I've been getting the itch to see an eel for the first time. I was wondering if they are still active in Pennsylvania at this time of year and what's the best method to finding them?
Are American Eels still active?
Started by
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, Nov 16 2009 08:32 PM
20 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 16 November 2009 - 09:41 PM
Dunno about PA, but I was catching elvers as recently as a few weeks ago here (haven't been back to the site). Best method is to drag a dipnet rapidly toward you through weeds over a sandy bottom. Young eels will be burrowed shallowly in the sand or more rarely resting on it. At night they will be a little higher in the water, resting in the weeds at mid water, although you'll still get them on the bottom.
#3
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Posted 17 November 2009 - 12:10 AM
Dunno about PA, but I was catching elvers as recently as a few weeks ago here (haven't been back to the site). Best method is to drag a dipnet rapidly toward you through weeds over a sandy bottom. Young eels will be burrowed shallowly in the sand or more rarely resting on it. At night they will be a little higher in the water, resting in the weeds at mid water, although you'll still get them on the bottom.
Ah I should try that soon. The weather's been nice. But what exactly is an elver? Sorry, I'm new to fish.
#4
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Posted 17 November 2009 - 07:10 AM
Eels hatch in a larval stage that's nearly clear and live on yolk sac without eating for several months adrift at sea, while the currents push them toward shore. Once they reach an estuary they start to swim up into fresh water. While clear they are commonly called glass eels, then they start to turn brown and are able to eat, and they are called elvers. I'm not clear at what point they stop being elvers, but there is no difference visible except size between and elver and an adult.
#5
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Posted 17 November 2009 - 08:02 AM
I know of a pair of American Eel elvers that are active in PA right now! The ones Geoff sent me are certainly active in my 110gal tank. I've got them in there with a school of gambusia. Now the eels only like to come out when it's dark so I've resorted to watching them with a flashlight. Normally, I'd fish out any deceased gambusia (they seem to enjoy picking on and killing each other) but over the weekend I watched the eels work over a dead female gambusia. They do indeed like to latch on and then "spin". Fascinating to see if not a little morbid.
Dean
Dean
#6
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Posted 17 November 2009 - 03:02 PM
Glad to hear it!
The captive care article on NANFA proper mentions that they will sometimes grab and twist chunks of flesh from a larger fish they can't kill. I must have kept mine well fed, as I never had a problem with any but the smallest H. formosa disappearing. I did get to see the grab and twist a few times with floating wads of frozen food a few times though.
The captive care article on NANFA proper mentions that they will sometimes grab and twist chunks of flesh from a larger fish they can't kill. I must have kept mine well fed, as I never had a problem with any but the smallest H. formosa disappearing. I did get to see the grab and twist a few times with floating wads of frozen food a few times though.
#7
Guest_NYnativekeeper716_*
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Posted 17 November 2009 - 07:22 PM
Yea, Geoff while on this subject just wanted to keep you updated. My eels are doing great and eating like champs.I have them eating small worms right from my hand. Thanks again. I actually also got a larger one about 6 inches from another guy(2 different tanks obviously). Here is a vid of him eating. They have loads of personality and alot of fun to watch. hes almost never hiding and swimming around.
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=j28RUt--U1M
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=j28RUt--U1M
Edited by NYnativekeeper716, 17 November 2009 - 07:28 PM.
#8
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Posted 17 November 2009 - 11:46 PM
I know of a pair of American Eel elvers that are active in PA right now! The ones Geoff sent me are certainly active in my 110gal tank. I've got them in there with a school of gambusia. Now the eels only like to come out when it's dark so I've resorted to watching them with a flashlight. Normally, I'd fish out any deceased gambusia (they seem to enjoy picking on and killing each other) but over the weekend I watched the eels work over a dead female gambusia. They do indeed like to latch on and then "spin". Fascinating to see if not a little morbid.
Dean
Well thanks for being so nice to the noob
.Willing to share???
#9
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Posted 18 November 2009 - 01:46 AM
Eating from your fingers is cute. It gets a little scary when they're bigger I found.
What a great thread hijack. Seriously though, try to find some yourself. If you don't get any you'll probably find something else interesting. Concentrate on coastal areas of tidal fresh water. If you can't find any after a good search send me a message and I may be able to help.
What a great thread hijack. Seriously though, try to find some yourself. If you don't get any you'll probably find something else interesting. Concentrate on coastal areas of tidal fresh water. If you can't find any after a good search send me a message and I may be able to help.
