Re: Eel not eating and strange behaviour 9/13/08
thanks for replying me.
<Not a problem. But please, do try and use capital letters in your messages.>
however, the fact that it has not been eating at all for six day and still counting worries me immensely.
<Six days without food won't harm a Neon tetra, let alone an adult eel. However, when fish go off their food it can mean something is wrong with the environment. Review water chemistry and water quality. I really do need to know what sort of "eel" this creature is. Did you look at photos of Synbranchus marmoratus? This is a big (150 cm) eel-like animal that needs a big tank with lots of hiding places. If it's out in the open all the time because there aren't any caves, it will be stressed. In the wild they live in complex burrows.>
what should i do to get it to eat again. it really hurts me to see it get weaker and weaker each day and its skin colour pale.
<If it's getting sick, I doubt this is because of lack of food. Review its tank, particularly water quality. Don't tell me the water is "fine" -- tell me at minimum what the nitrite concentration is. Also how stable is the pH?>
what do you suggest it should do? would putting an enclosed place for it to hide itself help?
<Yes.>
otherwise should i switch back to feeding it the worms (a ball of bloodworms which are each not more than 1cm long) like i did previously?
<Insect larvae of all types will be good. So also earthworms and river shrimps. Avoid Tubifex worms though, and never use feeder fish. Both of these things cause much more harm than good.>
i have been feeding it prawn for quite some time now. how can i let it regain the vitamin b1 which it has lost overtime?
<By varying the diet. In particular, offer suitable sized pieces of mussel. This herbivorous mollusk contains lots of algae, and this is a rich source of vitamins. In the wild, carnivores get a lot of their vitamins from the gut contents of prey animals.>
my eel once ate a small red coloured fish (live) and i read on the Internet that eels eating goldfish/rosy-red fish and eating everyday would cause liver problems. is it true?
<Yes, feeder fish and goldfish are bad. Minnows and Goldfish contain thiaminase and ALSO lots of fat, and it's the fat that damages the internal organs. One rosy-red minnow won't have done any harm, but don't use any more of them. Even putting aside nutritional problems, cheap fish are a source of parasites.>
if it is, what should i do? please help me! thanks. :)
<Let me know about the water chemistry and quality, and also either identify the "eel" or send me a SHARP photo so I can identify it for you. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Eel not eating and strange behaviour, Synbranchid    9/16/08 Hi again! <Hello,> Thank God! My "eel" is finally eating again after starving for a whole week. Actually, i didn't really do much. I just draped a piece of black cloth over half of the tank to replicate the dark environment of a cave, seeing if it would help. After i came home from school, as per normal, i stood over the tank and called its name. Miraculously it looked up and swam towards me, swaying its body happily. Noticing that it seemed like it had got well, i fed it and fortunately, it ate. :D <Ah, success! Does seem that environment was the factor.> Can i feed it shellfish and squid? are they detrimental to its body? You mean that i can feed it prawn but not everyday right? <Squid is excellent, and so are molluscs of all kinds, mussels, clams, etc. Small pieces of lean white fish (such as tilapia) are good, too. Avoid oily fish though (salmon, tuna, etc.)> Would putting pipes in its tank instead of rocks be ok? <PVC pipes or ceramic pipes are both fine.> And would you recommend me to put sand on the bed of the tank? As the fact that i am afraid that cleaning a tank with sand would not be easy and there would be a lot of dirt caught in sand causing bacteria to multiply which may cause internal or external fungal or bacterial infections. <Smooth silica sand is fine in aquaria. I use it all of mine! Avoid "sharp" sand though. Silica sand is sold in garden centres and is very cheap. It's actually very clean, because dirt can't sink in between the grains. So you can see the dirt, and easily remove with a net, or better still, a turkey baster. Use a thin layer, maybe 1 cm or so, in tanks without plants. Add a few burrowing Melanoides snails if you like, and they'll keep it spotlessly clean.> Just sent this e-mail to tell you the good news and ask some questions. I will send clearer and sharper pictures soon! thanks! :D <Look forward to the pictures! Cheers, Neale.>