thanx for your info . thatsa very healthy eal . ive kept fish all my life bui have a 6 foot bye 30" x 30" tank and just baught a tire track eal . i just wonderd if you knew if you could keep a fire eal or another tire track eal please . much apreciated . if your interested i have water feactures and my art on here under nosey potter . take care look forward to your answer regards mr l shelton aka w.noseypotter
@noseypotter I wouldn't keep those two together. I've kept 3 fire eels together and they did fine in a 180 with plenty of hiding spots while they weren't sexually mature. I'm pretty sure that they would have ended up needing to be seperated at that point. I've talked with several owners and they've all come to that point.
my fire eel is about 12" long and 1" wide. I need help feeding it as its sharing a tank with a 15" silver arowana and a 8" clown knifefish is there anything i can do to feed it easier? thanks in advance
Did your fire eel start of black and red then grow out of it? I choose my fish by color and found a great black one with deep red fins. Perfect colored for their name. Just wondering if I have a good find or they might change up?
:) I have a fire eel about the same size (by what i can see on here) mines about 7-8inch. hes great.. sumtimes he hides for days under his rock some times he comes out to annoy the rest of my fish lol.. Hes in there with a electric Blue jack dempsey, a red oscar, a albino tiger oscar, 2 x fire mouths, a leapord bush fish, a black ghost knife fish, sailfin plec, and a chinese algea eater.. everything loves him :D
They remind of a dog or something...Ive been really interested in getting one. Not sure how to ask but - do they seem to show personality? Like - do they greet you in any way?? Wierd questions i know - but thats the impression I get when i see these..
Mine wasnt eating, tried everything then gave him some earthworms from my garden, they were gone in seconds :) he (parker) is approx 12 inch at the moment
omg that is so kool! That big eel is like a lil dog waiting to be fed a treat. Im new to fish got my first tank 2 months ago so i get excited over these things..lol
Guys could you help, I have a baby fire eel about 8cm long and about 1 cm wide and dont know what to feed it, ive got bloodworm but not live but dsnt sem all tht interested although it may of eaten some but it isnt exactly enthusiastic over it. Any ideas for anything else that is small enuff for it to feed on?
At this size you very well may need to try live redworms or blackworms. Once the little guy is established, comfortable in his new home, and has some weight on him, try mixing in some defrosted blood worms. Also try chopped up pieces of defrosted krill and red wrigglers (a small type of earthworm). As they get older switch to larger earthworms, whole krill, deshelled market shrimp, and possibly chunks of tilapia. Earthworms remain their favorite.
Hi people a bit of help, i have a vision 260 it holds a few fish, the main ones are a few parrots and a pleco, hes around 13inch i think. I went 2 the fish shop 2day and saw a fire eel, they look really cool and made the tank look nice, would it be okay 2 keep one fire eel with a pleco and parrots, thanks.
I'm not familiar with how aggressive parrot fish are. I don't encourage people to keep these guys with aggressive fish since they are a scaleless and defenseless fish. Watch that your pleco is getting a varied diet. A common pleco eats more vegetable matter when they are young, but do need a more carnivorous diet as they get older. This can cause them to chew on other fish, so you want to mix in some sinking carnivore pellets to try to prevent this. You'll also need 2 caves for seperate homes.
The big one doesn't try to eat the little ones? I was reading up on these, and they say you should only have one to a tank. I was going to get more till I read that, but yours seem to be doing fine.
I have always head tons of territory for these guys. They've always been able to get away from each other and have their own home if they desired. At sexual maturity, I might run into problems, but so far they get along fabulously. They are in a 180 gallon tank now.
that should be good. Oscars don't lash out toward Fire Eels. I have a 125gallon with a Fire Eel, a Tire Track Eel, a Oscar, I am getting a Black Ghost Knife Fish, and a Pleco. They rock.
People often do not provide proper food nor space for these fish to grow well. Mine have grown from 6" to 21" since March 2008. They are fed well and have gone from a 55 Gallon to a 120 to a 180. These guys get very large and mine will eventually be in my 600 gallon tank.
easy care just feed them worms from the garden so you don't even have to buy them or bloodworms, all they do is chill under gravel or in holes and come out to eat out of your hand
Mine are never in the gravel. However, they've always had a ton of driftwood to hide in. Also, as they have gotten larger, they are out most of the time.