#10
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Posted 18 November 2009 - 02:32 AM
Eating from your fingers is cute. It gets a little scary when they're bigger I found.
What a great thread hijack. Seriously though, try to find some yourself. If you don't get any you'll probably find something else interesting. Concentrate on coastal areas of tidal fresh water. If you can't find any after a good search send me a message and I may be able to help.
Oh I truly planned on finding some myself. I really don't think I have the space for one. I just have never ever seen one...only in videos and pictures.
#11
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Posted 18 November 2009 - 03:47 AM
They are pretty much the cutest fish ever. They do get big though.
#12
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Posted 18 November 2009 - 07:23 PM
They are pretty much the cutest fish ever. They do get big though.
That's the first time I've ever heard anyone call an eel cute.
#13
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Posted 19 November 2009 - 02:07 AM
That's because you haven't seen one. At 20 inches they're to be beaten with an oar and fried up for dinner, but at four inches they are just cute as a button.
#14
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Posted 19 November 2009 - 03:48 PM
That's because you haven't seen one. At 20 inches they're to be beaten with an oar and fried up for dinner, but at four inches they are just cute as a button.
Oh man now I gotta see this...do you have pictures of yours?
#15
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Posted 20 November 2009 - 05:04 AM
Look for them in the bottom goo and mud and you should get few. They are fascinating fish but escape artists.
#16
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Posted 20 November 2009 - 09:09 PM
Large eels should almost always be available in ponds fed by or near tributaries of ocean connected rivers. They will get into some surprisingly small ponds. I've seen them in tiny fire ponds with no obvious inlet. These are big adults, probably females. Too big for captives, too big for bait. Gzeiger said it right about how to deal with them.
See 'em by floating around in a boat at night with a powerful search light. Great way to see lots of other stuff too. They will go into minnow traps with catfood or other meaty food. Best way to catch 'em is hook and line by lantern light.
The tiny ones are seen closer to the salt in the tributaries. They are cool captives but tend to just up and disappear out of the blue.
See 'em by floating around in a boat at night with a powerful search light. Great way to see lots of other stuff too. They will go into minnow traps with catfood or other meaty food. Best way to catch 'em is hook and line by lantern light.
The tiny ones are seen closer to the salt in the tributaries. They are cool captives but tend to just up and disappear out of the blue.
#17
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Posted 19 January 2010 - 12:38 AM
Well guys I caved in and bought one from a Chinatown. He's about 20 inches I'd say. How long do you think before he starts feeding? I dropped in a nightcrawler and he nibbled on it then appeared to lose it while trying to dig deeper into the tank to find it!
#18
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Posted 19 January 2010 - 05:03 PM
They seem to be nearly blind. They can smell food when you put it in the water, and basically thrash around until some part of their body contacts it, then double back and eat it. I'm surprised he let food go, but it shouldn't be long.
#19
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Posted 19 January 2010 - 09:17 PM
They seem to be nearly blind. They can smell food when you put it in the water, and basically thrash around until some part of their body contacts it, then double back and eat it. I'm surprised he let food go, but it shouldn't be long.
Well I DID just get him yesterday to be honest. He did what looked like thrashing when i offered a goldfish....like undulating the body and staying in one spot...i thought nudging him would spook him like with snakes.
#20
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Posted 20 January 2010 - 05:33 PM
Live food is likely to be a disappointment. Smaller fish will disappear during the night, but I suspect the eel comes across them while sleeping on the bottom. I've seen no evidence of very active hunting of a swimming fish. Worms or any kind of meat is a fine choice (commercially available beefheart or other frozen aquarium foods, shrimp, liver or whatever), and they will learn to take sinking pellets after a while. They're normally nocturnal but can be trained to daytime activity by feeding with room lights on and/or shortly before lights come on.
You should supply a thick layer of sand in the tank to make this fish comfortable. I'd recommend 2-3" depth for an eel that big. They like to burrow but will come out quickly when they smell food. Also keep the tank very tighly covered. I've lost several of these from tanks where I really didn't think they could fit through the covers, and one had even been kept in an uncovered tank with no problems for months before escaping from a well-covered one. I've never found it, it just disappeared.
You should supply a thick layer of sand in the tank to make this fish comfortable. I'd recommend 2-3" depth for an eel that big. They like to burrow but will come out quickly when they smell food. Also keep the tank very tighly covered. I've lost several of these from tanks where I really didn't think they could fit through the covers, and one had even been kept in an uncovered tank with no problems for months before escaping from a well-covered one. I've never found it, it just disappeared.
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