Escaping Eel

dstipple · 04/04/2012, 10:12 AM

I've had my eel for 9 months now and he was my favorite fish I have had so far. I had a glass cover for the aquarium but part of it broke about 4 months ago so I just left it off. Long story short I woke up this morning to find him shriveled up on the floor next to the tank. I went to pick him up to throw him out and he moved and opened his mouth so I quickly put him back in the tank where he swam (sank while moving his body) to the bottom and started breathing extremely heavy. I have no clue as to how long he was out of the water but if this has happened to anyone and their eel survived please let me know if there was anything special you did to revive him. Thanks!

ken55 · 04/04/2012, 11:51 AM

I have had freshwater eels (ahem, bait

) escape their containers and move quite a distance before drying out. Most of the time they are still alive and will perk right back up upon return to water. ( my wife won't go near the garage if I have a Striper trip coming up, she found one once

) I don't know the LONG TERM effects of this as they are, shall we say, doomed anyway.

As I type this I realize I am talking about a completly different species so my experience isn't relevant.

So to make a dumb story short: put him back in and see how it goes?

anbosu · 04/04/2012, 12:19 PM

They can live after being exposed to air for a while. Hopefully yours makes it!

dstipple · 04/04/2012, 01:28 PM

ken55: thanks, that gives me some hope!

anbosu: hes already moved around the tank a bit and is now laying on the sand ouside of his usual hiding spot just breathing.

As of now it looks like he lost an inch/inch and a half in length and a bit of his girth. Hopefully he gets his "water weight" back

ken55 · 04/04/2012, 02:57 PM

I hope he makes it... It stinks to lose the favorite. I don't know if this will be any help but it couldn't hurt: Hook up an airstone for a while and let him have as much oxygen as he can get.

gmate · 04/04/2012, 03:33 PM

I always hear about jumper eels...I've had mine for 4 months and it has not tried to make an escape. He never even goes near the surface. He's a 2 foot long Snowflake Eel.

billdogg · 04/04/2012, 06:06 PM

I have had a 4' Gymnothorax Undulatus for about 25 years now. He has escaped several times. He has dried up twice. Beware fungal infections. If he will eat, consider treating his food with antibiotics/antifungals to help prevent problems.

As you now know, if there is a hole, it WILL escape. Period. That's what eels do. Hannibal's tanks is covered in eggcrate weighed down by the lights and canopy. Before the canopy I kept unused large pieces of live rock.

Andrew · 04/04/2012, 06:09 PM

Most eels can live outside of the water for a good amount of time. Al thought they have gill slits, they breath by diffusion as long as their skin stays moist. An eel can actually live outside of the water if he is kept moist enough.

Reef264 · 04/04/2012, 06:36 PM

Sucks to hear Man, Mine hasn't ever tried while I'm looking, There physically aren't any glass canopies on the tank, Or mesh screening.Probably need to do that.

ken55 · 04/05/2012, 06:31 AM

How's he doing? Did he make it through the night? Hope so.....

anaya · 04/05/2012, 02:31 PM

I've had my Fimby do the leather trick only once, the night I got him. He was out at least 10-12 hours from my best guess. He had weird white spots and was super secretive for a while after but he pulled through. I did a 5% water change daily and kept the system as free of detrius as possible for the month after the escape. It sounds kinda harsh but yours will either make it or won't. Just keep good water quality and stay on your regular feeding schedule and that will give him the best shot. In my opinion trying to feed daily will only cause more stress than good.

Antonio

04/04/2012, 10:12 AM	#1
dstipple Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 185	Escaping Eel I've had my eel for 9 months now and he was my favorite fish I have had so far. I had a glass cover for the aquarium but part of it broke about 4 months ago so I just left it off. Long story short I woke up this morning to find him shriveled up on the floor next to the tank. I went to pick him up to throw him out and he moved and opened his mouth so I quickly put him back in the tank where he swam (sank while moving his body) to the bottom and started breathing extremely heavy. I have no clue as to how long he was out of the water but if this has happened to anyone and their eel survived please let me know if there was anything special you did to revive him. Thanks!