The eels are generally pretty friendly. They are the ones you have to worry about. They are a scaleless fish and are prone to infection as a result. They are defenseless, so if you put them in with fish the are aggressive or pick at them, they can get sick and die easily.
hello there,your fire eels are great!Everyone there is doing a great job,unfortunately,my fire eel does not eat a single thing i feed it.I tried feeding it bloodworms and live fish but it never worked....:'( I need help badly on what to feed it.Any suggestions?
My fish will not touch feeder fish. They like earthworms, market shrimp, defrosted krill, and cooked tilapia. For the really little guys try live blood worms or blackworms at first and then get them onto the frozen. I fed mine red wrigglers, small earthworms, when they were around 6-7".
They're all still growing. I think Captain Jack (one of the little ones here) will have a good chance at hitting 36". He is now as long a Norbert was here, but he's always gotten great nutrition. In fact, he's on a little bit of a diet for the past couple weeks. He always steals food, and he was getting fat. He looked as if he got any fatter, he was gonna end up with a double chin! He's slimmed down just enough that you can see he's an eel, and he doesn't look so much like a lumpy sausage.
We had him for one year as of April. We got him at a skinny 18", and he's a beefy 24" now. The little guys we got about the same time and they went from 7" to 18"ish.
What you saw in the video was only a portion of the tank. The tank was 48" long, 18" wide, and 20" deep. He also LOVED all the wood in the tank. He was a very happy, healthy fish, and was upgraded first to a 120 gallon tank and now a 180 gallon (6'x2'x2'). So not to worry. Norbert has never been cramped as long as I have had him. He swims around at full speed bowling anyone out of the way. :)
Fishing and hunting store right now, but were going through about 15 huge night crawlers every other day now (unless I substitute). At $5 for 25, you do the math. Those are their favorite, but I substitute with krill, shrimp, and tilapia (all steamed). I'm looking into starting a compost bin (really a mini worm farm) so I'm not spending so much money on feeding them. :)
Not sure how old the biggest one is since we got him at a skinny 18". He grew another 6 in the last year and doubled his weight. The little guys were babies and went from7" or so to 18"ish in one year.
I just got my first fire eel! His name is Unagi and he is a great looking fish at about 5 or 6 inches long. However, I've had him about two weeks and havent seen him eat yet. He sniffs around the bloodworms (I've seen him suck one in and spit it out), and he doesnt bother with the freeze-dried plankton. I figure he might be nosing out the worms from the gravel at night, but I cant be sure. Any advice?
yeah it seems to work if you use a kebab stick or a thin stick and move the worms around in front of the eel it makes it look as if they are alive, ive got a spiny eel and i had to first ween him on to freeze dried blood worms that way.. it works and now he just eats them straight up. hope it helps...
I hope you still have this little guy. We would turn the lights down and just sit with the food in our hands and not move. Eventually they would come and take it from our hands. I think they are a social fish. People say they fight when they get bigger, but I think if they have plenty of territory they do fine. My guys have no problems at all. In fact, I moved Norbert out once and the little guys were all spooky. Once they were put back with him, they were as bold as ever.
This is cool. I have an eel about 14 in long and she is in a 50 gal tank with cichlids. She has learned to get aggressive and take the food from them. Her name is fairie queen. She also loves brine shrimp. I have not fed her worms yet. Will do that. She eats some of their flake food, but loves blood worms. She is very friendly. Nice video.
She will really start to be a different fish when you hand feed her the worms. At 14" She could probably take the medium night crawlers well. Norbert has gotten to the point that he sticks his head out of the water when I open the lid. They do grab at you fingers when you hand feed, but they don't have teeth and it doesn't hurt at all. Although its scared the crap out of me when I wasn't looking! I get the feeling that they would sit on the couch with me if they were stuck in the water!
He's a pig, and you can't put your hands in the tank without the three of them coming over and getting in the way. They beg for food and are constantly seeing what your up to as you try to move things around or clean. Best fish we've ever had (and we've long lost count on # of species.)
