Fire eel advice

[Grinsende katze]

Hi everyone.

I've had a fire eel for about 10 months now and he is still extremely timid. Any suggestions on how to get him more used to someone approaching to feed him? Also any suggestions for a dim light?

Thanks in advance 🙂

[Keeg]

Is your tank by an active area in your home, or any aggressive/ dominant tank mates? If so, these might be the cause  of your prolonged issue. When ever I need a fish to get used to me, I will sit next to the tank and just be there. Maybe put on a show or read a few online articles. Eventually I work my way with holding a piece of food in the tank, it might take awhile but when they see you're not a threat, they'll come eat. Careful to not get bit. 

For the dim light, I don't have any personal experience with Fluval brand for lights but I know a ton of people recommend their lights because you can change the setting remotely. When I want to get that morning glow look, I just throw my 5$ target lamp on the tank and its perfect. The dark one is the lamp and bright is my regular Finnex Stingray 

 

 

[Guppysnail]

Electrical tape over sections intermittently on the light or baking paper gives a wonderful dimming affect I have cut it and placed it on the lid under the light previously. I got the idea from someone who taped it to the light. 

[gardenman]

Floating plants are very effective at dimming light and absorb nitrates. Toss in some duckweed, water lettuce, etc. and your tank will get dimmer. You probably already know this, but fire eels can get huge. Three feet or more in length isn't terribly uncommon. As they grow and mature they tend to get friendlier and braver. If there are aggressive feeders in the tank with him that could be why he's currently a bit shy. Give him time.

[Grinsende katze]

Keeg thanks for the advice, he/she have no idea how to sex fire eels 🙂. Has been in a quite location and no aggressive/boisterous fish. The lamp looks perfect exactly what I was looking for. Also your tank looks amazing. I'll carry on trying the hand feeding, luckily fire eels don't hurt if they miss and get your hand. 

[Biotope Biologist]

For any timid animal. Especially one with intelligence, sitting by them and doing other things seems to be the ticket. 

 

I'm just parroting @Keeg here. Hope it goes well! It's a slow but rewarding process. Materialized if you document the process.

[Grinsende katze]

Thanks Biotope biologist, yep had one before many years ago, that was much bolder, but then it was a little bigger about a foot and a half. Unfortunately I learned the hard way quite how good they are at escaping. If he gets a bit bolder I'll definitely post a picture and tag you. 🙂

[Grinsende katze]

Thanks Guppysnail hadn't thought of electrical tape. 

[Grinsende katze]

Thank you Gardenman yep know how big they can get, has been my dream fish for years. Had one years ago unfortunately back then didn't known about how effective escape artist's they are.