Black Ribbon Eel Stopped Eating (5 months)

Icewing726 · 01/30/2019, 09:35 PM

Hi guys, so I've had a black ribbon eel that was eating out of my hand for about 5 months now. Every 3rd day I'd dangle a small silverside on the surface and he'd come up take it and go back into the eel tubes. Now, he doesn't even look interested when I bring that or krill near him (been a week).

Anyone with a ribbon eel have any idea whats going on?

Anyone with eels in general have any thoughts?

My nitrates are down in the 40s now (fish only, and this is a major reduction), no ammonia, no nitrites, salinity 1.026ish (dropping a little but very very slow change), and I'm dosing vinegar.

The only recent change was the ph dropping to 8.0, but I've since buffered it back up.

Thanks in advance.

outssider · 01/31/2019, 07:13 PM

you do realize I hope that buffering to control ph will increase your alkalinity. If you have no coral or coralline algae, your alkalinity will continue to rise !!…..check your alkalinity level and forget about ph...you can go down to 7.8 on ph. ph is a function of the co2 in the tank. The more co2, the more acidic the water will be....you should not have a problem with ph in the tank unless you have a gagle of people living in a closed up house.

Icewing726 · 02/02/2019, 07:43 PM

I have some zoas and mushrooms. I'm pretty sure I have coraline algae as well as most of the tank glows purple, could be something else though.

Anyway, the eel is laying in the open. No one bothers him and he doesn't seem at all interested in them. I treated the food with zoe today and poured it out in his area to expose him but he didn't eat.

This was a real sudden change for him and the tank inhabitants all are acting the same. I read somewhere once that someone had a snowflake near death and blasted it in the face with something and it recovered. Anyone know that post?

Dmorty217 · 02/04/2019, 07:31 AM

silversides can have bacteria that will make fish and eels sick, I would venture to say that is what happened. Not sure how to fix the issue once it occurs but blasting it in the face with "something" isn't going to work

01/30/2019, 09:35 PM	#1
Icewing726 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 248	Black Ribbon Eel Stopped Eating (5 months) Hi guys, so I've had a black ribbon eel that was eating out of my hand for about 5 months now. Every 3rd day I'd dangle a small silverside on the surface and he'd come up take it and go back into the eel tubes. Now, he doesn't even look interested when I bring that or krill near him (been a week). Anyone with a ribbon eel have any idea whats going on? Anyone with eels in general have any thoughts? My nitrates are down in the 40s now (fish only, and this is a major reduction), no ammonia, no nitrites, salinity 1.026ish (dropping a little but very very slow change), and I'm dosing vinegar. The only recent change was the ph dropping to 8.0, but I've since buffered it back up. Thanks in advance.

01/31/2019, 07:13 PM	#2
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	you do realize I hope that buffering to control ph will increase your alkalinity. If you have no coral or coralline algae, your alkalinity will continue to rise !!…..check your alkalinity level and forget about ph...you can go down to 7.8 on ph. ph is a function of the co2 in the tank. The more co2, the more acidic the water will be....you should not have a problem with ph in the tank unless you have a gagle of people living in a closed up house. __________________ Please don't feed the bears because the bears will become dependent on free handouts and forget how to take care of themselves …... Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Mixed reef mostly sps

02/04/2019, 07:31 AM	#4
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	silversides can have bacteria that will make fish and eels sick, I would venture to say that is what happened. Not sure how to fix the issue once it occurs but blasting it in the face with "something" isn't going to work __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

02/02/2019, 07:43 PM	#3
Icewing726 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 248	I have some zoas and mushrooms. I'm pretty sure I have coraline algae as well as most of the tank glows purple, could be something else though. Anyway, the eel is laying in the open. No one bothers him and he doesn't seem at all interested in them. I treated the food with zoe today and poured it out in his area to expose him but he didn't eat. This was a real sudden change for him and the tank inhabitants all are acting the same. I read somewhere once that someone had a snowflake near death and blasted it in the face with something and it recovered. Anyone know that post?