They can get up to 36". The last time Norbert (the big guy) was measured he was a beefy 24" and I think he's even longer now. The little guys are now 17" and 18-19" (Getting these guys to hold still for a measurement is what I will call difficult)
Hey wog33 not wise at all dude They BOTH have differ pH levels Africcan Cichlids aroud 8.3-9.0 should do the trick but Fire Eels need a neutral Ph. Also African Cichlids would kill it if ur not careful. I have a 180 gallon tank with South American Cichlids and 3 Fire Eels and they do well because of how much hiding spots I have. Bu African Cichld's pH isn't good for Fire Eels.
Very, very true! These guys are kept at about 6.5 pH and are happy and healthy. They are somewhat passive, especially at smaller sizes. Also, they will out grow a 30 quickly.
hey man about how long did it take him to grow that large?? i have had mine about a year and it seems like he just wont grow any bigger. i feed him bloodworms 2 times a day.
Blood worms really don't get size on them. We raised two of the little guys in one year from a skinny 6-7" to 18" on red wrigglers, and pieces of defrosted Hikari Krill, and now large Night Crawlers, whole pieces of krill, chunks of large, cooked cocktail shrimp, and steamed tilapia. The red wrigglers and night crawlers you can get at bait stores. I can't imagine these guys would have grown hardly at all on blood worms alone. Besides, the hand feeding makes them ridiculously friendly.
So, the big guy is named Norbert, and he's no longer 18in. We just measured him the other week and he's 23" now. :) Also, he looks tiny and skinny in these videos. He's now just smaller around than a coke can. Also, he's upgraded to a temporary 120 gallon tank while we put together the 180 (6'x2'x2') with a 100 gallon sump/refugium. The two smaller guys, Kelso and Captain Jack are growing like mad. Everyone is eating night crawlers, krill, and random blood worms they suck up.
BY THE WAY, THE CAPS LOCK KEY IS TYPICALLY TO THE LEFT OF THE LETTER "A". SOMETIMES IT ACCIDENTALLY GETS BUMPED... oops, i I just did it myself, ok thats better.
Sorry, my husband thought that was funny. He's not the type of guy who's like that, so I think he didn't realize it came across so harsh. Lack of tone and facial expression can make something said in jest come across all wrong. :)
The tanks are connected via plumbing. The water flows from the upper display tank to the lower sump tank via gravity. A pump in the sump returns water to the display tank. Typically filtration equipment is housed in the sump. I wasn't running filtration in the temporary sump, but it's value was additional water volume. With more water the same amount of fish waste is less concentrated, and thus less stressful on the fish.
He is currently in a 55 gallon tank that is 48x15x18 inches connected to a 20 gallon tank under the stand to increase to water volume. This isn't ideal, but it is more than twice his length and there is a lot of wood in there for him to swim through. We have a 130 gallon 6 foot tank in the garage that we are prepping to replace the 55.
Can you explain what you mean when you say you have two tanks connected, and its purpose? I'm uneducated in this, and I'm having trouble understanding how an isolated tank helps.
It depends on the size of the fish. They grow quickly when they are young (we feed a lot). We picked up the eels in April and the two smaller ones were around 9 inches. They are now 12-13 inches in August. So, as juveniles they are growing at close to 1 inch a month. If you don't mind upgrading tanks once a year, I would think you could start with a 20 or 30 long tank. Then upgrade to a 50 or 60 long after a year or two. Eventually you will need 100+ because they can get up to 3+ feet.
wow your fire eel is beatifull i hope that my fire eel will be the same :)
how fast did the bigest eel grow,i got to fire eel 10-15cm and i want to them go to my obiger tank with an 15inch oscar fish but im not sure if they willbe safe so i just want to wait so they can get biger n stronger b4 i put them with my oscar fish!
We actually bought him at this size. The two smaller ones were around 9 inches when we bought them and are around 10 inches now a month later. I would guess they will start slowing down growing in length being that they get not only long, but big around as well.
awesome
jpgreen772 2 weeks ago
Cool! how often do you fit it?
spearman481 3 months ago in playlist More videos from SoCalDiscus
how old is it??
ItsFlakoBitch 6 months ago
wow!
that's SUPER COOL !!!
And he is huge!
PaNdeM0niuM 6 months ago
hi! I have a few questions .what time of the day do you feed your eels?Where do you get your worms?do you have your own culture?thanks
jopnorama14 7 months ago
alovley fish i mite get one to go with my tire track eal and loaches mostly clown loaches .
noseypotter 9 months ago
@noseypotter Careful that the clown loaches dont nibble on his slime coat.
