Above: In this picture is a nice premium quality Freshwater Tiretrack Eel, swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us took this picture.

Comments: These are Eels that we rarely see in the live fish stores or in the online stores that we visit.

Premium eels like these eels are more hardy and more colorful than eels from other sources.

Actually this fish is not what scientists call an eel, it is instead a long slender fish that aquarists like to call an Eel. We think this really doesn't matter except to some scientists.

Click here for more about our Premium Freshwater Eels.

Origin: This Eel lived in India, Thailand, or Sumatra, where it was caught by a very skillful fish collector and shipped to us.

Maximum Size: In aquariums this eel can grow to be about 36" long, but they are often smaller. This Eel can live many years and continue to grow slowly for its entire life.

Behaviors: They stay at the bottom of the tank, or hidden in caves or rocks. You'll mostly see them move around at night, when they feed.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include any community fish, or even cichlids, provided they aren't too aggressive toward the eel.

Small fish and shrimps may be eaten by this Eel, so be careful when selecting tankmates.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of eels.

Temperature: This Eel can live pretty well from about 75 to 80 degrees F., and they're probably most comfortable from about 78 degrees F.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Live or frozen fish and shrimp. It's very good to try to get them to eat Premium Fish Food Pellets. Some Tiretrack Eels will eat a few vegetables. Click here to learn more about and shop online for premium fish foods.

Water Conditions: This Eel can tolerate a wide range of water conditions. Probably a pH of about 6.5 with low hardness is best. Also a small amount of rock salt can be dissolved in the water.

Most water in the US has a higher pH and is harder but seems to be OK, so it's probably best not to adjust the pH or the hardness of the water.

Here in our facilities the water is hard and the pH is usually about 7.8. We ship them in this water.

Aquarium Size: When young and still small these guys do well living in a 50-gallon aquarium, but of course bigger is better. Eventually they'll need to live in a much bigger aquarium.

Decor: A thick layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water. But you can avoid this by regularly cleaning the gravel with a special cleaning siphon.

This Eel likes to bury itself in the gravel, but it is not necessary to have the gravel and greatly increases the amount of aquarium maintenance.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live Plants are beautiful, improve the water quality.

Click here for more about aquarium plants.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended. A Penguin 350B Filter in an aquarium with 50-gallons is OK for a young small Tiretrack Eel, but eventually it will need a much bigger aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filter as will fit across the back of the aquarium.

Click here to learn more about aquarium filters.

The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range. Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Aquarium Cover: This Eel is an escape artist that will often leave the aquarium through the smallest hole in the cover. So the aquarium must be tightly covered at all times. Perhaps using small pieces of plastic and duct tape.

Life Span: This Eel can live for several years, maybe many years with excellent care, including excellent water and food.

Gender: It is very hard to distinguish males from females. Presumably a female will become plumper, when it fills with eggs.

Breeding: There haven't been any known cases of successful breeding this species.

Popularity: These freshwater Eels are rather popular.

Names: This species name is Mastacembelus armatus.

Variations: We do not know of any variations, but this fish lives across a wide region, and so we expect there are variations.

Click here for more information about Freshwater Eels.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.