Tyre tracks

Where can I find out more about this stunning looking creatures?

Will they be suitable for a community tank.
What do you feed them?
Do's & Dont's?
Breeding?

 

Hey stripes - I saw some tyre tracks yesterday when I went out into the bush.... hehehehe

Hope this helps....

Size - Weight:
These fish will generally as long as 70 cm, though some have been reported to reach up to 91 cm.
Care and feeding:
The Tire Track Eels are primarily carnivores. Like all spiny eels they prefer a diet of live and fresh frozen foods such as brine shrimp, black worms, earthworms or bloodworms. Some Tire Track Eels can be trained to eat freeze dried brine shrimp or bloodworms but this is not something that can be counted on. They will also eat small fishes so make sure their tank mates are too large to be able to fit into their mouths.
If their tank has a sand or fine gravel substrate, they may burrow into it. Make sure they have plenty of hiding places so they will feel secure in their new home. This species of spiny eel can eventually grow to be quite large so plan accordingly. That cute little 4 inch fish may eventually grow to over 2 feet long! Keep small specimens up to 6 inches in a tank that is at least 36 inches long and about 35 gallons. Larger specimens will needing an even bigger area, tanks that are 48 inches in length or longer and 55 gallons and up will be necessary. Provide a tight fitting lid as spiny eels are escape artists. These fish respond poorly to copper based medications, so these should be avoided.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
Tire Track Eels will spend most of their time on the bottom of the aquarium.
Acceptable Water Conditions:
Temp: 23 - 28° C
pH: 7.0 - 8.0
Social Behaviors:
They are a nocturnal species but are generally peaceful and shy. They mostly ignore other tankmates although they may eat fish that are small enough to fit into their mouths. Some species of spiny eels can get territorial and aggressive with their own kind so a general rule of thumb is to keep them singly unless you plan to breed.
Sexual Differences:
Sexual differences are unknown and it is almost impossible to identify the sexes, though a mature female may be more full bodied.
Breeding/Reproduction:
The Tire Track Eel has not been bred in captivity. Only a few spiny eels have been bred in the aquarium, possibly because they are generally kept singly rather than in a group where a male and female can find each other. Though it is not documented what makes them spawn, trying to emulate the bounty of the flood season can help stimulate breeding behavior. Feed more and higher quality food than you normally would and providing an influx of clean water. Their courtship lasts for several hours, where they chase each other and swim in circles.
The eggs are deposited among floating plants. They are sticky so will adhere to the plants and then hatch in 3 to 4 days. The fry becoming free swimming a few more days after that and should be fed nauplii. The fry are something of a challenge to raise as they are susceptible to fungal infections. Regular water changes and the use of an antifungal water treatment can help.

 

Thanks Veegal

Will definatly use this info.

 

Glad I could help

 

Hey Stripes. my eels love chopped prawns and feed from my hands.just remember u will hardly ever see them swimming around and they like feeding at night,they don't compete well for food so they have to be pampered.

 

Sow some today in east rand, Was told to avoid unless i have a huge tank!

 

They do grow rather large so that was sound advice you received there. Nice to see that there are still some LFS's that give sound advice and are not just interested in the sale.

 

Yip, was wanting a friendly interactive fish?

 

Have you ever considered Angels? Mine are very tame and great me all the time.....but I could be biased 'cause I simply LOVE angels.

 

My angels tend to fight all the time I have three so there a crowd I think?

 

How big is your tank again???? What size are your angels at the moment and how long have you had them? If you got them recently, they could just be sorting out their 'pecking order'.

 

They have a pecking order?

I have a 60 Leter tank there in a community tank have them about 2 -3 years

 

Yip, they establish a pecking order. Have any of them paired off?

 

Yip they have and then the 2 turn on the one?

 

Yip, sounds about right. They wanna make babies

 

ok? so how do I do that?

 

Move the two that have paired off into a separate tank. Provide them with either a piece of slate or broad leaved plants. Give them a water change with the new water being a little cooler than the water they are in, feed them bloodworms and wait.....they'll start cleaning an area frantically and a few days later probably lay eggs.

 

How big does the tank need to be?

 

I use a 60cm tank for my breeding pairs - I know of some people who use smaller tanks and others who use larger. Difficult to say what the 'correct' size tank is. 60cm work fine for me, just remember that if they do have babies, depending on the number of babies, you'll have to move the babies out into a 'grow out' tank. They grow pretty quickly though.

 

Cool! how long does the process usually take when you move them?Into there own breading tank?