Description
The Fire Eel is a freshwater species. It is in fact a fish, not a true eel, but is called an eel due to its appearance. Native to South East Asia, the Fire Eel is a nocturnal predatory fish. This impressive fish has a growth on the end of its nose that it uses to search for food on the aquarium floor. It has two large nostril tubes at the end of it's nose making for an intriguing appearance.
Features of Fire Eel:
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Dark brown Snakelike body covered in scales with 4 lateral stripes
- Stripes may vary from red to orange with age dependent spots
- No abdominal fins
- Grows up to 60cm in the aquarium
- Mature males are brighter and more slender than females
The Best Aquarium Size for Fire Eels:
Fire Eels require and aquarium of at least 350L. As this species grows larger it requires lots of free swimming space. Fire Eels grow rapidly, therefore it is best to begin with a large aquarium from the start, otherwise you will find yourself needing to upgrade very quickly.
After an Aquarium for your fish? Browse Aquarium Tank Selection here.
Tank Mate Compatibility:
Peaceful, yet is still a predatory fish and will eat smaller fish. Fire Eels are suitable for a community tank of medium to large fish. As they mature, they become aggressive towards their own kind.
CHECK COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER SPECIES
Coburg Aquarium, specialized in different species of live fish.
Feeding:
Fire Eels are omnivores but will prefer protein rich meaty foods. They will learn to recognize their owner at feeding time and accept live, frozen, freeze dried, flake & pelleted foods. live blackworms, frozen bloodworms, aquatic insects (midge larvae) and micro crustaceans are great options. Check out our High Quality Fish Foods collections.
Tank Setup:
Aquarium Filtration
A good filtration system is necessary for fish to thrive. Slow currents suit them best, not in high-Flow tanks. Here are some great ones to consider:
Temperature
Fire Eels prefer temperatures between 24 - 28° C. A Thermometer is recommended to monitor the water temperature.
Lighting
Fire Eels naturally are found in river systems with dark waters that consist heavily of wood, and plants. They prefer a dimly lit aquarium and will be more active in darker water. Replicate their natural environment with dimmable LED lighting.
Need An Aquarium Light for your tank? Browse our Fish Tank Aquarium Lighting
Substrate
Soft sand is a good substrate for Fire Eels. They enjoy burrowing, digging and searching for food in the substrate.
A variety of Substrates are available at Coburg Aquarium.
Decorations
Fire Eels require structure to hide in. Create hiding places in the aquarium with driftwood, rock, piping and caves. This helps reduce stress as this is a natural behaviour. As they are active substrate diggers, plants such as anubias or microsorium can be kept, but must be fixed to wood or rock. Alternatively, opt for floating plants.
View our large range of aquarium decorations here.
