Freshwater
Fire eel
Mastacembelus erythrotaenia
Mastacembelidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 100 cm
- Body shape
- Eel-like
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 21,000 liters
- Diet
- Missing
Know what is missing? Suggest it in the app.
Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Videos
Mastacembelus erythrotaenia - Fire eel
Oliver KnottAug 19, 2021
Fire eel (Mastacembelus erythrotaenia)
Oliver KnottMar 20, 2021
More about the species
Description
A large lowland floodplain species occurring in slow moving rivers and inundated plains. Feeds on benthic insect larvae, worms and some plant material. Caught by dry pumping bodies of standing water. Marketed fresh and often seen in the aquarium trade. Has apparently become rare in recent years.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Macrognathus erythrotaenia
- Mastacembelus argus
In other languages
- Ildål
- Ildsnabelål, Ildål
- Tulipuikkokala
- Fire spiny eel, Flaming eel, Spiny Eel, Spotted fire eel
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up an Asian aquarium5 min read
Two aquariums from Southeast Asia: calm forest streams and peat swamps with soft, brown water, and fast mountain streams with cool, oxygen-rich water.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.