What are Tire Rack Eels like?

[Carner]

I saw a tire rack eel at the local shop yesterday. Does anybody know anything about these eels? What do they eat, how big do they get, what kind of fish to put them with, etc....

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Guest]

The only thing I know about them is this: if you are not a pro at keeping aquariums healthy then these probably wouldn't be for you. From what I've heard, they require some special attenton as far as water parameters, feedings, etc.

 

[lmw80]

I know about the same as stewie, however, if I am not mistaken, they are called tire track eels. Search them with that name instead of tire rack and see if you come up with better info.

 

[Carner]

I know about the same as stewie, however, if I am not mistaken, they are called tire track eels. Search them with that name instead of tire rack and see if you come up with better info.

Thanks!. That would explain why I didn't find much on the internet. The LHS wrote the names on the tank in grease-pen, and the name was a little worn.

 

[Toirtis]

Diet: anything meaty, small fish.

Size: 30"

I have four (along with 8 other spiny eels of different species), and I could not love them more...very cool spinies.

 

[Carner]

Yikes, I need someting much smaller. The eel that I saw was small and black with orange-white stripes.

Can anyone suggest a smaller species for a 29 gal tank? Maybe something on the less-aggresive side? I like the way they burrow in the gravel. Are any of them scavengers?

 

[Guest]

I don't think you're going to find an eel that is going to be able to live comfortably in a 29 gallon tank. Most of the eel's require a 50 gallon tank or larger. Since its a 29 gallon tank its probably much higher than it is long. Even a 30 gallon long tank would be doubtful. Just search around, you might find something that might work. I've seen "rope fish" in 29 gallon tanks at the lfs but they were probably not full grown however.
HTH
-Stewie

 

[Toirtis]

The 'barred spiny eel' or 'yellow spiny eel', M. panculus is what you need...they get to only 10".

 

[TomK2]

Peacock eel stays in the 8 inch range too, I think. Like most of the spiney eels,They need to be fed froxen bloodworms or live worms, sometimes you have to feed after lights out since they like to hunt at night. They also need a cave or hollow log to hang out in when they arent burrowed. They like to hunt ghost shrimp, and will hunt down any other similar size shrimp in case you have them. After a while, they might become less timid and be seen more. I had a tire track eel that boldly swam around the tank. Too boldly, since one day my canister filter wasn't working, and I found its spine wrapped in the impeller. It had swum in the outflow nozzle of the canister (must have had reduced flow) all the way to the impeller. Which brings up another point, they will swim into HOB filters, and may use any holes in the cover to leave the tank.

I like them, but only kept them in 55 gal tanks.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

We have 4 of them in a 29 gal tank with lots of hiding places. They are loving it. They can be a bit challenging to feed at times, but overall, they are very cool to look at. Ours pretty much hang out in the greenery. Except there is one that burrows 24/7.