We’ve had our Snowflake Eel for six months now, he is in a 75g salt water tank. Usual diet is freeze dried jumbo krill and a few silver sides every now and then. Today I have noticed he has a bulging stomach area. Anyone have an idea as to what is going on with him?
Sick Snowflake Eel... HELP!
- Thread starter arenae86
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Montiman
Valuable Member
It is very hard to tell from the picture if there is anything wrong. I can say from experience that eels are prone to digestive worm infections that can cause issues. The best treatment I have found has always been praziquantel. I usually use Kordon Prazi Pro.
Is he still eating?. Being 6 months in the tank and eating it is unlikely internal parasites, the consequences of internal parasitea would have shown up much earlier.
A diet dominant in krill is a killer, usually due a nutritional defiencency caused by thiaminese found to be high in krill, and many types of silversides. If you are using any other brand of silversides besides Hikara, its a goid chance they are rainbow smelt, and will also contain thiaminese.
Raising the mg level to about 1400ppm may help with digestion, and feed him something else besides krill. Shrimp, octopus, and squid are some good options: as well as chunks of salmon and tuna. If he is not taking food, after raising mg, try some live ghost shrimp.
A diet dominant in krill is a killer, usually due a nutritional defiencency caused by thiaminese found to be high in krill, and many types of silversides. If you are using any other brand of silversides besides Hikara, its a goid chance they are rainbow smelt, and will also contain thiaminese.
Raising the mg level to about 1400ppm may help with digestion, and feed him something else besides krill. Shrimp, octopus, and squid are some good options: as well as chunks of salmon and tuna. If he is not taking food, after raising mg, try some live ghost shrimp.
ReeferWarrant
Valuable Member
Hit up an Asian market for the foods @lion king mentioned, saved me a fortune on food for my tank doing that. Not sure what part of Kansas you are from but theres definitely decent one near Overland Park/Olathe.
smlarson72
Active Member
How is he doing?
xxkenny90xx
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Thats too bad. I'm gonna blame the diet. I recommend only feeding your predatory fish seafood that you would eat. +1 on the Asian supermarket
arenae86
New Member
I agree, we will be heading to an Asian market tomorrow... do not want our other Eel to face the same fate. I’m just a bit frustrated that the marine store (highly recommended store) that we got our eels from only recommended feeding them krill and silver sides. They even said that’s what they feed their eels. We are very new to the salt water scene. We did a ton of research and yet we had to learn a hard lesson.
xxkenny90xx
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Thats just horrible advice, sorry that happened. Fresh seafood is best but I usually just buy a cheap bag of frozen "seafood medley". It has squid, octopus, shrimp, clams, scallops, ext.
smlarson72
Active Member
I am so sorry! I get attached to my fish babies as well. I also have a snowflake eel and was recommended by @lionking to cut his feedings on krill. I was under the same assumption as you about krill. I feed scallops, shrimp and squid now with an occasional krill. Here is a picture of my guy.
