Ribbon eel feeding

[lion king]

Ouch, keep an eye on that big chunk, does look like it's the fin and didn't get into the body. Does look like a fish, by the look I'd lean more towards the puffer. They have that v shaped beak, thing is the dogface wouldn't have to be aggressive more like looking for food. The wound at the end of the tail can also be troublesome, it can start to spread up. These things have a tendency to move fast and when they do many times get out of control very fast. While I'm not quick to jump on antibiotics, I would be inclined to seriously think about it. Is the big chunk and the tail wound on the same eel. They would need to be removed to a hospital tank to treat with antibiotics.

@Jay Hemdal what do you think

 

[Indoor_Ocean]

Ouch, keep an eye on that big chunk, does look like it's the fin and didn't get into the body. Does look like a fish, by the look I'd lean more towards the puffer. They have that v shaped beak, thing is the dogface wouldn't have to be aggressive more like looking for food. The wound at the end of the tail can also be troublesome, it can start to spread up. These things have a tendency to move fast and when they do many times get out of control very fast. While I'm not quick to jump on antibiotics, I would be inclined to seriously think about it. Is the big chunk and the tail wound on the same eel. They would need to be removed to a hospital tank to treat with antibiotics.

@Jay Hemdal what do you think

The pictures are of the same eel apart from the one taken far away with more puffery looking bites. The third eel also has one but quite superficial compared to the others. The puffer doesn't go near them. He hangs out on the top 1/2 of the tank except for feeding and sleeps on a rock. Only thing I can think of is that the eels stole a clam because he doesn't go near them. I can definitely be more cautious about where I drop clams in the future, but getting a separate tank for the eels isn't really an option. A suitable hospital tank for eels would be a major challenge for me as well. I'm happy to dump anything suitable for the dt, but I know that antibiotics aren't. Would you give them a shot in the dt and see if it was food aggression or take them back to the LFS?

 

[Lucky_805]

Make sure you don’t just feed them krill I did that with my ghost and it passed. Was my favorite of that tank

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Ouch, keep an eye on that big chunk, does look like it's the fin and didn't get into the body. Does look like a fish, by the look I'd lean more towards the puffer. They have that v shaped beak, thing is the dogface wouldn't have to be aggressive more like looking for food. The wound at the end of the tail can also be troublesome, it can start to spread up. These things have a tendency to move fast and when they do many times get out of control very fast. While I'm not quick to jump on antibiotics, I would be inclined to seriously think about it. Is the big chunk and the tail wound on the same eel. They would need to be removed to a hospital tank to treat with antibiotics.

@Jay Hemdal what do you think

IMO - the first thing is to remove all "nippy" fish from the tank, the puffer and the trigger for sure, but also cleaner wrasse, etc. I've never seen that sort of aggression being well controlled (it is probably food/curiosity motivated). I've seen butterflyfish pick at wounds like this, apparently just being curious. Have you noticed this? Ribbon eels don't seem to have a good "sense of presence". If a fish swims up to their face, they back away. However, if a link of their body is exposed, a fish can swim right up and bite it and the eel doesn't seem to try to avoid that, almost like they don't know where their body is half the time.

Here is the issue with antibiotics - if the OP can't set up a stable treatment tank, I'm not sure I would risk it. Ribbon eels don't take well to sub-par aquariums, both in terms of hiding spaces and water quality. I'm afraid if they move the fish to a marginal tank, the fish will just go downhill. If they do try antibiotics, a broad spectrum, gram negative one would be the first choice - Neoplex, Furan-2, Kanaplex maybe.

What is that disseminated mottled coloration on the one eel? That worries me more than the bites do.

Sorry, I don't have a lot of recent experience with ribbon eels. Through the 1970's to the mid-80's I had a 100% record of none of them accepting food, I tried dozens of them. Then, I got a juvenile in 1984 that ate. That was so unusual for the time, I wrote an article about it for FAMA. However, like orange spot filefish, I just stopped buying them, too much work, and too high of a mortality rate. Then, over the ensuing 30 years of so, something changed - and while still delicate, more people are having some success with both species. I suspect that it was cyanide issues in the past that have become less common.

