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Updates on my American Eel


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#1 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 21 January 2010 - 11:17 PM

As it says, I checked on him today and he was on his side. However, when I tried picking him up to check him out, he was fit as a fiddle and swam away. Do you think he was just sleeping? Or is something wrong? Please get back to me ASAP.

#2 Guest_lozgod_*

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Posted 21 January 2010 - 11:45 PM

It is real dificult to kill an eel. You would almost have to intentionally do it. They survive horrible conditions in bait shops.

Check all of your water parameters?

#3 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 21 January 2010 - 11:55 PM

It is real dificult to kill an eel. You would almost have to intentionally do it. They survive horrible conditions in bait shops.

Check all of your water parameters?


Well I don't have any tests kits right now. I bought the guy from an awful Chinatown fish market. The water I put him in is just dechlorinated water from my dorm room. I assume since it hadn't killed my sunfish, then it will be really hard to kill an eel.

#4 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 11:06 AM

Well I don't have any tests kits right now. I bought the guy from an awful Chinatown fish market. The water I put him in is just dechlorinated water from my dorm room. I assume since it hadn't killed my sunfish, then it will be really hard to kill an eel.


Also, any tips on getting him to start eating? I've offered nightcrawlers, live goldfish, and decapitated goldfish and still no reaction.

#5 Guest_lozgod_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 12:16 PM

Sounds like you bought an eel that was already sick. Might be too late for him. Really can't advise you other than euthanize or give it time. I would do the latter but keep a close eye because if it dies it could foul up the tank and kill anything else in it.

#6 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 12:45 PM

Sounds like you bought an eel that was already sick. Might be too late for him. Really can't advise you other than euthanize or give it time. I would do the latter but keep a close eye because if it dies it could foul up the tank and kill anything else in it.


He's the only one in the tank(right now it's an opaque 10 gallon rubbermaid but I'm setting up a twenty gallon long for him) so I dont have other fish to worry about.

I checked on him today, and he looked fine. He was just resting on the bottom(no substrate right now, I thought the darkness might make him feel secure). I don't think he's sick, it took the market people almost 5 minutes and two people to get it out because it moved so quickly..

Last night I tried offering a decapitated goldfish. At first he bit it out of defense and then appeared more interested in sniffing my hand than the fish that was in it(not the best idea but I didn't care if I got bit or not).

Today I plan on gathering substrate(either sand from a creek where I know eels are or how about a bunch of dead leaves?) and filling up the twenty gallon. i'm debating whether or not to make the water brackish....who knows what the water was like in that nasty fish market tank.

#7 Guest_Clayton_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 01:50 PM

A lot of times your best bet is to give it a little time. Some animals will go off of their feed after being moved to a new habitat. It is fairly stressful, so I would give it a few days before turning its world upside down again. I also wouldn't try feeding it by hand, since it probably associates your hand with something trying to eat it. It usually takes an animal that is pretty comfortable with you to get it to eat from your hand. A pair of tongs or something might be a better choice.

#8 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 01:57 PM

A lot of times your best bet is to give it a little time. Some animals will go off of their feed after being moved to a new habitat. It is fairly stressful, so I would give it a few days before turning its world upside down again. I also wouldn't try feeding it by hand, since it probably associates your hand with something trying to eat it. It usually takes an animal that is pretty comfortable with you to get it to eat from your hand. A pair of tongs or something might be a better choice.


I checked again and he was on his side again, back arched. Just flipping his pectoral fins and breathing and returned normal when I touched him with the net(I was scooping out the uneaten fish). Now I'm even more concerned. Do you think that a Chinese food market keeps their fish in brackish water? I think it may be kind of like a shock from going to brackish to fresh....then again he IS yellow and I thought they spent their time in fresh water

Edited by SunnyRollins, 22 January 2010 - 02:06 PM.


#9 Guest_Clayton_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 02:49 PM

I suspect that a chinese food market keeps their fish in whatever is handy. What that was in this case I can't say. I've never kept an American eel, so I can't offer much in the way of advise.

#10 Guest_dmarkley_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 04:21 PM

I suspect that a chinese food market keeps their fish in whatever is handy. What that was in this case I can't say. I've never kept an American eel, so I can't offer much in the way of advise.


Was your Rubbermaid tub cleaned? These things can contain molding residues. Also, if you cleaned it, did you rinse it thoroughly? A little soap/detergent can really upset even an eel.

Dean

#11 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 04:38 PM

Was your Rubbermaid tub cleaned? These things can contain molding residues. Also, if you cleaned it, did you rinse it thoroughly? A little soap/detergent can really upset even an eel.

Dean


I rinsed it out with regular water. No soap or detergents used for the reason you said.

#12 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 07:40 PM

I rinsed it out with regular water. No soap or detergents used for the reason you said.


Well I found him on his side again and figured to transfer him to a brackish tank ASAP. I got a twenty gallon long set up with rocks to hide behind and under. He immediately went behind the rocks and sure was a pain netting out! Here's hoping it's a good sign.

#13 Guest_gzeiger_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 05:31 AM

At 20 inches he should be fine in full fresh. Lack of substrate to burrow in is probably quite stressful for him. That's my guess as to cause.

#14 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 01:01 PM

At 20 inches he should be fine in full fresh. Lack of substrate to burrow in is probably quite stressful for him. That's my guess as to cause.


