 29 gal. Planted with 2 Kribs, 6 Harlequin Rasboras, and 6 Cardinal tetras even tho i might be overstocked this is hypothetical....


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

A peac0ock, striped peac0ck, zig zag, or zebra would fit in a 29 gallon tank.




> At my lfs they have some spinyeels that are 3 to 4 inches big. They had lots of personality and came right out to the front. What is the min. tank size for them?





> I would have to say at least a 30 gal. mine is in a 55. I am not sure how big they get and was told about 10 inches. I know most pets stores will say anything to sell. So far mine is about 8 inches but got as a baby so may still be growing.


what kind were they? got a description?


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

sounds right! I love my eels-
I might have already said that....


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