Moray Feeding Question

[SkinnyPete]

I've had a brazilian dragon moray for 2 weeks. He's been awesome. Settled in nicely. Even leaving my chromis alone (for now). I've had many eels in the past...in almost every tank I've had actually. All of the other eels that I've owned have sort of let me know when they are done eating. One or two shrimp and they would just go back in their caves satisfied - or just become disinterested in the feeding stick. This new guy is just a spaz searching for food until I stop feeding. When I make any noise on the tank, he goes into eating mode. He's only about 14-15" right now, but he's fairly thick. Mainly the diet consists of supermarket shrimp and krill 3 times a week. I've thrown in squid once to mix things up. I've been basically giving him 2 full medium shrimp OR 1 full shrimp and about 5-6 krill at each feeding.

So, should I be feeding about the equivalent of 2 shrimp at each meal as I've been doing? Or should I feed until he's done eating? I feel like 2 medium sized shrimp for an eel his size about every other day should be fine...but he still seems hungry after that. Thoughts?

[RBU1]

Well I can only tell you what I do. I feed till he goes back into his cave and does not come back up. I usually feed about 7 shrimp per week. I just get the frozen shrimp from the food store thaw out about 7 of them and feed.

[welsher7]

I feed my 30" zebra 3 times a week. Each feeding consists of 3 large shrimp or 2 shrimp and a smelt. After that he returns to his czve. If I try to feed any more he will take it in the cave, but not eat them. I always thought you should feed eels until they won't eat any more. I would try adding another feeding or two during the week.

[LisaD]

My BDM outeats my zebra (which is almost twice its length) at least 3:1, maybe more. The BDM is adult sized, and still seems like it is never "finished" eating. This morning, mine ate at least four whole medium sized shrimp (I usually feed ~three every day or two, with other types of food also offered). Normally, I feed every day, but sometimes let them go a day or two between feedings.

I think you should limit the food, this species seems like it is never satisfied. Be careful to only feed from a stick. I threw some shrimp pieces today for the puffer, trigger, grouper and harlequin tusk (after the BDM had the four whole shrimp) and the eel went after the puffer - even made him puff, and might have bitten him on the mouth. This wasn't because he wanted to eat the puffer, he was going after the food.

I broke my own rule this morning to only feed from sticks. I got in a rush, and it was clear right away that stick feeding is what I need to do with this eel. If I throw in any food loose for the other fish, it needs to be small pieces, and I need to be waving a stick with food on it in front of the BDM at the same time...

[SkinnyPete]

Thanks again, LisaD.

So, you are thinking I should probably be feeding more but don't necessarily wait for him to stop?

[LisaD]

Pete, yours is about half the size of mine, so I don't think you necessarily need to feed him more. I imagine he'll be hungrier as a growing juvenile, so maybe feeding more wouldn't be a bad idea. I think it's really six on one hand, half a dozen on the other...

If he starts going after the other fish when you AREN'T feeding, it may be time to feed more.