Golden Dwarf Moray Eel not eating.

[SashimiTurtle]

Eels also go on hunger strikes when moved. Maui went on a 12 day strike because I moved him from his temporary 10g "refugium" into my 35g cube. He was already eating for a few weeks in my care prior to the move. Eels are drama queens. Three weeks is at the edge of really long time without food tho(read, get some calamari SOON). Esp. for a dwarf that doesn't have the body mass of a larger eel.

 

[najer]

Thanks dude.

 

[jasonrusso]

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

I've had a GDM for about 5 years. Where is he, is he is a normal tank with rocks and sand or a QT? When I have to take my fish out for QT my GDM didn't eat for 2 months. I was nervous every day after a month. He wouldn't eat when there was medication in the water.

When he was in the main tank, he went a month one time without eating. I don't know why. Try mussels or oysters from the fish counter. They also love squid tentacles (calamari) from the fish counter.

Mine eats off tongs. He recognizes them now. He doesn't like garlic. The smell is too strong and they see by smell.

 

[Anarcha0s]

I've had a GDM for about 5 years. Where is he, is he is a normal tank with rocks and sand or a QT? When I have to take my fish out for QT my GDM didn't eat for 2 months. I was nervous every day after a month. He wouldn't eat when there was medication in the water.

When he was in the main tank, he went a month one time without eating. I don't know why. Try mussels or oysters from the fish counter. They also love squid tentacles (calamari) from the fish counter.

Mine eats off tongs. He recognizes them now. He doesn't like garlic. The smell is too strong and they see by smell.

My golden dwarf is in a fluval evo 13.5 right now. It has reef sand and 3 nice pieces of rock I've set up to make as many cave like structures as possible. When I move I'm planning on getting a 75-100 gallon for my snowflake and I'll be moving the golden dwarf to a biocube 32 (where baby snowflake is now)

 

[jasonrusso]

My golden dwarf is in a fluval evo 13.5 right now. It has reef sand and 3 nice pieces of rock I've set up to make as many cave like structures as possible. When I move I'm planning on getting a 75-100 gallon for my snowflake and I'll be moving the golden dwarf to a biocube 32 (where baby snowflake is now)

Try the grocery store mussels and oysters.

 

[rlman41299]

I have my first golden dwarf 2 weeks ago from PIA and had an injury and did not eat for almost 2 weeks. He was just like what you have described. He darts out of his cave and smell the food but never takes a bite. 3 days ago I soaked raw shrimp in garlic oil and cut into small pieces and final he took his first bite and has been eating from my feeding stick ever since. I try and give him a bite of 2 everyday now to make up for the 2 weeks he never ate.

 

[Bangai64]

My golden loves Krill. He attacks it. Also they can go a month w/out eating. Just put it near him and if he wants it he'll take it.

 

[Bangai64]

They don't eat every day. I feed mine roughly every 3 weeks.

 

[scuzy]

I feed mine one silverside a week.

 

[Anarcha0s]

As of last night he still hasn't eaten, I tried frozen chopped up squid and he didn't even want that, I just got some seachem garlic guard so I'll try that when I get home from work, Ill keep everyone updated

 

[HiddenUser]

Mine loves the Hikari Clam on a Half Sheel. Eats every 2-3 days or so. I use the Tunze aquarium tongs to dangle a piece in his face and he'll sniff it for a bit and within a few minutes he'll either grab it, or he'll retract into his cave.

I usually can tell he's hungry though because he swims around and starts grabbing Mysis off the sand when I'm feeding the other fish.

 

[Anarcha0s]

Mine loves the Hikari Clam on a Half Sheel. Eats every 2-3 days or so. I use the Tunze aquarium tongs to dangle a piece in his face and he'll sniff it for a bit and within a few minutes he'll either grab it, or he'll retract into his cave.

I usually can tell he's hungry though because he swims around and starts grabbing Mysis off the sand when I'm feeding the other fish.

Ill try more with the clams on a half shell! My snowflake loves them, but he loves pretty much anything i feed him lol

 

[ca1ore]

Eels definitely go on hunger strikes when stressed. My golden ate like a champ, then I moved him to a different tank at he wouldn't eat for almost a month. Mine always had a preference for shrimp or those small hikari clams. My current zebra will only eat shrimp.

 

[Anarcha0s]

Update, I still haven't seen my golden dwarf eat, but he hasn't lost any color, and is still the same size as he was when I got him (month and 1 day as of this update). I've noticed a lot of hermit crabs have gone missing so I think he is eating them when I'm not watching.

 

[Tallison]

any luck with the clams?

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I've just come to the conclusion that my GDM is eating my fish. I've lost(disappeared, no sign or trace left of these) 1 yellow tail basslet about 1.5", one gold assessor basslet(expensive and rare) about 1", one hi fin goby(was a mated pair, ticked off about only having the one now) about .75", and one flame cardinal about 1.75". These fish all vanished from the tank, no bodies found. My eel was eating VERY well before these fish were added. Since the addition of these fish (one at a time over the last month and a half), I've successfully gotten him to eat what I've offered maybe twice.

The eel is getting re-tanked... I'm not going to keep losing fish like that. If you have one of these, make sure his tank mates WILL NOT fit in his mouth.

 

[Anarcha0s]

any luck with the clams?

Nope he does the same thing that he does with the shrimp, smells it, looks like he’s about to take a bite, then shakes his head and hides

 

[Anarcha0s]

I've just come to the conclusion that my GDM is eating my fish. I've lost(disappeared, no sign or trace left of these) 1 yellow tail basslet about 1.5", one gold assessor basslet(expensive and rare) about 1", one hi fin goby(was a mated pair, ticked off about only having the one now) about .75", and one flame cardinal about 1.75". These fish all vanished from the tank, no bodies found. My eel was eating VERY well before these fish were added. Since the addition of these fish (one at a time over the last month and a half), I've successfully gotten him to eat what I've offered maybe twice.

The eel is getting re-tanked... I'm not going to keep losing fish like that. If you have one of these, make sure his tank mates WILL NOT fit in his mouth.

Dang! Yeah my snowflake ate a goby of mine after a few weeks of living in the same tank. They seem fine at first, then the goby was just gone haha

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Dang! Yeah my snowflake ate a goby of mine after a few weeks of living in the same tank. They seem fine at first, then the goby was just gone haha

I'm really bummed about it, but he's a fish eating eel... He's just doing what's natural. I have a 14g peninsula tank that I'm gonna move him to. The only thing in there is a coral banded shrimp and a pin cushion urchin. I've just got to do some rescaping in there and it should work perfectly.

 

[Anarcha0s]

I'm really bummed about it, but he's a fish eating eel... He's just doing what's natural. I have a 14g peninsula tank that I'm gonna move him to. The only thing in there is a coral banded shrimp and a pin cushion urchin. I've just got to do some rescaping in there and it should work perfectly.

Yeah it sucks but its not the eels fault, hes just hungry. Im sure he will like his own tank!