Trojancorner 8 months ago
How long did it take him to get that big
SuperSpikedup 10 months ago
@SuperSpikedup Eels should be 24 inches or more by the time they are 2 years old.
Trojancorner 8 months ago
my eel is the same size check it out
Mrfish4life1 10 months ago
I use to have one untill my 4 foot tiger Oscer ate the thing as well my red tailed cat fish joined in.
tocothepaco 10 months ago
@biolove11 yes
KeithMIsaac17 10 months ago
thanx for your info . thatsa very healthy eal . ive kept fish all my life bui have a 6 foot bye 30" x 30" tank and just baught a tire track eal . i just wonderd if you knew if you could keep a fire eal or another tire track eal please . much apreciated . if your interested i have water feactures and my art on here under nosey potter . take care look forward to your answer regards mr l shelton aka w.noseypotter
noseypotter 10 months ago
@noseypotter I wouldn't keep those two together. I've kept 3 fire eels together and they did fine in a 180 with plenty of hiding spots while they weren't sexually mature. I'm pretty sure that they would have ended up needing to be seperated at that point. I've talked with several owners and they've all come to that point.
Trojancorner 8 months ago
oh my, i always thought they were shy and hideous when i always saw it in the auqarium shop, now i know they were all bold and cool
woshigepro 1 year ago
@woshigepro When they are little they are quite shy. As they get older, you see how they get. So much fun...
Trojancorner 8 months ago
how old is it
djhswift 1 year ago
Thats is so cool that they eat right out of your hand. Cool vid!
ZZMann33 1 year ago
my fire eel is about 12" long and 1" wide. I need help feeding it as its sharing a tank with a 15" silver arowana and a 8" clown knifefish is there anything i can do to feed it easier? thanks in advance
Bowsersshell 1 year ago
dude. sweet.
vanillseatbmx 1 year ago
cool eels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mckeen771 1 year ago
how many gallons ?
redtailperson 1 year ago
where did you get that log at? price?
crazycalvin01 1 year ago
how old is he
djhswift 1 year ago
could i put a fire eel in a 40 gal?
biolove11 1 year ago
That's crazy dude. 3 Fire Eels in one tank.
1992pattrow 1 year ago
Did your fire eel start of black and red then grow out of it? I choose my fish by color and found a great black one with deep red fins. Perfect colored for their name. Just wondering if I have a good find or they might change up?
socrkool21 1 year ago
thats pretty kool...
alfletch93 1 year ago
:) I have a fire eel about the same size (by what i can see on here) mines about 7-8inch. hes great.. sumtimes he hides for days under his rock some times he comes out to annoy the rest of my fish lol.. Hes in there with a electric Blue jack dempsey, a red oscar, a albino tiger oscar, 2 x fire mouths, a leapord bush fish, a black ghost knife fish, sailfin plec, and a chinese algea eater.. everything loves him :D
ontheunderground 1 year ago
I wanted to know how big your tank is? I just got one that's why
chevyboyz808 1 year ago
Dude.. Do you clean the earthworms like remove the dirty from inside his body.
cielojune 1 year ago
why dont u bury the plants or has he dug them up?
spacerocks1234 1 year ago
hey are they carnivores and able to eat feeder fish like guppies?
ThePeanuttBrittle 1 year ago
Can they eat earthworm?
WaltDisneySG 1 year ago
how bigs the tank
AQUAReef365 1 year ago 2
@AQUAReef365 that tank was 55 gallons, but we keep our eel in a 180 gallon for now, and I'd like to see him in something larger eventually.
