Tire Track Eel

[blcknwitecuban]

i bought a tiretrack eel thinking it was a peacock eel. its im my 30g right now. i was wondering how many inches tiretracks get and what size tank the need. i read a book about peacock eels (no pix) and i was wondering if theres any large different in care for the tiretracks. thank you

 

[CFC]

A Tyre track eel will get about as long as your tank, maybe longer, with adults maxing out at between 36 and 40 inches. As far as care goes they are not much different from peacock eels, the only differences are they can eat much larger tankmates than peacocks can and are not sociable to their own kind.

 

[blcknwitecuban]

ok. thank you. how fast do they grow? im pretty sure i could get a bigger tank if i needed 2 within about a year. hes about 10 inches rite now i think

 

[ringham]

IME tyre tracks grow to around 2-3' (fortunately for you, you didn't get a fire eel which can grow bigger). They eat practically anything, including most fish that they are kept with (if less than half their own length in size). You will require a bigger tank eventually but it will not out-grow your tank in less than a year. For much longer than a year you would be pushing it.

 

[blcknwitecuban]

thank god AND THANK GOD AGAIN. anything half there length? isnt that like everything?

 

[cane76]

it will eat what can fit in its mouth and be swallowed

 

[nmonks]

But on the plus side, their mouth doesn't get that big. Many years ago, I had a specimen that got to about 50 cm long, and it managed to eat platies (not my intention!) without much bother, but ignored anything larger, like Australian rainbowfish and mollies. A really nice fish though. Very pretty.

Unfortunately, jumped out and died after a couple of years. Hence ever since, I have always stressed the importance of covering the aquarium!

Cheers,

Neale

it will eat what can fit in its mouth and be swallowed

 

[ringham]

Several month ago, my very own 13" tyre track eel died.

The reason that it died was because he tried to eat a 6" black ghost knife fish (and he was only 13" himself).

 

[nmonks]

Two tye track eel threads in one day! Anyway, I just put some pictures of the two commonest species in this thread. Maximum length of the species I believe to be the more common of the two is 70 cm, not 90 cm. Yet again, an example of why common names are bad, but Latin names are good!

Cheers,

Neale

 

[blcknwitecuban]

that stinks. i have a red australian female rainbowb so i guess i could just call her a green australian but anyways im planning on getting a bigger tank 4 him and eventually my clown loachs and a couple south american cichlids or getting more rainbows... not sure yet but i'd love some SA's so im not completely decided