tiretrack eel

v3x10e8

v3x10e8

Medium Fish
#1
Oct 22, 2002
79
0
0
#1
this afternoon, i was looking around in one of my LFS and i spotted a small tiretrack eel (2" to 2 1/2") for $5.00.  I said to myself, no, i can't have anymore fish in my tank, and it will grow large, huge.... no, i can't...., noooooo
anyhow, now it is sitting at the bottom of my tank inside a driftwood cave.  
anyone know his diet?  I have been trying to feed him white worms and shrimp pallets, but he will take none.
i guess if it doesn't work out, i can always return him.
 

P

Pooky125

Large Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
565
0
0
36
Corvallis, Or
#2
If I recall, a tire track eel, is also called a spiny eel, and, I to have been very tempted by them, but, thankfully, I've never had the money to get one... Anyway, I'll check in my book, and give u the info I have... The scientific name is the Mastacembelus armatus, that can be found in Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, South China, and Sumatra. (gee, guess these fish get around huh?) During the spawning season, the female is consiterably fatter.They get to be about 28 inches long, assuming I have the right fish here, they don't have that common name on any of the eels in the book, but, I'm pretty sure, I'm lookin at a tire track, anyway, a tank of about 39" long would be a nice minimum size. Temp of about 72-82 DF 22-28 DC. Needs a soft sandy bottom, with hardy plants, and hiding places. Clay pots will fit the bill nicely. Use floating plants, to reduce the light. Soft to medium water, neutral water a 15dGH and pH of about 7.0 Add a little salt to the water, (2-3 tsp to every 2.5 gallons of water, please keep it well airated! Please feed live foods, small crustaceans, worms, mosquite larvae, tablets, and flake with difficulty. Loves to burrow!

Sounds to me like you've got the feeding thing kicked, give it a few days to settle in, eventually he'll figure it out, and have a feast! Congrats on ur new fishy, and I hope it works out for ya!
 

v3x10e8

v3x10e8

Medium Fish
#3
Oct 22, 2002
79
0
0
#3
thanks, pooky!!  you got the species right on.
i think his much better now.  He would eat white worms now, but i have to hand-feed him.  white worms are tasty to every other fish i have in the tank, so i have to first attract them with frozen bw in order to get the ww close enough for the eel to notice.  the tiretrack eel i have is just baby, since the adult size can be up to 2'..... i have got to find a better way to feed him.  anyone know how to make bloodworm sink??

he made one of the cave his home, and my kohli loaches would come to visit him from time to time
 

v3x10e8

v3x10e8

Medium Fish
#8
Oct 22, 2002
79
0
0
#8
i would really appreciate some pointers on keeping tire track eel, now that 3 day returning period is over and his resident status is permenant.  
thkz
 

T

theSaj

Medium Fish
#9
Oct 22, 2002
53
0
0
#9
Mine disappears for days, hiding in gravel with a 1/2 centimeter snout exposed...

I've had him for a couple of months now...

I feed a mixture of the following:

Tropical Granules (which all my fish seem to love, except Pleco)
Frozen brine and bloodworms...
Flake and occaisional other treats now and then as well...
 

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