Trojancorner 8 months ago
hay ware do i buy one?
styles895 1 year ago
@styles895 l
AQUAReef365 1 year ago
They remind of a dog or something...Ive been really interested in getting one. Not sure how to ask but - do they seem to show personality? Like - do they greet you in any way?? Wierd questions i know - but thats the impression I get when i see these..
xtraflo 1 year ago
woha!! amazing pets :)
swriel 1 year ago
I heard they eat other fish, is this true? thanks
Shareallicu 1 year ago
Mine wasnt eating, tried everything then gave him some earthworms from my garden, they were gone in seconds :) he (parker) is approx 12 inch at the moment
jakethemus 1 year ago
o fire eel i have a peackock eel
qwerty134098 2 years ago
whats the name of this species
qwerty134098 2 years ago
I love how they can stand on their tails and beg. They look like living spring coils
blownable 2 years ago
where do you buy fire eels and how much do they cost? Great tank and fish buy the way it really looks great. You should check out mine
AugustousKing 2 years ago
how many fire eels do you have?
aaaaaaaaaaagh 2 years ago
hey man how do you get yours so active?
thefireeelman101 2 years ago
How in gods name do you take that thing out of the tank? Do you just use a large net?
Petruccibear 2 years ago
omg that is so kool! That big eel is like a lil dog waiting to be fed a treat. Im new to fish got my first tank 2 months ago so i get excited over these things..lol
jakiblu1 2 years ago
super j'adore
je me suis toujours demandé quel nourriture lui donner appart les vers de vase
leau57 2 years ago
Guys could you help, I have a baby fire eel about 8cm long and about 1 cm wide and dont know what to feed it, ive got bloodworm but not live but dsnt sem all tht interested although it may of eaten some but it isnt exactly enthusiastic over it. Any ideas for anything else that is small enuff for it to feed on?
joshcharteris 2 years ago
At this size you very well may need to try live redworms or blackworms. Once the little guy is established, comfortable in his new home, and has some weight on him, try mixing in some defrosted blood worms. Also try chopped up pieces of defrosted krill and red wrigglers (a small type of earthworm). As they get older switch to larger earthworms, whole krill, deshelled market shrimp, and possibly chunks of tilapia. Earthworms remain their favorite.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
thanx for the inof, unfortunatly the lil guy died a few days ago :(
joshcharteris 2 years ago
I'm sorry.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
Hi people a bit of help, i have a vision 260 it holds a few fish, the main ones are a few parrots and a pleco, hes around 13inch i think. I went 2 the fish shop 2day and saw a fire eel, they look really cool and made the tank look nice, would it be okay 2 keep one fire eel with a pleco and parrots, thanks.
plantcell2 2 years ago
I'm not familiar with how aggressive parrot fish are. I don't encourage people to keep these guys with aggressive fish since they are a scaleless and defenseless fish. Watch that your pleco is getting a varied diet. A common pleco eats more vegetable matter when they are young, but do need a more carnivorous diet as they get older. This can cause them to chew on other fish, so you want to mix in some sinking carnivore pellets to try to prevent this. You'll also need 2 caves for seperate homes.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
The big one doesn't try to eat the little ones? I was reading up on these, and they say you should only have one to a tank. I was going to get more till I read that, but yours seem to be doing fine.
2stoned2care 2 years ago
I have always head tons of territory for these guys. They've always been able to get away from each other and have their own home if they desired. At sexual maturity, I might run into problems, but so far they get along fabulously. They are in a 180 gallon tank now.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
@SoCalDiscus isnt that a tire track
finalman25 2 years ago
what size is the tank
voicesofmayhem 2 years ago
That was a 55 gallon. They are all in a 180 gallon now, and will be moved to a 600 gallon in about 1.5 years.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
that thing is FUCKING RAD!
its like a little underwater dog
crazymexicanomg 2 years ago 10
im looking in to getting one of these but i was wondering...
could i keep one in a 75 gallon tank with one oscar. or would i eventually need a bigger tank
im4peaceman 2 years ago
that should be good. Oscars don't lash out toward Fire Eels. I have a 125gallon with a Fire Eel, a Tire Track Eel, a Oscar, I am getting a Black Ghost Knife Fish, and a Pleco. They rock.
1992pattrow 2 years ago
Yeah thatd work you could keep one in a 75 gallon tank with one oscar
fishysocks2021 2 years ago
I find it exceedingly cute when he starts coming out of the log to feed!!! X3
I need to get one of these someday....
SilverKoi93 2 years ago
awesome dude
vahram86 2 years ago
how fast do they grow?
