Species Profile

Tire Track Eel

Mastacembelus armatus

Oddballssemi-aggressive

Adult size

26″

Minimum tank

125 gal

Temperature

75–82°F

6.5–7.5

Schooling

Solitary OK

Water level

bottom

Grows from juvenile

Typically sold at ~5″ and reaches 26″ over ~3 years. Plan tank size for the adult, not the fish at purchase.

Diet

Frozen, live, sinking carnivore pellets

Notes

Spiny eel that reaches over two feet long. Fine sand substrate is essential, gravel injures their bellies as they bury. Will eat any fish small enough to swallow whole; pair only with mid-sized peaceful tankmates.

Build a tank →Photo credits

Photo: Adolsomee / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0