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Eels
/ Mastacembelidae / Tire track Eel
Tire track Eel, Spiny Eel, White-spotted Spiny Eel
Mastacembelus armatus | Pictures
SYN: Macrognathus
armatus
PD: An elongated fish with a snake-like body shape.
No pelvic fins are present and the anal
and dorsal fins are elongated and joined to the caudal fin.
The back is dark beige and the head is silver-beige.
The
body color is beige and the belly is lighter in color.
The body is marked with brown circular patterns.
The eye always has a brown stripe running
laterally through it.
SIZE: To 36" (91 cm) in nature, although usually this species does not exceed 20"
(51 cm) in captivity.
SS: Other
Mastacembelus and
Aethiomastacembelus species.
HAB: Rivers with sandy riverbeds and heavy vegetation in India and Southeast Asia; Sumatra,
Sri Lanka, Thailand.
S: bottom
TANK: A tank measuring 36” (91 cm) with a capacity of 35 gallons (132 L) is sufficient
for fish to 6" (15 cm).
Larger fish require at least a 48” (122 cm) or 55 gallon (209 L) tank.
For tank set-up, follow suggestions
for M. circumcinctus
.
WATER: pH 6-8 (7.0), 6-25 dH (10), 73-81°F (23-27°C), a little salt is welcomed
SB: Do not combine this species with small fish, as they will treated as prey.
A good
candidate for a community tank with medium to large fish.
Will often not get along with others of the same
species.
A nocturnal species.
SC: Large Gouramis, Knifefish, Giant Danios, large Loaches, Loricarids, Eartheaters, Acaras,
Cichlasomines, Asian Catfish
FOOD: Live; Tubifex,
fish, Brine Shrimp, mosquito larvae, bloodworms,
Cyclops.
SEX: Only distinguishable when mature-females plumper
B: Unsuccessful in captivity; probably similar to other
Mastacembelus species.
BP: 10.
This species has not been bred in captivity.
R: Will occasionally burrow in substrate while young.
Extremely hardy once acclimated. This
species is eaten in its native countries.
May become friendly around owner.
DC: 5.
A large, hardy fish that requires live foods in its diet.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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