Fire Eel
Alternative Name(s): Peacock Eel, Spiny Eel
Scientific Name(s): Mastacemeelus erythrotaenia
Category: Tropical
Difficulty:
Maximum Size: 100cms
Minimum Tank Volume: 500 litres
Minimum Tank Size: 48" x 24" x 24"
Water Temperature Range: 24-28°C
Water pH Range: 6.0-7.0
Water Hardness Range: 5-12 dGH
General Information: An interesting bottom dweller that likes to hide during the day, often burying itself in the substrate and becoming active at night. Originates in slow moving waters in Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia.
Tank Requirements: Provide sand substrate to accomodate burrowing, dense planting, hiding places including plastic pipes, bogwood etc., dim lighting and some floating plant cover.
Diet Requirements: Omnivore eating smaller fish, invertebrates and vegetable matter. In the aquarium offer plenty of substantial protein foods such as frozen lancefish, prawns, krill.
Compatibility: Peaceful enough to live in community provided tank mates are carefully chosen to be too large for the Peacock Eel to eat.
Recommendations: Must be suitably housed and fed. Not an easy fish for those reasons.
Common Problems: Avoid using any medication with copper as an ingredient. Scaleless fish do not tolerate it and copper is hard to remove from your tank once you discontinue treatment.
Similar Species: Mastacembelus armatus
Sexing: Only distinguishable when mature - females plumper
Breeding: Breeding is very rare in the aquarium, though a few accidental successful spawnings have been reported.
Author(s): Fishlady | Photo: | Views: 20799
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