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The Peacock Eel in my 55 gallon tank has become very shy, even more so than usual, within the last 2-3 months. I've had him since early December, so it's been almost 8 months. During the first month I had him he was rarely ever out, and when he was it was just his head or tail. After awhile he started to come out during the night, when I'd go to turn on the tank light he'd be swimming laps up and down the back of the tank, and would burrow back into the sand after the light was on for about 10 minutes. For the last 2 or 3 months he has barely even poked his head out of the sand.

I'm just wondering if this is normal behavior for Peacock Eels, because I do know they're shy, or if he is possibly sick. I do sometimes sift through the sand with my fingers and coax him out to make sure he's alive, and I haven't seen anything visibly wrong with him, he's just become very reclusive.

Also, I've never actually seen him eat, at all, for the 8 months I've had him. I feed flakes, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, freeze-dried, and sometimes frozen foods. I suspect he's eaten a few Guppies and Zebra Danios (maybe 4 or 5 all together) since I've gotten him. Anyways, is this diet good enough for him. I've thought about seeing if he'd take some live Ghost Shrimp occasionally but have never tried it. Is this something I should consider, or is his current diet (Guppies and Zebras excluded) good enough for him? Thanks for your time.

Peacock eels are very shy and will only eat at night. My LFS had 10 or so, sold what they thought was all of them, and 6 months later they found one in the tank still alive. So they will hide very well.
Also they are Carnivores so any worms, small fish, and ghost shrimp will do fine. I use to feed mine shrimp pellets, before he got out.

He is very good at hiding himself. I think I'll try some Ghost Shrimp or Earthworms and see if he eats them. Thanks for the help Steve.

mine was the opposite when i bought him very active and personable when I put him in with the other community fish in my 125 he became shy.. and only comes out at night..
I have read that they are social and have thought about adding a few more friends for him, but am not sure I believe that..
mine LOVES frozen bloodworms..
You could also think of investing in moonlights to observe him in the evening..after a few days of moonlight he should get that it is night and still come out