I'm in need of some help caring for a peacock eel I have in a community tank.
He has always been very picky about what he eats. So far all I can get him to consume are live earthworms or "red wigglers" as the pet store calls them. I've tried flakes, pellets, and a variety of frozen foods (brine shrimp, bloodworms, krill, mosquito larvae, and even beef heart) but he just ignores them.
He used to be the first one in the tank to grab an earthworm but lately his tank mates have been getting their mouths around the worms before he does. When he finds an earthworm he will now just play with it for a while and then let it dig into the gravel (which is really tough to get back out by the way).
My temporary solution is to confine him to a breeding tank where I put worms that are just for him. He waits a few hours and then he'll eat them (or play). However, long term I would like for him to be able to swim around the way he used to.
Please let me know if you've had success with peacock eels. If you're posting something you've heard or read somewhere, please be sure to cite the source - while I really appreciate assistance, the internet is filled with hearsay and I've tried most of it. I really hope to hear from somebody who has one of these eels and has met with success. Thanks!
Tank mates: Angelfish, Brown Knifefish (not electric), Rainbow shark, Spotted leaf-fish, algae-eater.
Setup: 55G, moderately planted (2 live plants, 6 plastic), multiple caves and hiding places, gravel.
He has always been very picky about what he eats. So far all I can get him to consume are live earthworms or "red wigglers" as the pet store calls them. I've tried flakes, pellets, and a variety of frozen foods (brine shrimp, bloodworms, krill, mosquito larvae, and even beef heart) but he just ignores them.
He used to be the first one in the tank to grab an earthworm but lately his tank mates have been getting their mouths around the worms before he does. When he finds an earthworm he will now just play with it for a while and then let it dig into the gravel (which is really tough to get back out by the way).
My temporary solution is to confine him to a breeding tank where I put worms that are just for him. He waits a few hours and then he'll eat them (or play). However, long term I would like for him to be able to swim around the way he used to.
Please let me know if you've had success with peacock eels. If you're posting something you've heard or read somewhere, please be sure to cite the source - while I really appreciate assistance, the internet is filled with hearsay and I've tried most of it. I really hope to hear from somebody who has one of these eels and has met with success. Thanks!
Tank mates: Angelfish, Brown Knifefish (not electric), Rainbow shark, Spotted leaf-fish, algae-eater.
Setup: 55G, moderately planted (2 live plants, 6 plastic), multiple caves and hiding places, gravel.