I just imported a couple of big SA swamp eels. Actually, I ordered one, and the supplier sent me an extra free! They are 4" and 3" long. Here's the interesting thing, they look like two different species. The heads are slightly different, one is rounder and the eyes are closer to the sides. Male and female maybe? They are stright from Peru too. so definately not a monopterus.
Swamp eels
- Thread starter SimonL
- Start date
Did you say 3 inch and 4 inch?
It sounds like you got lucky, the one with the more pointed head is the Synbranchus marmoratus which is a fairly aggressive carnivore that gets to 60", it is very hardy and adaptable. here are a couple pictures.
The other is almost certainly the less common Synbranchus madeirae, first described and recorded in 1972, it is an even more aggressive feeder but only gets to 38" long, it is also very hardy but less tolerant of salt than the marmoratus which can even live in brackish waters. It has a rounder snout and slightly larger eyes. I cannot find an image of one of these but I saw a line drawing not long ago. I think the reason they were not recorded until so recently is the two species look a lot alike and are sold in the market under the same name, Atinga.
Both are escape artists like most eels and are known to burrow, they like planted tanks with lots of structure.
It sounds like you got lucky, the one with the more pointed head is the Synbranchus marmoratus which is a fairly aggressive carnivore that gets to 60", it is very hardy and adaptable. here are a couple pictures.
The other is almost certainly the less common Synbranchus madeirae, first described and recorded in 1972, it is an even more aggressive feeder but only gets to 38" long, it is also very hardy but less tolerant of salt than the marmoratus which can even live in brackish waters. It has a rounder snout and slightly larger eyes. I cannot find an image of one of these but I saw a line drawing not long ago. I think the reason they were not recorded until so recently is the two species look a lot alike and are sold in the market under the same name, Atinga.
Both are escape artists like most eels and are known to burrow, they like planted tanks with lots of structure.
F
FishHeadSoup
Guest
PICS PLEASE!