Excess Food

Mghanayem · 02/09/2016, 01:10 PM

Hello, I posted a few days ago regarding my Snowflake eel.

I target feed him and this week on 2 occassions, he has taken the food (fresh shrimp), and 1 piece of shrimp he pulled off and let fall to the bottom, now it's sitting there and I cant get it out.

Im concerned about leaving the food in there, any idea what kind of damage it will do if he doesnt find and eat it within a few days?

-Thanks

cloak · 02/09/2016, 01:32 PM

Depending on the size of your tank, your nitrates will probably increase as the beneficial bacteria try to process this rotting food.

Don't you have a siphon handy? Unless the food has found it's way under a rock or something removing it should be a piece of cake IMO. Heck, just reach in there with your hands and get it out. Eels are supposed to blind as a bat I'm told. GL.

Mghanayem · 02/09/2016, 02:22 PM

It is wedged under a rock, and he is a blind fool... I would have to remove all the rocks, and then I still cannot reach in there because I have a very high hex with and short arms (it's a 55 gallon TruVu hex tank).

My only hope, at this point, is that Mr. Snuggles (the eel) will sniff it out and chow down on it, unless you have other advice... Will snails or hermit crabs clean it up? Should I do a larger water change? WC more often?

Thanks in advance for everyone who responds!

cloak · 02/09/2016, 02:24 PM

Do you have any extra power heads lying around? Sometimes these can be used to dislodge certain things like dead fish, snails, food etc. GL.

Mghanayem · 02/09/2016, 02:49 PM

That's not a bad Idea, I have 2 koralia 1500 pumps in there now, I can slide one down a bit further, or angle it toward the rock? Great Idea, if that doesn't work I'm open for all other ideas too!

I love this place, 4 years with the tank, and I never knew about reefcentral! now I can have some experts help me out! I love it!

scooter31707 · 02/09/2016, 02:54 PM

Go buy about 4 hermit crabs.

Mghanayem · 02/09/2016, 03:23 PM

Done, I'm on my way to the Fish Store now!

cloak · 02/09/2016, 03:38 PM

Wouldn't the eel eventually make a meal out of those, if only by accident?

Mghanayem · 02/11/2016, 11:59 AM

UPDATE! The Eel found the shrimp and ate it. The hermit crabs are doing well, but yes I do expect that they will be lunch for the eel and the puffer at some point.

I do have to keep some crustaceans int there to help the eel and the puffer grind down their teeth a little bit.

peasofme · 02/12/2016, 06:35 AM

feed less food next time and problem solved

02/09/2016, 01:10 PM	#1
Mghanayem Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Deep North Posts: 77	Excess Food Hello, I posted a few days ago regarding my Snowflake eel. I target feed him and this week on 2 occassions, he has taken the food (fresh shrimp), and 1 piece of shrimp he pulled off and let fall to the bottom, now it's sitting there and I cant get it out. Im concerned about leaving the food in there, any idea what kind of damage it will do if he doesnt find and eat it within a few days? -Thanks Last edited by Mghanayem; 02/09/2016 at 01:22 PM.

02/09/2016, 01:32 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Depending on the size of your tank, your nitrates will probably increase as the beneficial bacteria try to process this rotting food. Don't you have a siphon handy? Unless the food has found it's way under a rock or something removing it should be a piece of cake IMO. Heck, just reach in there with your hands and get it out. Eels are supposed to blind as a bat I'm told. GL.

02/09/2016, 02:22 PM	#3
Mghanayem Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Deep North Posts: 77	It is wedged under a rock, and he is a blind fool... I would have to remove all the rocks, and then I still cannot reach in there because I have a very high hex with and short arms (it's a 55 gallon TruVu hex tank). My only hope, at this point, is that Mr. Snuggles (the eel) will sniff it out and chow down on it, unless you have other advice... Will snails or hermit crabs clean it up? Should I do a larger water change? WC more often? Thanks in advance for everyone who responds!

02/09/2016, 02:24 PM	#4
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Do you have any extra power heads lying around? Sometimes these can be used to dislodge certain things like dead fish, snails, food etc. GL.

02/09/2016, 02:49 PM	#5
Mghanayem Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Deep North Posts: 77	That's not a bad Idea, I have 2 koralia 1500 pumps in there now, I can slide one down a bit further, or angle it toward the rock? Great Idea, if that doesn't work I'm open for all other ideas too! I love this place, 4 years with the tank, and I never knew about reefcentral! now I can have some experts help me out! I love it!

02/09/2016, 02:54 PM	#6
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	Go buy about 4 hermit crabs.

02/09/2016, 03:23 PM	#7
Mghanayem Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Deep North Posts: 77	Done, I'm on my way to the Fish Store now!

02/09/2016, 03:38 PM	#8
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Wouldn't the eel eventually make a meal out of those, if only by accident?

02/11/2016, 11:59 AM	#9
Mghanayem Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Deep North Posts: 77	UPDATE! The Eel found the shrimp and ate it. The hermit crabs are doing well, but yes I do expect that they will be lunch for the eel and the puffer at some point. I do have to keep some crustaceans int there to help the eel and the puffer grind down their teeth a little bit.

02/12/2016, 06:35 AM	#10
peasofme Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: usa Posts: 1,405	feed less food next time and problem solved