Tire Track Eel

The tire track eel gets its name from the dark wavy lines running along the sides of its brown body. Juveniles of 15–20 cm are common in stores, but it reaches 60–75 cm in the aquarium and even more in the wild.

It uses its long snout like a scoop to find worms in the sand. It is a long-lived fish with plenty of personality; it recognizes its owner and takes food from the hand. Because of the spines on its back it gets caught in nets and should be moved in a container.

It lives in the rivers, lakes and canals of South and Southeast Asia, in vegetated areas with sand and mud bottoms. It has a wide distribution and is a popular food fish in the region. During the day it rests buried in the substrate or among roots, and in the evening and at night it feeds on insect larvae, worms, crustaceans and small fish.

Wild-caught fish are shy when they first arrive in the aquarium and may refuse food for days. During this period live or frozen worms are the best option for stimulating their appetite.

• Volume: at least 450 liters and 180 cm length for an adult.
• Substrate: a thick layer of fine sand; it rests buried in the sand all day.
• Lid: a very tight lid; it escapes through gaps for hoses and cables.
• Decor: pipes, roots and sturdy stones. It can uproot plants; choose epiphytic plants instead of rooted ones.

Carnivorous. Worms, bloodworms, shrimp, mussels, fish fillet and sinking pellets. It feeds in the evening. Juveniles are fed often, adults every two to three days.

Peaceful while young; as it grows it eats fish that fit in its mouth and becomes territorial toward other spiny eels.

Good companions: medium to large, calm species: large barbs, gouramis, large tetras, large cichlids, plecos.

Avoid: small fish, shrimp, other spiny eels (in a small aquarium).

Usually kept alone. More than one requires a very large floor area and separate hiding places.

Breeding in a home aquarium is so rare that it is practically unknown.

• Skin wounds and infection: with sharp substrate and poor water quality.
• Medication sensitivity: its scales are very small; it is sensitive to many medications, so keep doses low.
• Escape: drying out and dying outside the aquarium.

There is no reliable external way to tell the sexes apart.