Feeding snowflake eels

Dustinba · May 27, 2015

I bought my snowflake eel a little over a week ago, just a little one. He is about 6-7 inches long and probably about a half inch in diameter, but any ways. The other day was the first time he actually ate. Then last night he was starting to pick at the other fish and even my valenti puffer. So I fed him again, and again tonight because now all he does is search for food. With all the reading I was doing before I bought one, it seems like everyone feeds there eels around once a week. Should I just try to start by feeding him every other day and increase it from there or what? I really don't want to start replacing fish.

kevinsmixed90 · May 28, 2015

where to start. I have a snowflake in a 75 gal. bought him around the same size as yours about 8 mos. ago. he is now 4 ft. long and as bug around as a baseball bat. he bit the tail clean off my lionfish. he stays hungry. he shares the tank with a niger trigger, one spot foxface and a sailfin tang. these fish smack him around as they are huge. I feed him raw table shrimp, (2 big ones weekly) 1 farm raised oyster still in the shell and a few cherry point clams in the shell. he will try to escape if you don't cover the tank. I have donated him to the local zoo but I told them im not catching him so we will see if they show up. be VERY careful about having your fingers in the tank! they will come out of nowhere if you have rockwork. having said all that he is awesome to watch! he will take that oyster and smash it against the rocks to open it and friends watch that tank and not my reef!

eatbreakfast · May 28, 2015

A young eel has a faster metabolism than a more mature one and needs to be fed more frequently. Although some eel keepers feed one large meal a week, I have found feeding smaller meals daily really helps lessen aggression and hunting other fish.

As far as the post above, I wonder if his eel is misidentified. Snowflakes top out at 30", so a 4 footer is unlikely.

Downbeach · May 28, 2015

I fed mine daily, with bay scallops, shrimp, talapia, etc. He also ate the best shrimp money can buy, i.e. Blood, Skunk, Peppermint, etc. His appetite was insatiable.

Bolivar · Nov 17, 2015

Our snowflake eel is a baby, maybe 6 inches long like Dustinba's. We feed him 3-4 small peices of shrimp every other day. It seems to be enough for him since he has only gotten out in the open twice hunting for food since we bought him a month ago.

I do have a question that I am hoping someone could answer.

Do any of you add vitamins or zoe liquid to the food for the eel? We do for our fish and have tried for the eel, it seems it doesn't like it much. He is pale compared to our fish which I believe is because of lack of vitamins and zoe?

eatbreakfast · Nov 18, 2015

Bolivar said:
Our snowflake eel is a baby, maybe 6 inches long like Dustinba's. We feed him 3-4 small peices of shrimp every other day. It seems to be enough for him since he has only gotten out in the open twice hunting for food since we bought him a month ago.

I do have a question that I am hoping someone could answer.

Do any of you add vitamins or zoe liquid to the food for the eel? We do for our fish and have tried for the eel, it seems it doesn't like it much. He is pale compared to our fish which I believe is because of lack of vitamins and zoe?

If he doesn't like the vitamins, try varying the diet. Live clams, oysters, and scallops are never refused by an eel, strips of fresh fish are good too. But switching up between fish foods is good too, krill, piscine mysis are good.