Golden Dwarf Moray Eel not eating.

[Anarcha0s]

Hey guys about 3 weeks ago now I got a Golden Dwarf and he hasn't eaten yet. I've tried chopped up shrimp from the store, scallops, silversides, even brine shrimp. He looks like he is interested and as soon as he gets close enough to take a bite, he retreats back into his hiding place, I'm starting to get worried seeing how he hasn't eaten in nearly 3 weeks. Does anyone have any advice? thanks

 

[Tallison]

Does he come out of hiding to look for food? Not an expert at all but when I feed my snowflake he's usually out as soon as the shrimp hits the power head. Usually gauge feeding by how active he is

 

[Anarcha0s]

I think he smells it and is interested but he always chickens out and goes back into hiding, I also have a snowflake that eats like a champ. So I don't know why he isn't eating.

 

[Webslinger]

Golden dwarfs are much more docile than snowflakes. Mine likes to smell the food a few times before he eats it. I would cut a small piece of silverside/squid put it on a feeding stick very close to his cave. They tend not to leave their caves at all especially when in a new environment. Mine never swims around hunting he just pokes his head out of his cave with his mouth open when hungry. I feed him to saturation once every few weeks and they can go a while without food.

 

[Tallison]

I would try to cut the food into smaller pieces and hold it outside of the eels hole till he gets it. You can try soaking in garlic to see if that entices him

 

[Anarcha0s]

That makes sense, do I keep the food on the feeding stick or drop it in front of him? Is it normal to have a golden dwarf not eat for this long after getting him?

 

[Tallison]

What's your fish stock like?

 

[Anarcha0s]

Its just him in his own tank, my snowflake is in another tank

 

[Anarcha0s]

Heres a picture of the little guy

 

[Tallison]

That makes sense, do I keep the food on the feeding stick or drop it in front of him? Is it normal to have a golden dwarf not eat for this long after getting him?

I hold it in front with tongs but if you feel the feeding stick makes him skiddish then I would just put it at the edge of his hole and see if he goes for it. It's fairly common for eels to go awhile without eating, especially when they're introduced. You can also try a live food to see if that's more appetizing

 

[Anarcha0s]

I hold it in front with tongs but if you feel the feeding stick makes him skiddish then I would just put it at the edge of his hole and see if he goes for it. It's fairly common for eels to go awhile without eating, especially when they're introduced. You can also try a live food to see if that's more appetizing

What would be a good live food? I hear goldfish and such arent good for saltwater fish. Maybe mollies? I also should have stated I've tried ghost shrimp as well.

 

[Tallison]

I would stay away from feeding goldfish. Ghost shrimp which you stated you have tried and black worms can be appetizing to them. I would honestly just try to soak some small amount of table shrimp in garlic and leave it at the edge of his hole

 

[Tallison]

Let me know if that works

 

[Anarcha0s]

I would stay away from feeding goldfish. Ghost shrimp which you stated you have tried and black worms can be appetizing to them. I would honestly just try to soak some small amount of table shrimp in garlic and leave it at the edge of his hole

Will do, thank you!

 

[Webslinger]

The stick shouldn't scare him as they don't see very well. I would turn the lights down and feed him from the stick and have a little movement of the stick so he can feel the water movement. They learn pretty fast . They aren't really scavengers and have never had luck with them finding food sitting in tank.
Cut the a center piece out of a silverside about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch piece and feed him that. He should smell that right away.

 

[Tallison]

The stick shouldn't scare him as they don't see very well. I would turn the lights down and feed him from the stick and have a little movement of the stick so he can feel the water movement. They learn pretty fast . They aren't really scavengers and have never had luck with them finding food sitting in tank.

In my experience with my snowflake if I put a sliver of shrimp near his hole he finds it almost immediately but I've never owned a dwarf golden

 

[najer]

@Robin Haselden ?

 

[Webslinger]

Snowflakes are different than a golden dwarf. Snowflakes are mainly crustacean eaters with blunt teeth and scavenge. Golden drawfs have sharp teeth and mainly fish/squid eaters.

 

[lion king]

I would do live ghost shrimp and/or acclimate a few small mollies. Let them live in the tank with him until he decides to eat them. It may be during dark hours. After he has started eating the live food, start to try and feed him after lights out. These guys are a bit timid, so smaller sliver size foods are a better choice in the beginning.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Golden dwarves LOVE calamari. that's all I fed mine as I've never been able to get them eating anything else. Feeding reaction is almost immediate with a hungry eel and calimari. I'm pretty sure that's close to what they eat in the wild. I usually feed mine two tentacles every few days. Sometimes it's three if they are small. I try and cut them to be the width of his head. Check out my YouTube channel to see Maui the golden dwarf eating.

https://www.youtube.com/user/turtle5600