Asian Fire Eel

COMMON NAMES: Fire, Spotted Fire or Asian Fire. Eel

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Mastacembelus erythrotaenia

SYNONYM: Mastacembelus argus. DESIGNATION: Tropical

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Thailand to Borneo.

SIZE: About 65 cm (26 in), usually smaller, although specimens measuring 1 m (39 in)have been reported from the wild.

WATER PREFERENCES: Not critical. Temperature: 22-28°C (71.5-82°F).

DIET: Live foods, particularly bottom-dwelling species, are preferred.

BREEDING: No reports are available for this species. Hormone-induced spawnings in anallied species, M. circumcinctus, resulted in `embraces' with eggs scattered among vegetation.

DESCRIPTION: Recent findings on Fire Eels and their relatives have resulted invarious changes in nomenclature. The latest information concerning species (other than the Fire Eel) found in aquaria is summarized in the table on the right.

Asian Fire Eel Information

• The Asian fire eel though very attractive in appearance but they are quite large in size. So, you are recommended to keep it in a large sized aquarium as other wise the fish would soon be devoid of its brilliant pigmentation.
• The scientific name of the fish is Mastacembelus erythrotaenia. The fish in wild originates in the flood streams. The fish is found in the countries like India, Srilanka, Borneo, Thailand and Burma.
• The shape of the eel is narrow but elongated. It has a long pointed snout. In wild the fish can grow up to 100 centimeters or 40 inches.
• Generally, it has been noticed that a fire eel does not grow very long and it most cases it grow not more than 50 cm. where as in wild it can grow double the size in captivity.
• If the aquarium takes proper care of the fish and the aquarium in which it would stay the fish can grow as large as it grows in wild. You should provide the fish with ample space to allow it to swim freely.
• Keep the fish in a tank where it would find ample live food like the feeder fish, brine shrimp, Cyclopes, mosquito larvae, blood worms and such.
• The fish is very shy in nature and usually prefers to come out at night. But if you treat your pet properly it can bond with you well and even it will not mind to take food from your hand.
• As mentioned already the size of the aquarium must be appropriate for the fish for its survival. If the fish is of 15 cm in length arrange for an aquarium which is about 91 cm long aquarium having a capacity of holding water up to 132 liters or 31 gallons.
• The body of the fish has dark brown pigmentation. The belly part of the fish is of light brown or gray in color. The entire body is either striped with or spotted with red pigmentation.