Twitching Eel? 1/9/08
Hi guys!
<Ave!>
I own 2 Macrognathus siamensis (Peacock Eels) and I recently moved them to a 20gal tank. One of them keeps on twitching, any ideas why?
<Quick question: gravel or sand? Spiny eels in tanks with gravel are notoriously sensitive to bacterial infections. So while this might be nothing more serious than Ick, it might also be the start of something more critical. The lifespan of Spiny eels in gravel tanks is distressingly short because of this often ignored issue. Replace gravel with soft sand (silica sand is ideal).>
I'm hoping to get an e-mail back soon.
<You can certainly hope.>
Thanks!
a concerned friend.
<Cheers, Neale.>

Odd spiny eel behavior?  6/3/07
> hey, just wondering, is it normal for a spiny eel to be agitated by it's own reflection? my peacock spiny eel every night swims around the aquarium a couple times (looking for food?) but gets distracted once or twice on his way around each time by his own reflection, then starts like butting the sides with his nose. is this normal? at any rate, is it bad? should i try to cover some of the sides so he doesn't see himself? or is he just narcissistic?
<He's unhappy. Spiny eels are relatively intelligent fish and when kept improperly stay nervous and almost always end up jumping out the tank, being found in the morning dried up on the carpet. I cannot stress this too strongly: spiny eels are not "regular community fish" and you need to make a BIG EFFORT to keep one happy. The smaller species, including all the Macrognathus spp (which is what yours is) seem to be sociable, so it's worth adding one or two more specimens. Provide them with a variety of hiding places. Hollow ornaments are ideal. Replace the gravel with sand -- without sand for digging your eel will never be happy and will likely die from a skin infection caused by abrasion anyway. The mode of foraging for small spiny eel species is primarily using their snout to uproot worms in the sand. Expecting them to feed in any other way just isn't realistic. So once you have the sand in the tank, add some live bloodworms and (clean) Tubifex to the tank at night, switch the lights off, and then let your spiny eel feed normally. After a few weeks of this, your spiny eel will be acclimated to aquarium life and will be much tamer. My specimen would happily feed during the day time and ate frozen prawns -- a totally low-maintenance oddball. But getting to that point requires dedication.>
> thanks! Tori
<Good luck, Neale>

Luring out a fire eel – 04/24/07
I have had my fire eel for about 7 months now. He is about 9-10". He originally hung out all day with the clown knife and in their caves. The eel would eat freely out of a syringe. The eel and the clown both got along great in our 75 gallon set-up with several pvc and rock caves.  The fire eel lately has taken to hiding under the gravel for months on end with no sight of him. Every time I think he has to be dead he will show up swimming around for 5-10 minutes maybe once a month. We recently put two small Oscars in and I feed them bloodworms 3 times a week hoping that some food will make its way to the bottom and hopefully the fire eels mouth!!  My question is, is there a way that I can get him comfortable coming out again?  
<Try to lure him out with live earthworms/nightcrawlers. Use a pair of tweezers to be sure he gets them. Check his skin for sores, scratches and pale areas.>
He used to never bury into the rock and I have no idea why he would start then.
<Did he start to bury when you added the Oscars? Any other fish added? Changes in lighting/decoration? Any short term problems with water parameters in that time? Ensure that the holes in your rocks are wide enough. Getting stuck and eventual death is a standard scenario with spiny eels.>
Any help would be great. I just feel that in some way he is unhealthy even though the water is fine and the overall tank is ultra healthy. <ultra healthy with regard to the requirements of your species?> I don't want him to die. Thanks again.
<You are welcome. Marco.>