help with my snowflake!!!

jweed9379 · Sep 16, 2014

So i purchased a baby snowflake eel as some of you may have seen from a previous thread of mine, the problem im having is that i cant get it to eat/take food from the feeding stick...ive had it since saturday and it ate on saturday at my lfs...i was told that he should probably eat again on monday night or tuesday, so i tried last night and nothing so thought ok maybe its not hungry yet so i tried again tonight and still nothing...im trying to feed him krill shrimp which is what he was eating at the lfs but he wont eat it here, ive also tried fresh scallops and once again nothing...im stumped. I know it sees it and it checks it out but then just acts as if its not there...i held it directly in front of it as well as off to the side and i even tried moving it around as well but as i said...nothing, i really dont know what to do at this point

EZMAC114 · Sep 16, 2014

I've read about Zebra Moray eels and it says they may go 8 weeks without eating at times...I don't know if it's the same with snowflake eels though.

jweed9379 · Sep 16, 2014

Yeah but being a baby only 6" at the most arent silversides a little big?

tyler1503 · Sep 16, 2014

Snowflakes can go weeks without feeding in the wild, it's no big deal if she goes a week or two without eating now. Try chopped squid pieces, mines goes crazy as soon as it hits the water. It's the first thing I try with new eels and it almost never fails

Maybe give her a week or so to settle in and try again.
Is she pretty active?

jweed9379 · Sep 16, 2014

Yeah it is...its already dug out two different spots that it likes to hang out in, and its quite a swimmer as well lol i think it loves having all the room because it was in a small tank and now its in a 65 until my 75 is up and running...

tyler1503 · Sep 17, 2014

jweed9379 said:
Yeah it is...its already dug out two different spots that it likes to hang out in, and its quite a swimmer as well lol i think it loves having all the room because it was in a small tank and now its in a 65 until my 75 is up and running...

That's a good sign. It means she's adjusting to your tank. They seem to be pretty active for the first few weeks to a month or so before they settle down. I assume it's because they're looking for the perfect hideout and to find any potential meals. She should tire herself out eventually and want to eat. Like I said, squid is most likely to get her eating unless you have access to live foods.

nwreef · Sep 17, 2014

My snowflake has gone weeks without eating and then all of a sudden bam she's starts eating again, and watch out when that feeding frenzy kicks in. Hand feeding typically calms that frenzy though, at least with mine anyways. As far as the siliversides go you can just cup them up and try feeding smaller bite sized pieces. These eels are pretty darn hardy creatures some same bullet proof. Your guy is just a baby so give it sometime and plenty of hiding spots.

natalie.ohare27 · Sep 17, 2014

We had a black edge moray and it didn't eat right away either. We bought a little hollow log and put it in the tank and it settled right in and started eating the next day. Once it has a cave though I think they feel the need to guard it so be careful hand feeding. Mine will sometimes go around the silver side I'm offering it and start eyeing my fingers. Nipped me once and it was painful