I thought he'd be ok in full fresh, but figured maybe it would be best to keep it in brackish water. I won't be able to buy substrate until I get my next paycheck, so right now I'm improvising. I'm thinking dead leaves may be the best option right now, as well as the rocks. I would like any thoughts on this ASAP before I go collecting them then realizing it's not a good idea

He's looking better already. This morning when I peered in to check on him, he seemed to notice my shadow and started backing into the rocks. He WAS on his side again, but only for a minute or two before righting himself, compared to yesterday where I saw him on his side, left for dinner, and came back to see him in the same position. he was wedged between the tank wall and one of the rocks, so I assume maybe he was just squeezing his way through.

I'm going to wait a few days before feeding now. I got some frozen bloodworms, thinking they're pretty irresistable to most fish. I'm also contemplating adding a small fish that will feed well, to see if that may entice him to feed(either on what the fish would be fed or the fish itself)

Edited by SunnyRollins, 23 January 2010 - 01:08 PM.


#15 Guest_lozgod_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 01:32 PM

Gz had a good point. They like to burrow. A good deep sand substrate would help a lot. If he is still alive then I think he is fine. He is probably very stressed from his ordeal at the market, now he is in a tank with no hiding places so he still hasn't found a place with a comfort level. Eels are tough. Get him what he needs and he should rebound.

I think fresh water would be a better home simply because they prefer to hunt at night and you could put goldfish in there and not have to worry about them dying if not eaten right away. He probably still would eat them dead but it would foul up the water in the meantime.

#16 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 02:38 PM

Gz had a good point. They like to burrow. A good deep sand substrate would help a lot. If he is still alive then I think he is fine. He is probably very stressed from his ordeal at the market, now he is in a tank with no hiding places so he still hasn't found a place with a comfort level. Eels are tough. Get him what he needs and he should rebound.

I think fresh water would be a better home simply because they prefer to hunt at night and you could put goldfish in there and not have to worry about them dying if not eaten right away. He probably still would eat them dead but it would foul up the water in the meantime.


Well like I said I can't simply go buy substrate right now. Do you think leaves will be a good substitute for burrowing in?

And when I can buy substrate, would regular playsand be ok? Or should I get a sand made for aquarium use?

And I have this rinsed out glass bottle I think he can fit in. Should I offer that?

Edited by SunnyRollins, 23 January 2010 - 02:41 PM.


#17 Guest_lozgod_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 03:19 PM

Playsand is great for aquariums. If you are going planted then soil under playsand is great. But without plants playsand works. Leaves won't hurt. Give it a shot.

FYI, unless you are dead dead broke playsand is really cheap. If you got a few bucks you should be able to pick some up. Go to like a home depot or something. It's surprisingly cheap.

#18 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 03:29 PM

Playsand is great for aquariums. If you are going planted then soil under playsand is great. But without plants playsand works. Leaves won't hurt. Give it a shot.

FYI, unless you are dead dead broke playsand is really cheap. If you got a few bucks you should be able to pick some up. Go to like a home depot or something. It's surprisingly cheap.


Alright I should be able to afford playsand in that case. I haven't gotten a paycheck since I started my job earlier so I'm trying to save what I have right now.

When I do add the sand, what should I do with the eel? Just leave him in there and not pour the sand on him? Will I have to worry about anything with the brackish tank water being affected?

Thanks so much for the help so far. I really want to have this guy for a looooooooooooooong time.

#19 Guest_gzeiger_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 06:28 PM

Home Depot play sand is about $3.50 for 50 lbs. You mentioned collecting sand from a local creek, which also sounded like a perfectly reasonable option. Play sand does have some dust and I'd recommend rinsing it before adding to the tank, while creek sand should be find to dump in on top of him. I have caught young eels in fairly turbid water though, so dust may not be that harmful. Sand from a pet store is absurdly expensive. I've seen as much as $15 for 5 lbs, and I really can't recommend that unless you just really have to have true black sand for a photo contest or something.

They do love bloodworms, and earthworms seemed to go over well too.

#20 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 08:51 PM

Home Depot play sand is about $3.50 for 50 lbs. You mentioned collecting sand from a local creek, which also sounded like a perfectly reasonable option. Play sand does have some dust and I'd recommend rinsing it before adding to the tank, while creek sand should be find to dump in on top of him. I have caught young eels in fairly turbid water though, so dust may not be that harmful. Sand from a pet store is absurdly expensive. I've seen as much as $15 for 5 lbs, and I really can't recommend that unless you just really have to have true black sand for a photo contest or something.

They do love bloodworms, and earthworms seemed to go over well too.


I think creek sand would take forever to collect though...especially 2-3 inches for a 20 gallon long. I think it'd be more beneficial since it'd have beneficial bacteria living in it. And the sand in the creek I noticed has a ton of rocks in it...not like huge rocks but I think a bunch being dumped on my eel would not be good.

Agreed with the aquarium sand being ridiculously expensive. I don't recall how heavy it was, but it was at Petsmart and cost $25

I really cannot wait for him to start eating. He was hiding behind the rocks most of the evening and I left the room for not even 10 minutes to take out the trash, turning the lights off as I left. I come back and there he is poking his head out from behind the rocks.




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