What's involved with keeping tire track eel?

[Josh Q]

I've heard a lot of people talk about tire track eels and they seem to be one of the popular freshwater eels. What is involved with filtration, feeding, water conditions, etc? Can I just use a wet/dry with the dio-wheel? What do I feed them? How long do they get? Can I keep one in a 20G or 25G, or is that too small for when they get full grown? Any special ph or anything? Can you keep more than one in a tank? Thanks.
-Josh

 

[impur]

Eel, Tire Track

COMMON NAMES:
• Tire Track Eel
• Tyretrack Eel
• White Spot Eel

LATIN NAME:
• Mastacembelus armatus

pH:
• 7.0

WATER TEMP:
• 74-80 deg. F.

AVG. MAX. SIZE:
• 31+ inches / 76 cm.

MINIMUM RECOMMENDED TANK SIZE:
• Do not place in tanks smaller than 100 gallons, 150+ gallons is preferred.

BREEDING:
• Egg-layers

FEEDING:
• Mainly Live Worms (sections not larger than 2 inches). Brine Shrimp & Frozen or Live Blood Worms. As it grows will devour tank mates smaller than 3 inches.

NOTE:
• Needs a soft substrate, as they may bury themselves for days on end with only the tips of their snouts protruding.

LIGHTING:
• More nocturnal, prefers dusk and dawn, light lighting.

TEMPERAMENT:
• Peaceful, very good community fish as long as it is with fish its own size or larger only, anything smaller that resembles a worm may be dinner.


COMMENTS:
• Great fun to watch, even better to train to be hand fed. Have been known to choke on a large of a section of live worm or other foods and actually drown in the tank.

• Caves or areas cleared underneath large rocks are ideal home for this species.

• There are several different species of freshwater eels, as well as many fish who are actually mistaken as eels. The Bichir, Lungfish and more commonly, Rope-Fish are often taken for eels.

• These guys are definitely NOT for the beginner!

 

[Gibbo]

Yep, that about covers it lol

 

[cichlid_freak]

You didn't even leave anything for us! You glory hog! J/K

 

[impur]

You didn't even leave anything for us! You glory hog! J/K

LOL My bad, i'll leave the next one for you CF

 

[smb]

WOW!!!

Great post impur!

 

[Josh Q]

Say I bought a 100-150G tank, can you put more than one in a tank or are they best on their own with other fish?
-Josh

 

[impur]

You would be fine with a couple.

 

[jerenycool]

do u have a pic of this eel?

 

[snakes122]

i have a tire track with a moray, i just read the posts. They are currently living in a 35 and doing fine, do i REALLY need to get a 100 gallon tank? Cus its only those 2 living in there.

 

[CFC]

Your moray is going to need salt added to the water as it grows, without it it will become ill and die, only juvinile morays are found in FW.
You are going to need a bigger tank, a 3 foot eel is going to need a tank which is at least 5 feet long to be able to swim and move around the tank.

 

[Fishy Jon]

I have had one and it was about 6 inch when i got it and it was 6 inch when it died
(jumped out of tank) it ate the flake food of the bottom of the tank and I kept it at 74-76 degrees. All I can say is offer it a cave or something to hide in or under because it likes cover. If you can't find it then it will probably be burrowed under the gravel.