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Can someone please tell me what kind of eel I have? I have a tire track and a mystery eel...

"Mystery"
http://community.webshots.com/photo/482119624/536891903sCYmjk

Tire track
http://community.webshots.com/photo/482119624/536892675QGqhyo

Thanks...

Both are armatus; the species in question has a highly variable pattern.

I am in agreement with Cup. The one in question just has a variable pattern.

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There is always a bigger fish...

Thanks for your replies; I never saw a pattern like that before so naturally I needed to acquire it. I’ve kept spiny eels years ago with great success but these two won’t accept food for me…I’ve tried just about everything except live black worms and my lfs is out of them and don’t know when they will be getting more in…I even tried tiny pieces of earthworm with no luck…any suggestions?

Feed just before "lights out". Mastacembelid Eels are nocturnal in the wild. They're not feeding because you're trying to get them to eat when they want to sleep!

Eventually, they'll learn that you supply the food, and will adapt to more socially acceptable 9from your standpoint) hours. Then, after about 4 to 6 weeks of gradually shifting their body clocks to fit, they'll stat being more active in the daytime.

However, you also need to furnish the aquarium sympathetically. Which means lots of nice bogwood tangles, caves, shaded areas and at least some floating plants to block out excess light if your aquarium lighting is bright. If your Tyre Track Eels are under the kind of floodlighting that lights up the Houston Astrodome during winter football games, then they'll be a LOT less likely to come out than if you provide them with some shade. If they're under lighting of modest power, have shaded areas and floating plants to keep them shaded when they venture away from caves, then you'll be a LOT more likely to see them out in the open once they've acclimatised.

But ... for the time being, it's "lights out" feeding until they learn that you're the chow man.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002