Jay

 

[lion king]

@Jay Hemdal
To clarify, do you think the wounds require antibiotic intervention.

The mottled coloring could be the way the camera pucks up the cor chnage. The OP could clarify what he sees as far that mottled color.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal
To clarify, do you think the wounds require antibiotic intervention.

The mottled coloring could be the way the camera pucks up the cor chnage. The OP could clarify what he sees as far that mottled color.

I think that antibiotics would be useful, but I’m concerned that a treatment would cause extra stress to the eel….if it is just moved to a tiny tank. If the OP had a stable treatment tank that is large enough with good hiding places, I would move and treat.
Jay

 

[Indoor_Ocean]

Well, one eel has been euthanized. There was no aggression overnight, but I got home to find him with his tail wrapped around the wavemaker. It was stripped to the bone at the end, paralyzed for about 8”, and some spinous processes were visible. I can only imagine the pain he was in, and even with antibiotics, I felt his chances were too grave to allow him to suffer. Stupid mistake on my part, and I feel horrible. Obviously the wavemaker has been removed. The puffer obviously got to him, but I don’t blame him with the eel flapping around like a spaghetti noodle. The other eels seem okay and have no new bites.

I honestly can’t give them a suitable home separate from the other fish or a hospital tank that won’t majorly stress them out. The puffer is my favorite, so he stays above all others. I’m thinking this was a food aggression issue, so I’m going to try feeding more and away from the eels. Of course if there’s new bites or things start moving in the wrong direction, they’ll go to a new home.

 

[Indoor_Ocean]

Couldn’t get a picture of the tail, but the wounds are looking better. They both ate really well today. The mottled coloring on this eel has been there since I got it. I picked up this new hiding spot last night. The back is flush against the glass so it can’t be picked on from behind.

 

[lion king]

Couldn’t get a picture of the tail, but the wounds are looking better. They both ate really well today. The mottled coloring on this eel has been there since I got it. I picked up this new hiding spot last night. The back is flush against the glass so it can’t be picked on from behind.

It would be great if you could get something situated they could get their whole body covered. While I'm not a pvc fan, ribbon eels do respond well to pvc, many times even co-habitating. You could run a line along the back wall with 45 degree turns until you have openings up front. Buried in the sand, I think I used 1".

Just be careful when feeding the other fish, not to get them caught up in a feeding frenzy.

 

[lion king]

You mentioned one of your eels ended up in the sump. This is how stop that, I believe this stuff is called embroidery mesh, I cut to fit and used a few drops of superglue.

 

[Indoor_Ocean]

It would be great if you could get something situated they could get their whole body covered. While I'm not a pvc fan, ribbon eels do respond well to pvc, many times even co-habitating. You could run a line along the back wall with 45 degree turns until you have openings up front. Buried in the sand, I think I used 1".

Just be careful when feeding the other fish, not to get them caught up in a feeding frenzy.

I wanted to do PVC but I figured it would be difficult since the aquascape is already set up. I made the decision that I wanted ribbons about a month after I got the tank and waited/researched over 6 months before I got them. There’s not much room between the rockwork and the overflow. I could run pvc in the front, but I’m not sure how to bury it. I also like to check that they haven’t gotten out if I don’t see them during feedings. The smaller one sometimes hides in a conch shell and doesn’t come out right away.

I fed the other fish this morning and tonight before feeding the eels on the other side of the tank. I was only feeding daily before, but I’ve added a half sheet of tenera blue in the mornings (It was for the tang, but the puffer and humu love their “salad” too). They’re also getting clams daily now rather than EOD. They were completely uninterested in the eels or the frozen silversides I was target feeding.

 

[Indoor_Ocean]

You mentioned one of your eels ended up in the sump. This is how stop that, I believe this stuff is called embroidery mesh, I cut to fit and used a few drops of superglue.

I’ll try that. Would it be safe if the eel got on top there? They got past the barrier once so I could see them doing it again

 

[lion king]

I’ll try that. Would it be safe if the eel got on top there? They got past the barrier once so I could see them doing it again

It's completely safe, when you trim just make sure there are no sharp edges, if so a little fine sandpaper. They won't lounge up there, they just end up in the sump by cruising and poking around, and just following their nose up and over..