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Updates on my American Eel


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#81 Guest_Doug_Dame_*

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Posted 09 February 2011 - 02:55 AM

I have absolutely no luck finding pure ammonia with no surfactant, so ...Wish me luck :)

I went to at least 10 places looking for non-sudsing anmmonia before I found some .... try your local ACE Hardware store. An astoundingly obscure item these days, who'd-a-thunk-it.

HTH - d.d.

#82 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 09 February 2011 - 11:38 AM

I went to at least 10 places looking for non-sudsing anmmonia before I found some .... try your local ACE Hardware store. An astoundingly obscure item these days, who'd-a-thunk-it.

HTH - d.d.


Thanks for the advice, but I'm going to transfer the substrate and filter media with Eli to the new tank since I've read it's safe.

#83 Guest_Jan_*

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Posted 09 February 2011 - 09:05 PM

So I ran two tests on the tank and each time the ammonia showed up at zero. I did a little research and asking around and found out it would be ok to add Eli with the substrate and filter from his old tank with no problems while the new filter cycles. I bought two pvc pipes to use as temporary hides in the new tank. Once it warms up I plan on adding driftwood to replace them.

I got video of him on Christmas when I got a new video camera. I just uploaded it the other day to see how it looked. I'm pleased with the results. Check it out!


Good ole Eli!
He's one lucky eel. Thanks for sharing.

#84 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 15 February 2011 - 08:03 PM

Good ole Eli!
He's one lucky eel. Thanks for sharing.


No problem! So I transferred some substrate and currently have Eli sitting in a bag floating in the water. Took forever to get him. He tried to have an adventure on the floor of my basement.

Should I be concerned with the slime coat being damaged?

Edited by SunnyRollins, 15 February 2011 - 08:06 PM.


#85 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 15 February 2011 - 11:57 PM

Added a few drops of StressCoat just in case, but he looks fine.

HE'S FINALLY IN HIS NEW TANK! I'll get pics up tomorrow.

#86 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 17 February 2011 - 06:40 PM

Added a few drops of StressCoat just in case, but he looks fine.

HE'S FINALLY IN HIS NEW TANK! I'll get pics up tomorrow.


Sorry for being late with a picture. I used a cell phone to take this picture. I'm trying to catch him swimming around for a video so I hope to get that soon.

Posted Image

#87 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 01 March 2011 - 02:37 PM

Well I did manage to collect some driftwood this past weekend, and yesterday I added a piece to the tank. I've started to notice that when fed, he would come out and feed once all the lights in the room were off, so after adding the wood, I noticed he poked his head out of the pvc pipe, so I sat in the dark and waited to see what would happen.

In a matter of minutes, Eli had his head lifted and appeared to be smelling/investigating the new piece of driftwood. Then he started swimming around the bottom checking it out. The wood was weighed down with rocks, which he investigated as well. After some investigating, he did something I hadn't see him do in the new tank: he began digging. He seemed intent on getting under the rocks, but when he moved them, the driftwood floated to the surface, and he retreated to his pipe to escape the menacing plant material lol. He didn't hide long, he was soon back out and checking out the driftwood. He kept swimming to the surface to check it out. At one point he even temporarily rested his head on one of the branches with the rest of his body hanging lol.

Today I checked on him and noticed he has burrowed in the substrate.

#88 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 22 May 2011 - 08:52 PM

Noticed something interesting.....he changed color....he was a lot lot lighter than he used to be....Idk if it's from lighter substrate, more lighting, or what....he seems almost pale at times. Still seems to be behaving normally though!

#89 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 23 May 2011 - 12:15 AM

Pale color. He's in his death throes. Sorry about your luck!

#90 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 25 May 2011 - 02:22 PM

Pale color. He's in his death throes. Sorry about your luck!


Yea man....I figured he has no more than....idk....10-20 years left in him!

#91 Guest_pylodictis_*

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Posted 25 May 2011 - 04:39 PM

Start over. Get a bait shop one, they'll sell him to you for $2. I keep mine in a plastic bag on ice when fishing and they'll last 48 hours that way, not to mention 8+ hours on a hook.

#92 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 25 May 2011 - 08:10 PM

You can buy eels in bait shops?!

#93 Guest_gzeiger_*

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Posted 28 May 2011 - 02:02 PM

My eel has spent a long time now just swimming in circles up and down the end pane of his tank... I've seen that behavior before, usually at night, but it's never been so long. I've been watching him do it continuously now for six hours since the lights came on, but I think he's been doing it for more like 24 hours. Have you seen this before?

Could be a reaction to stress - recently spent two weeks in a five gallon bucket during a cross-country move, and then I just last night rearranged his new tank and added new plants.

#94 Guest_pylodictis_*

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Posted 28 May 2011 - 03:22 PM

You can buy eels in bait shops?!



Yes, they are commonly used as blue catfish, striper and cobia bait.

#95 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 01 June 2011 - 12:25 PM

My eel has spent a long time now just swimming in circles up and down the end pane of his tank... I've seen that behavior before, usually at night, but it's never been so long. I've been watching him do it continuously now for six hours since the lights came on, but I think he's been doing it for more like 24 hours. Have you seen this before?

Could be a reaction to stress - recently spent two weeks in a five gallon bucket during a cross-country move, and then I just last night rearranged his new tank and added new plants.


IDK...he's still acting normally. I haven't been on top of water changes like I should...maybe a few of those will bring the dark colors back.

And I have not noticed him swim in circles along the walls of the tank. He usually sits in his PVC pipe unless it's completely dark and food is about. Maybe he needs more hides such as that now that I think about it

Edited by SunnyRollins, 01 June 2011 - 12:35 PM.


#96 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 23 February 2012 - 10:54 PM

Start over. Get a bait shop one, they'll sell him to you for $2. I keep mine in a plastic bag on ice when fishing and they'll last 48 hours that way, not to mention 8+ hours on a hook.


It's been 2 years and he's still alive. Should I still consider starting over? :P

#97 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 12:40 AM

UPDATE TO ANYONE WHO STILL CARES!

Over 3 years now! Still kickin!

#98 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 04 February 2013 - 08:49 AM

Nice job. I am one who still cares. That's one thing I like about the forum. Long term stories.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#99 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 07 February 2013 - 04:09 PM

Any recent changes with him? (length, eating habits, etc)?




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