Fire Eel
Size:
Small: Approx 6-8cm
Fire Eel (Mastacembelus erythrotaenia) Recorded from Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Usually inhabits sluggish lowland waters including floodplains and slow-moving rivers.
Tank should be well planted with floating plants also used. An abundance of hiding places should be provided as this species likes to hide away during the day. Bogwood, rock caves and PVC piping are all suitable for this purpose. Sand should be used as substrate as the spiny eels often like to bury themselves. Dimmer lighting will encourage the fish to venture from its hiding places more often. A close-fitting hood is required as the eel can find its way through the smallest of gaps. Water flow should be fairly gentle as the fish mainly inhabits areas of still water in the wild.
Diet:
omnivorous and consume a variety of smaller fish, aquatic invertebrates, plant matter and detritus. Prefers meaty foods such as prawn, krill, and lancetfish. Live and frozen foods can also be fed, however these foods alone are unlikely to be enough to sustain larger fish. Some specimens will also accept vegetable matter, although this is fairly rare.
Behaviour:
Generally peaceful community fish, although care should be taken to ensure tankmates are too large to be considered prey as this species does eat live fish in the wild. It is recommended to only keep one fire eel per tank as they may be aggressive to conspecifics. This can sometimes be avoided by keeping the fish in groups of five or more individuals.
Sexual Dimorphism:
Female is fuller bodied when inbreeding condition.
Care
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful (with right size tankmates)
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 100cm
Tank Size: 500L
Temperature: 22-28c
pH: 6.0-7.0
*Product Photo is for reference only. Exact size and colour may vary, if required, please feel free to contact us for exact photos prior to purchase.
