Common Name: Fire Eel
Scientific Name: Mastacembelus erythrotaenia
Other Names: Fire Spiny Eel, Red Fire Eel
The Fire Eel is one of the most visually striking spiny eels, known for its elongated, snake-like body adorned with vibrant red or orange markings that run along its dark brown to black body. As one of the largest species in the Mastacembelidaefamily, it is both an impressive and interactive species. Fire Eels are highly intelligent, often recognizing their owners and even learning to take food directly from hand. Despite their predatory instincts, they are relatively peaceful toward similarly sized tank mates, making them a popular choice in larger freshwater aquariums.
Habitat and Distribution:
Native to Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmar, Fire Eels are found in slow-moving rivers, floodplains, and muddy-bottomed streams. They prefer environments with soft substrates, leaf litter, and submerged roots where they can burrow for shelter. During dry seasons, they are known to burrow into mud to survive low water conditions.
Size and Lifespan:
Fire Eels can grow up to 20-24 inches (50-60 cm) in captivity, though wild specimens may exceed 30 inches (75 cm). With proper care, they can live for 15-20 years, making them a long-term commitment for aquarists.
Diet and Behavior:
This species is carnivorous, feeding on small fish, crustaceans, and insect larvae in the wild. In captivity, they require a protein-rich diet, including frozen or live foods such as earthworms, bloodworms, blackworms, brine shrimp, and chopped raw tilapia. While they may eventually accept high-quality sinking carnivore pellets, they prefer fresh or frozen foods. Fire Eels are nocturnal and prefer to stay hidden during the day, becoming more active at night. Once comfortable, they may emerge more frequently during feeding times.
Breeding and Reproduction:
Breeding Fire Eels in captivity is extremely rare and largely undocumented. In the wild, they migrate to flooded areas during the rainy season for spawning. Due to their size and secretive nature, breeding in home aquariums is considered highly unlikely.
Aquarium Care and Tank Requirements:
A minimum of 125 gallons is required for juveniles, but adults need at least 180+ gallons due to their large size and active nature. Their ideal tank setup includes a soft sand substrate to allow for burrowing without injury, plenty of caves, driftwood, and PVC pipes for hiding spaces, powerful filtration to handle their bioload while maintaining stable water quality, low to moderate water flow, and dim lighting to match their natural habitat. A secure lid is essential, as Fire Eels are known escape artists.
Ideal Tank Mates:
Fire Eels are generally peaceful but will eat anything small enough to fit in their mouths. Suitable tank mates include large peaceful or semi-aggressive fish such as Datnoids, Oscars, Arowanas, Peacock Bass, Bichirs, large Loaches, and Synodontis catfish. Avoid small fish like tetras, guppies, and shrimp, as they will be seen as food. Extremely aggressive tank mates should also be avoided, as Fire Eels have sensitive skin and can be injured easily.
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate to Advanced. They require a large tank, excellent filtration, a protein-rich diet, and a secure setup to prevent escapes.
Water Parameters:
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Temperature: 75-82°F (24-28°C)
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pH: 6.5-7.8
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General Hardness (GH): 5-15 dGH
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Carbonate Hardness (KH): 4-12 dKH
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Ammonia: 0 ppm
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Nitrite: 0 ppm
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Nitrate: <20 ppm (regular water changes required)
Additional Information:
- Fire Eels have poor eyesight and rely heavily on their sense of smell to locate food.
- They are highly intelligent and can recognize their owners, often becoming interactive and taking food from hand.
- Due to their scaleless bodies, they are sensitive to medications containing copper or strong chemicals.
The Fire Eel is a captivating and rewarding species for dedicated aquarists with the space and experience to meet its needs. With proper care, it can become a long-lived, interactive centerpiece in a large aquarium.
