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

Comments: These are actually fish and not what scientists call true eels.

Premium Fire Eels like these are more hardy and more colorful than those from life fish stores and other online fish stores.

Click here for more about our Premium Fish.

Origin: Fire Eels are caught wild in Southeast Asia and shipped to live in aquariums throughout the world.

Maximum Size: In aquariums this Eel can grow to be about 24" long.

They live many years and continue to grow slowly for their entire lives.

Behaviors: They stay on the bottom of the aquarium or hidden in caves or rocks.

You'll mostly see them move around at night, when they feed.

They're notorious for getting out of aquariums, so be sure you completely cover he aquarium and the cover is tightly fitted.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include any community fish, including Cichlids, if they aren't too aggressive toward the eel.

Small fish may be eaten by these Eels, so be sure tankmates are bigger than your Eel's mouth, which is bigger than it looks.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of eels.

Temperature: Fire Eels can live pretty well from about 70 to 80 degrees F., but they're probably most comfortable from about 75 to 78 degrees F.

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

Feeding: These Eels are predators and naturally eat small fish, shrimps, and worms, and these are good foods for these Eels.

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 7 with moderate hardness is best.

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 they're less than about 12" long these guys can do well living in a 50-gallon aquarium, but of course bigger is better, and when full grown they need to live in a bigger aquarium.

Decor: These Eels do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live Plants are beautiful and 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 to 60-gallons is OK.

Eventually these Eels will need to live in a bigger aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters 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.

Life Span: This Eel can live for a few years, maybe many years with excellent care, including excellent water and premium fish foods.

Gender: It's very hard to distinguish males from females. But when they're mature, the females usually fill with eggs, look plumper, and can then be distinguished from the males.

Breeding: There aren't many known cases of successfully breeding these Eels in aquariums.

They are known to need plenty of plants for spawning their eggs.

Popularity: These freshwater eels are rather popular.

Names: This species name is Mastacembelus erythrotaenia.

Variations: Since this fish lives across a large region in Southeast Asia, there are probably some variation, but we don't know about the details.

Click here for more information about Freshwater Eels.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.

DrTom - 04/10/2015