Thinking of a Fire or Tire Track Eel

[Idealconcepts]

So I have been reading about eels the last few days on here and on a few other places. I have specifically been looking at the Fire eels and the Tire Track eels. I understand they are Freshwater, do not need salt, can eat smaller fish when they are larger and aren’t really aggressive to other fish. I have some decent size tanks they could be housed when they get larger, 180, 240, 300gal (these are all 2ft wide).

Is width of the tank that important for these guys since they both are known to get over 24 inches?

My largest tank has pool filter sand in it and my other tanks are bare with the outside bottom painted black, will bare bottom tanks affect the eels in a negative way?

With tank mates I have seen them with bichir’s and Aros, are they fine with Peacock Bass, Gars, and other fish as long as the eels are too big to be eaten by the other fish and the other fish are not overly aggressive?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pyramid_Party]

I think your tank size is fine. Ive seen smaller tank size recommended for them before. Since they are slender and flexible its not that hard on them compared to a bulky fish. About the bare bottom, I think it would make them uncomfortable, they like to burrow and hide I think.


Everything else you mentioned I think you got it down.

 

[PufferXtreme]

yer get a tyre track eel, they are the nuts!

also not many MFKers have big tyre tracks. PM marvin baker, he has the biggest TT ive ever seen

 

[Idealconcepts]

Thanks Pyramid Party.

Anyone else want to comment on the bare tank?

 

[marvinbaker]

i keep both. in seperate tanks. i find fire eels very picky eater (mine will only eat live river shrimp and live earthworm) and therefore don't tend to get as big as tyre tracks which i find will eat any food you give them! fire tracks can be stunning and as mine takes worm from hand mine knows he needs to come get worms from the front top part of the tank and so is permanently dancing out front for food. the tyre track spends all day entwined in a massive bit of wood i have for him and is more of a hunter when food is added.

bare bottom wouldn't concern me, no pipes or big interesting bits of bogwood is a definite no no for me unless you want your eel permanently winding itself around your inlet and outlet pipes. give it a proper home and you'll have a much more friendly, greedy eel to fatten up.

as a little teaser as to how big they get, look at the girth of the body on my tyre track and then you start guessing the length (and it's a lot bigger then 2 foot!!). the other fish is a 3" umbee for reference. and it resides in a 2 foot wide tank with no problems. i could keep it in a 12" wide tank and i reckon it still would have little problems.

definitely go for the tyre track as a starter eel if i were you.

 

[Idealconcepts]

yer get a tyre track eel, they are the nuts!

also not many MFKers have big tyre tracks. PM marvin baker, he has the biggest TT ive ever seen

Thanks.

i keep both. in seperate tanks. i find fire eels very picky eater (mine will only eat live river shrimp and live earthworm) and therefore don't tend to get as big as tyre tracks which i find will eat any food you give them! fire tracks can be stunning and as mine takes worm from hand mine knows he needs to come get worms from the front top part of the tank and so is permanently dancing out front for food. the tyre track spends all day entwined in a massive bit of wood i have for him and is more of a hunter when food is added.

bare bottom wouldn't concern me, no pipes or big interesting bits of bogwood is a definite no no for me unless you want your eel permanently winding itself around your inlet and outlet pipes. give it a proper home and you'll have a much more friendly, greedy eel to fatten up.

as a little teaser as to how big they get, look at the girth of the body on my tyre track and then you start guessing the length (and it's a lot bigger then 2 foot!!). the other fish is a 3" umbee for reference. and it resides in a 2 foot wide tank with no problems. i could keep it in a 12" wide tank and i reckon it still would have little problems.

definitely go for the tyre track as a starter eel if i were you.

Your guy is huge. I might get one of each and grow them out and see if I can house one in my 300 and one in my 240. I plan on putting a nice big piece of driftwood in my 240 about 3ft by 10-12ins thick. Any thoughts on getting two of each (four total) to grow out and see which ones can get along?

 

[marvinbaker]

simple answer get one of each. one in each tank. i really wouldn't bother with getting multiples. definitely a good idea to check eating habits of the eels your buying in the lfs.

 

[Idealconcepts]

Hands down, definitely get a Fire Eel. They look a lot better especially with the red streaks on their dark charcoal/black body. when they get bigger they're even more stunning! About them being picky eaters.....mine wasn't. mine pigged out on frozen foods. frozen whitefish, bloodworms, krill, etc. If you are ever worried just ask the LFS what they feed their fire eels and if they can feed them so you can see it eat before wasting money on a sick or finicky eel. That should clear up any feeding related problems. good luckkk.

Thanks. Yes I agree I like the look of the large Fire eels, saw some huge ones at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago a couple years ago.

simple answer get one of each. one in each tank. i really wouldn't bother with getting multiples. definitely a good idea to check eating habits of the eels your buying in the lfs.

Thanks I'll try to pick up one of each and check out the eating habbits of each.


I'll probably have to grow them out before they go into the two larger tanks, can they be grown out together when they are small in the same tank? Or does it just depend on individuals personality?

 

[dark_knights_99]

Thanks Pyramid Party.

Anyone else want to comment on the bare tank?

Well, barebottom is ok as long as you put hiding places like caves or driftwoods in your tank.

 

[Idealconcepts]

Well, barebottom is ok as long as you put hiding places like caves or driftwoods in your tank.

Thanks.


Well I picked up a tire track and fire eel last night. Tire track is about 5-6 inches and the fire is about 8-9 inches. I have them in my 10gal bare tank with some PVC pipes to hide in. I was going to put them in my 30gal tall with the 4-5 inche Endli birchirs but didn't want to risk the eels at such a small thin size. Can't wait to get them nice and huge.

Thanks everyone for your insight into them.