SpJc11 2 years ago
i dont think that they grow really fast. from my exspirence it depends on how big the tank is and what you feed them.
alamont69 2 years ago
3-5 inches a year
Metalluciifer666 2 years ago
People often do not provide proper food nor space for these fish to grow well. Mine have grown from 6" to 21" since March 2008. They are fed well and have gone from a 55 Gallon to a 120 to a 180. These guys get very large and mine will eventually be in my 600 gallon tank.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
is it hard to take care of or worth 40 bucks?
and thats the freaking coolest thing ever
IFreakingEatPeople 2 years ago
not hard to take care of at all. the only hard part is making sure that the younger ones get fed.
alamont69 2 years ago
easy care just feed them worms from the garden so you don't even have to buy them or bloodworms, all they do is chill under gravel or in holes and come out to eat out of your hand
Metalluciifer666 2 years ago
Mine are never in the gravel. However, they've always had a ton of driftwood to hide in. Also, as they have gotten larger, they are out most of the time.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
is it safe to put any fish with eels i want one but i also want fish lol i would assume they would need to be big fish?
BoY860 2 years ago
The eels are generally pretty friendly. They are the ones you have to worry about. They are a scaleless fish and are prone to infection as a result. They are defenseless, so if you put them in with fish the are aggressive or pick at them, they can get sick and die easily.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
hello there,your fire eels are great!Everyone there is doing a great job,unfortunately,my fire eel does not eat a single thing i feed it.I tried feeding it bloodworms and live fish but it never worked....:'( I need help badly on what to feed it.Any suggestions?
smileycheek07 2 years ago
i would be surprised if anyone has had luck feeding live fish to fire eels. i would try prawn.
Liam50LB 2 years ago
try feeder guppys.
redeyesthe20th 2 years ago
My fish will not touch feeder fish. They like earthworms, market shrimp, defrosted krill, and cooked tilapia. For the really little guys try live blood worms or blackworms at first and then get them onto the frozen. I fed mine red wrigglers, small earthworms, when they were around 6-7".
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
What are the other eels?
Eamonn33 2 years ago
They are all fire eels
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
I see. Nice eels. I think I would think twice about putting my hand in there :P
koreanano 2 years ago
They're all still growing. I think Captain Jack (one of the little ones here) will have a good chance at hitting 36". He is now as long a Norbert was here, but he's always gotten great nutrition. In fact, he's on a little bit of a diet for the past couple weeks. He always steals food, and he was getting fat. He looked as if he got any fatter, he was gonna end up with a double chin! He's slimmed down just enough that you can see he's an eel, and he doesn't look so much like a lumpy sausage.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
How long you keep this eel?
Knobbs1994 2 years ago
We had him for one year as of April. We got him at a skinny 18", and he's a beefy 24" now. The little guys we got about the same time and they went from 7" to 18"ish.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
Such a sad eel. He doesn't even have space to move.
koreanano 2 years ago
What you saw in the video was only a portion of the tank. The tank was 48" long, 18" wide, and 20" deep. He also LOVED all the wood in the tank. He was a very happy, healthy fish, and was upgraded first to a 120 gallon tank and now a 180 gallon (6'x2'x2'). So not to worry. Norbert has never been cramped as long as I have had him. He swims around at full speed bowling anyone out of the way. :)
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
Love that video.
Clean tank with lovely fish. I like the way the biggun' doesnt snatch the worms when you feed the little'uns lower down. They are great to watch.
hughie278 2 years ago
where do you get those worms?
shadowblader1234 2 years ago
Fishing and hunting store right now, but were going through about 15 huge night crawlers every other day now (unless I substitute). At $5 for 25, you do the math. Those are their favorite, but I substitute with krill, shrimp, and tilapia (all steamed). I'm looking into starting a compost bin (really a mini worm farm) so I'm not spending so much money on feeding them. :)
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
She is beautiful!
qtpie92484 3 years ago
holy shit he's humongous! how old is this fella?
welcomegohome 3 years ago
Not sure how old the biggest one is since we got him at a skinny 18". He grew another 6 in the last year and doubled his weight. The little guys were babies and went from7" or so to 18"ish in one year.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
man i love this video, nice fish, setup and quality
tehrcdude 3 years ago
I just got my first fire eel! His name is Unagi and he is a great looking fish at about 5 or 6 inches long. However, I've had him about two weeks and havent seen him eat yet. He sniffs around the bloodworms (I've seen him suck one in and spit it out), and he doesnt bother with the freeze-dried plankton. I figure he might be nosing out the worms from the gravel at night, but I cant be sure. Any advice?
kcamerons 3 years ago
yeah it seems to work if you use a kebab stick or a thin stick and move the worms around in front of the eel it makes it look as if they are alive, ive got a spiny eel and i had to first ween him on to freeze dried blood worms that way.. it works and now he just eats them straight up. hope it helps...
