Tire track eel
Mastacembelus armatus
- Tank length
- 183 cmabout 6 ft (72 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 22–27 °C72–81 °F
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 50 cm20 in
- Lifespan
- 10–18 yrs
Grows far larger than shop size and eats any fish it can swallow; needs deep sand, a heavy lid and a long tank.Grows far larger than shop size and eats any fish it can swallow; needs deep sand, a heavy lid and a long tank.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African butterfly cichlid
Tire track eel may eat African butterfly cichlidTire track eel may eat African butterfly cichlid
- African clawed frog
Tire track eel may eat African clawed frogTire track eel may eat African clawed frog
- Agassiz's cory
Tire track eel may eat Agassiz's coryTire track eel may eat Agassiz's cory
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
Tire track eel may eat Ajamaru rainbowfishTire track eel may eat Ajamaru rainbowfish
Amano shrimpTire track eel may eat Amano shrimpTire track eel may eat Amano shrimp
- American flagfish
Tire track eel may eat American flagfishTire track eel may eat American flagfish
- Angfa rainbowfish
Tire track eel may eat Angfa rainbowfishTire track eel may eat Angfa rainbowfish
- Arfak rainbowfish
Tire track eel may eat Arfak rainbowfishTire track eel may eat Arfak rainbowfish
Assassin snailTire track eel may eat Assassin snailTire track eel may eat Assassin snail
- Banded gourami
Tire track eel may eat Banded gouramiTire track eel may eat Banded gourami
- Bandit cory
Tire track eel may eat Bandit coryTire track eel may eat Bandit cory
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 22–27 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.5–7.5 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 5–19 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | South and Southeast Asia | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | sedentary | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | predatory | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 10–18 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 30 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 182.8 | curated-v0 (needs expert review); minimum plausibility floor 2 × adultLength.max from AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |