I got a tire track eel!

[KuhliDude]

I've been looking for a tire track eel for a while. Thankfully my lfs had one! So I purchased him/her and brought them home. I have a 10 and a 75 gallon aquarium. I put them in my 10 gallon because they are the size of a kuhli loach and I wanted them to grow a little bit before I put them in my larger tank. With that out of the way, I wanted to know if those with experience with this fish, have any advice for keeping them.

One of my main questions is feeding, do they need to eat every day? Has anyone had luck feeding them dry food?

 

[jaylach]

Return the eel if possible. A 75 gallon tank is not sufficient for this beastie. It is suggested in the following link that a tank size of a minimum of 132 gallons is needed. This critter can reach 35 inches in length.

Tire-Track Eel 101: Care, Diet, Tank Size, Tank Mates & More

This article includes some great tips on tank mates and other topics that will help keep your tire track eel happy and healthy.

aquariumpart.com

 

[Rocky998]

Return the eel if possible. A 75 gallon tank is not sufficient for this beastie. It is suggested in the following link that a tank size of a minimum of 132 gallons is needed. This critter can reach 35 inches in length.

Tire-Track Eel 101: Care, Diet, Tank Size, Tank Mates & More

This article includes some great tips on tank mates and other topics that will help keep your tire track eel happy and healthy.

aquariumpart.com

I mean with it being the size of a small loach, they're probably just growing it out in the 75 possibly. So I wouldn't say they have to return it... unless they were looking at keeping it in the 75g forever and don't have the money/space for a larger tank

 

[jaylach]

I mean with it being the size of a small loach, they're probably just growing it out in the 75 possibly. So I wouldn't say they have to return it... unless they were looking at keeping it in the 75g forever and don't have the money/space for a larger tank

I can only go with what is posted and there was no mention of a larger tank in the future. A 75 gallon tank is just not viable for this critter.

 

[KuhliDude]

I do plan to get a larger tank in the future. I made this post to ask if anyone has experience with this fish and could mention something I probably don't know.

 

[jaylach]

OK but you said nothing about getting a larger tank which will need to be 300 gallon plus so I answered as best as I could.

 

[Boundava]

So I have had experience with them that size. I also got 2 and though we fed them consistently they found a crack to jump out of. Sister did some research and found a high mortality rate for them until they are about 8-9". They are prone to jumping so you need to saran wrap your lid and any opening will be a call to flee.

As many have mentioned they grow large and fast. They can achieve adult size within a year/year and half. They also need a big tank. I have wanted one for many years but settled with a unicolor eel instead as he will be able to stay in my 125 for life, though they grow large but at a much slower rate. I have about 7 eels in the 125 and one in the 120. The unicolor is Venom, and the eel in the 120 is Peter. The galaxy eel is Nebula and I have 4 Borneo eels and one adult maculatus and 4 juvis in a 10 gallon grow up tank that will be introduce to the 125 as soon as my last crasspinus is moved.

Venom is in the center, there is a borneo speeding on his right and Nebula to his left.

I heard The Wet Spot has galaxy eels back in stock...or they did Friday. They may have some more quarantining, its the season right now.

Sorry my phone camera is absolute crapadoddle.

 

[Fishfunn]

I had a peacock eel for 7 years, and he grew to be about 8 inches long. I recommend them. I put a 12 inch long -1" PVC pipe on the bottom of the tank, and he liked that a lot. I enjoyed having that fish.

 

[OMG_FL]

I haven't personally kept any but I do know some about their habits
75 gallon is enough for them to grow around 8-10" after that you'll definitely need a bigger tank
Fir the tank setup keep a sand substrate, lots and lots of driftwood and leaf litter on the bottom with bushy plants like valisneria sp.
They need a good filtration and aeration with medium to low bright lights
(Most of the time lack of these are the reason for them jumping out of the tank)
While they're young they'll rarely eat any pellets or flakes they prefer live over anything (bloodworms & other insect larvae)
Also you can try other dried foods but it isn't guaranteed
Smaller tetra sp. and rasbora sp. are fine as tank mates (non aggressive and big enough to not fit in their mouths)
(All of these tips are based on their natural behaviour and not from aquarium keeping so there might be some differences but mostly accurate)

 

[simonas]

Tyre tracks are ace fish. I prefer fire eels but both are ace fish
They can be hard to get feeding but I have never known an eel to turn an earthworm down and that usually kickstarts them into feeding.
I have never known a fire or tyre track to eat dried foods
they get to 12" relatively quickly but slow down a bit after that
Whilst your 75g is no good long term I'd have thought you would be fine with that size tank if its a 48" till its a good 15" or so they dont use loads of space like say a 15" arowana or big cichlid etc