Ashdaddio 3 years ago
Use sand, worms cannot bury into it whatsoever.
hughie278 2 years ago
I hope you still have this little guy. We would turn the lights down and just sit with the food in our hands and not move. Eventually they would come and take it from our hands. I think they are a social fish. People say they fight when they get bigger, but I think if they have plenty of territory they do fine. My guys have no problems at all. In fact, I moved Norbert out once and the little guys were all spooky. Once they were put back with him, they were as bold as ever.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
Very nice!
EelMan4 3 years ago
Forgot to mention that I have had Fairie Queen for a year
SandromedaM 3 years ago
This is cool. I have an eel about 14 in long and she is in a 50 gal tank with cichlids. She has learned to get aggressive and take the food from them. Her name is fairie queen. She also loves brine shrimp. I have not fed her worms yet. Will do that. She eats some of their flake food, but loves blood worms. She is very friendly. Nice video.
SandromedaM 3 years ago
She will really start to be a different fish when you hand feed her the worms. At 14" She could probably take the medium night crawlers well. Norbert has gotten to the point that he sticks his head out of the water when I open the lid. They do grab at you fingers when you hand feed, but they don't have teeth and it doesn't hurt at all. Although its scared the crap out of me when I wasn't looking! I get the feeling that they would sit on the couch with me if they were stuck in the water!
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
well now he looks like a happy little/big guy
reptilemaniac101 3 years ago
He's a pig, and you can't put your hands in the tank without the three of them coming over and getting in the way. They beg for food and are constantly seeing what your up to as you try to move things around or clean. Best fish we've ever had (and we've long lost count on # of species.)
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
i love the fire eel how big is the tank and is he/she full grown
X8XEscapeTheFateX8X 3 years ago
They can get up to 36". The last time Norbert (the big guy) was measured he was a beefy 24" and I think he's even longer now. The little guys are now 17" and 18-19" (Getting these guys to hold still for a measurement is what I will call difficult)
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
Escape The Fate IS AMAZING!!!
YourLeaderOrochimaru 2 years ago
can i put a fire eel in a 30-gallon african cichlid tank? ..or what type of eel can i put in??
wog33 3 years ago
Hey wog33 not wise at all dude They BOTH have differ pH levels Africcan Cichlids aroud 8.3-9.0 should do the trick but Fire Eels need a neutral Ph. Also African Cichlids would kill it if ur not careful. I have a 180 gallon tank with South American Cichlids and 3 Fire Eels and they do well because of how much hiding spots I have. Bu African Cichld's pH isn't good for Fire Eels.
YourLeaderOrochimaru 3 years ago
Very, very true! These guys are kept at about 6.5 pH and are happy and healthy. They are somewhat passive, especially at smaller sizes. Also, they will out grow a 30 quickly.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
hey man about how long did it take him to grow that large?? i have had mine about a year and it seems like he just wont grow any bigger. i feed him bloodworms 2 times a day.
Zboydogtownskate 3 years ago
Blood worms really don't get size on them. We raised two of the little guys in one year from a skinny 6-7" to 18" on red wrigglers, and pieces of defrosted Hikari Krill, and now large Night Crawlers, whole pieces of krill, chunks of large, cooked cocktail shrimp, and steamed tilapia. The red wrigglers and night crawlers you can get at bait stores. I can't imagine these guys would have grown hardly at all on blood worms alone. Besides, the hand feeding makes them ridiculously friendly.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
you have 3 eels or is it just 3 headed...lol ignore the last bit of that
IKillCowsWithMusic 3 years ago
So, the big guy is named Norbert, and he's no longer 18in. We just measured him the other week and he's 23" now. :) Also, he looks tiny and skinny in these videos. He's now just smaller around than a coke can. Also, he's upgraded to a temporary 120 gallon tank while we put together the 180 (6'x2'x2') with a 100 gallon sump/refugium. The two smaller guys, Kelso and Captain Jack are growing like mad. Everyone is eating night crawlers, krill, and random blood worms they suck up.
