fire eel

[synodontisjack]

just got a fire eel about 8 inches for £10, thought it was quite good as another lfs near us sells them for 20. I havnt kept them before but i know they get big is there anything else i should know.

[imcrystal]

my brother has 2 fire eels and they SOO beautiful when they actually come out. they hide most of the day, you might see a head popping out of the sand, but they are usually pretty shy. his eat right out of his hand though..

[synodontisjack]

its only been in the tank an hour and its handfeeding, i only noticed it in the tank in store when i looked towards the back and saw this eel in the uplift tube on the under gravel filter.

[Mudfrog]

They can be very picky.. my 16" fire eel will only eat night crawlers.. he's spoiled.. :(

But they are very fun to watch, you'll enjoy him a lot.

[synodontisjack]

What size tank is yours in

[Westie]

At 10 years of age mine was 3 feet long! At that size he would turn over the tank daily. I put a 2 ft. length of pvc in the gravel and he took to it like a fly to poop. They get big, they live long and, make great pets! Enjoy!!

[synodontisjack]

what is the growth rate on them as i want to know how long i can leave it in a 5x2x2 before upgrading

[groovitudedude]

They grow at a normal growth rate, not like weeds, but faster than CLs. Mine grew from 9'' to 13'' in 3 months. Be sure to cover the top of your tank very well.

[groovitudedude]

Oh yeah, and here's a link of an article I wrote on Fire Eels.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160707

[Mudfrog]

Mine is in a 4x2x2.. a 5x2x2 will do fine for a very long time.

[imcrystal]

yea definately keep the lid closed bc those little turds will escape with a quickness

[flemming]

the picture is taken in 2002,and you are telling me you just buyed the fish?

[synodontisjack]

Yeah the date on the camera is all messed up. Its alot more active at night you can see it swimming round and exploring all the nooks and crannies