04/04/2012, 11:51 AM	#2
ken55 A wing and a prayer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoChes Posts: 635	I have had freshwater eels (ahem, bait) escape their containers and move quite a distance before drying out. Most of the time they are still alive and will perk right back up upon return to water. ( my wife won't go near the garage if I have a Striper trip coming up, she found one once) I don't know the LONG TERM effects of this as they are, shall we say, doomed anyway. As I type this I realize I am talking about a completly different species so my experience isn't relevant. So to make a dumb story short: put him back in and see how it goes? __________________ Current tank info: Last time I saw them they were leaning against a tree in my ex's backyard.

04/04/2012, 02:57 PM	#5
ken55 A wing and a prayer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoChes Posts: 635	I hope he makes it... It stinks to lose the favorite. I don't know if this will be any help but it couldn't hurt: Hook up an airstone for a while and let him have as much oxygen as he can get. __________________ Current tank info: Last time I saw them they were leaning against a tree in my ex's backyard.

04/04/2012, 06:06 PM	#7
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I have had a 4' Gymnothorax Undulatus for about 25 years now. He has escaped several times. He has dried up twice. Beware fungal infections. If he will eat, consider treating his food with antibiotics/antifungals to help prevent problems. As you now know, if there is a hole, it WILL escape. Period. That's what eels do. Hannibal's tanks is covered in eggcrate weighed down by the lights and canopy. Before the canopy I kept unused large pieces of live rock. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

04/04/2012, 06:36 PM	#9
Reef264 Where's The Reef? Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southaven, Ms Posts: 2,098	Sucks to hear Man, Mine hasn't ever tried while I'm looking, There physically aren't any glass canopies on the tank, Or mesh screening.Probably need to do that. __________________ I'd rather Die on my feet, than Live on my Knees. Current Tank Info: 150g SPS Reef, 2x250w 14k Pheonix Metal Halides w/T-5 Actinics, 2 Tunze 6095's, Tunze 7096 controller, Ozone, Precision Marine Skimmer, Reef Octopus Bio-Churn Bio Pellet Reactor, GFO & Carbon Reactor, Ozone Reactor, ATO, Reef Keeper.

04/04/2012, 12:19 PM	#3
anbosu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mount Juliet, TN Posts: 4,528	They can live after being exposed to air for a while. Hopefully yours makes it!

04/04/2012, 01:28 PM	#4
dstipple Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 185	ken55: thanks, that gives me some hope! anbosu: hes already moved around the tank a bit and is now laying on the sand ouside of his usual hiding spot just breathing. As of now it looks like he lost an inch/inch and a half in length and a bit of his girth. Hopefully he gets his "water weight" back

04/04/2012, 03:33 PM	#6
gmate MASC Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 2,267	I always hear about jumper eels...I've had mine for 4 months and it has not tried to make an escape. He never even goes near the surface. He's a 2 foot long Snowflake Eel.

04/04/2012, 06:09 PM	#8
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	Most eels can live outside of the water for a good amount of time. Al thought they have gill slits, they breath by diffusion as long as their skin stays moist. An eel can actually live outside of the water if he is kept moist enough.

04/05/2012, 06:31 AM	#10
ken55 A wing and a prayer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoChes Posts: 635	How's he doing? Did he make it through the night? Hope so..... __________________ Current tank info: Last time I saw them they were leaning against a tree in my ex's backyard.

04/05/2012, 02:31 PM	#11
anaya Shh Lets Not talk Cost! Join Date: May 2010 Location: North East Tennessee Posts: 315	I've had my Fimby do the leather trick only once, the night I got him. He was out at least 10-12 hours from my best guess. He had weird white spots and was super secretive for a while after but he pulled through. I did a 5% water change daily and kept the system as free of detrius as possible for the month after the escape. It sounds kinda harsh but yours will either make it or won't. Just keep good water quality and stay on your regular feeding schedule and that will give him the best shot. In my opinion trying to feed daily will only cause more stress than good. Antonio __________________ Please take heed that what I share is my opinion or an experience I've had. It's not advise or any type of suggestion as for what will work for you or what will not. It's simply a point of view to put ideas in place that should be researched further so you can come to your own educated decision. Current Tank Info: 29gal macro/grow tank. 75gal eel (G. fimbriatus). 40breeder eel (future home for E. carychoa), 40 breeder eel (future home for 2 GDM's). 75gal eel (undecided). 10gal feeder holding tank.