Trojancorner 3 years ago
By the way, Trojancorner is my screen name, and SoCalDiscus is my husband.
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
wow awsome u got little guys in there heses the papa smuff lol
luizito1212 3 years ago
One word......AWSOME!
cichlid62 3 years ago
hey do u know if fire eels grow fast?
hwd5 3 years ago
PLEASE WRITE BACK. DO THEY HAVE TEETH?
sparklerbombg 3 years ago
NO, THEY DO NOT HAVE TEETH.
BY THE WAY, THE CAPS LOCK KEY IS TYPICALLY TO THE LEFT OF THE LETTER "A". SOMETIMES IT ACCIDENTALLY GETS BUMPED... oops, i I just did it myself, ok thats better.
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago
Sorry, my husband thought that was funny. He's not the type of guy who's like that, so I think he didn't realize it came across so harsh. Lack of tone and facial expression can make something said in jest come across all wrong. :)
SoCalDiscus 2 years ago
Hey Bro, I've jus gotten my 1st fire eel which is jus 15 cm.Any suggestion on how to feed and wat to feed it?Thx
9403963 3 years ago
Bloodworms --> Redworms --> Nightcrawlers, Krill
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago
Beatiful fish ,i love hand feeding mine although he's a bit clumsy.
youneverknow125 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
oo nice eel. mine is about 40 cm! check out my vids and tell me what you think :D
Coltons350z 3 years ago
greaty video dude... check out my 20" fire-eel in some of my vids... hes also a beaut :)
How long have you had yours?
twicksisted 3 years ago
The tanks are connected via plumbing. The water flows from the upper display tank to the lower sump tank via gravity. A pump in the sump returns water to the display tank. Typically filtration equipment is housed in the sump. I wasn't running filtration in the temporary sump, but it's value was additional water volume. With more water the same amount of fish waste is less concentrated, and thus less stressful on the fish.
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago
how big is your tank???
noobdestroyer12 3 years ago
He is currently in a 55 gallon tank that is 48x15x18 inches connected to a 20 gallon tank under the stand to increase to water volume. This isn't ideal, but it is more than twice his length and there is a lot of wood in there for him to swim through. We have a 130 gallon 6 foot tank in the garage that we are prepping to replace the 55.
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago
thanks i hope u make a video of them in ur bigger tank .
it looks so cool whan u feed him with the worm
noobdestroyer12 3 years ago
Can you explain what you mean when you say you have two tanks connected, and its purpose? I'm uneducated in this, and I'm having trouble understanding how an isolated tank helps.
Slacker808 3 years ago
how big of a tank is needed for one fire eel????????
Omegagrimlock1313 3 years ago
It depends on the size of the fish. They grow quickly when they are young (we feed a lot). We picked up the eels in April and the two smaller ones were around 9 inches. They are now 12-13 inches in August. So, as juveniles they are growing at close to 1 inch a month. If you don't mind upgrading tanks once a year, I would think you could start with a 20 or 30 long tank. Then upgrade to a 50 or 60 long after a year or two. Eventually you will need 100+ because they can get up to 3+ feet.
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago
What type of worm is that?
fishexpertonline 3 years ago
We feed 2 types of worms. The big long ones are Canadian night crawlers, and the smaller ones are red wrigglers.
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago
where do you find wood like that?
Jcashrulez 3 years ago
It is called Maylasian drift wood, and it naturally sinks. I would check with your local fish store. I haven't seen it at petsmart or petco.
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago
nice bog wood
Liam50LB 3 years ago
wow your fire eel is beatifull i hope that my fire eel will be the same :)
how fast did the bigest eel grow,i got to fire eel 10-15cm and i want to them go to my obiger tank with an 15inch oscar fish but im not sure if they willbe safe so i just want to wait so they can get biger n stronger b4 i put them with my oscar fish!
nitrobartek 3 years ago
We actually bought him at this size. The two smaller ones were around 9 inches when we bought them and are around 10 inches now a month later. I would guess they will start slowing down growing in length being that they get not only long, but big around as well.
SoCalDiscus 3 years ago