Are you looking for information on caring for your Tire-Track Eels? Or maybe you want to know how to feed them properly? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
This article covers all aspects of caring for them and helping them thrive. It also includes some great tips on tank mates and other topics that will help keep your tire-track eels happy and healthy.
But before anything else, how do you recognize Tire-Track eels (Mastacembelus armatus)? Their bodies are in the classic eel shape, flattened laterally and with a snout-like face. They also closely resemble a snake due to their dark zigzag markings from head to tail.
Read on to find out more about this fascinating fish in detail.
Distributed over a wide area of Asia, the Tire Track Eel is a species of tropical freshwater eel belonging to the Mastacembelidae family.
The species occur in very different habitats between them. They are found in streams and rivers with sand, pebble, or boulder substrate in highland streams to lowland wetlands. They also dwell in areas of flooded forest.
If you’re thinking of keeping one in your home aquarium, it’s essential to keep in mind that this fish is large in size, making it difficult to maintain in small talk. This is also why it’s not very popular among common aquarists.
But the cool thing is, it’s a sought-after specie among the keepers of large fish. Its peaceful behavior toward other fish species in the community aquarium is one characteristic that causes an impact on those who observe it. That’s right, Tyre-Track Eels have been known to be quite tolerant of other tank mates.
Generally speaking, the Tire-Track Eel is a challenging and peaceful fish in aquariums, making it an excellent choice for experienced aquarists looking for something different in their tank. These fish prefer aquariums with low lighting and many hiding places; however, they always swim around the aquarium when well adapted and adequately managed.
Tire track eels are not difficult to care for, but they need some specific attention.
Tyre-track eels are one of the most commonly kept fish in community aquariums. Being adaptable species, they can be housed with other fish species and are capable of living peacefully with them.
In terms of care, they are not difficult to care for, but they need some specific attention. As long as you provide them with a balanced diet, plenty of hiding places, and plenty of swimming space, they will remain healthy and thriving.
However, Tire-Track Eels can be sensitive to sudden changes in their environment. For example, if they are removed from their home and placed into a new tank, the odds are that they could become stressed. If you don’t want that to happen, ensure that the food and tank requirements are stable.
Tire-track Eel is a relatively active fish, spending most of their time lurking in their caves and then hunting and exploring the territory at night.
Because of their large size, they demand a large-volume aquarium.
A 48″ x 24″ aquarium or somewhere around 132 gallons is a good size to start with. However, the best thing you can do for your Tire-Track Eel is to provide it with plenty of open water and tight channels – suitable conditions for hunting and scavenging. This will give you the best chance at having a healthy, happy fish.
They are semi-aggressive eels that coexist without problems with other fish species in a community aquarium. However, keeping the Tire Track Eel with larger fish that cannot be eaten would be best. Likewise, avoid keeping it with other territorial and aggressive fish.
Tire Track Eels should be kept with medium to large semi-aggressive species, such as:
Ideally, Tire Track eels should be kept with similar species that will not harm the eel but also be seen as food to the Tire Track eel.
The Tire Track Eel is rarely used as a single species in any type of assembly; it’s safe to keep the animal in a group.
They are relatively hardy fish but cannot withstand sudden changes in parameters. This species is also sensitive to water pollutants and organic matter accumulation in the aquarium. In addition, this fish can live with outstanding quality in different parameters. The perfect temperature for its maintenance is from 75 to 82 F. The ideal pH range is between 6.0 and 7.0, and the hardness ranges from 5 to 12°H.
Note that this fish does well in slightly brackish water (high hardness). This difference between hardness and pH is related to the region of origin of the specimen and demonstrates the oscillation of parameters during the dry and rainy seasons.
Like any other captive-bred fish, Tire Track Eels need an aquarium heater and a filtering system in their tank to be healthy.
The filtration system must be well-dimensioned, and since these fish are fantastic jumpers, the tank must be covered fitted and appropriately secured.
The aquarium’s decoration will also be crucial in maintaining the species, which needs many hiding places and caves. A densely planted aquarium is your best bet for a suitable home for your Tire Track Eel.
We recommend you use lots of rocks and driftwood in forming caves and hiding places. Sand as a substrate is also welcome, as these creatures like to bury themselves.
These eels are remarkably disease-resistant fish. But, they are prone to fungus and parasites because of the small scales protecting their body. They’re also sensitive to medications, so avoid copper-based drugs as Tyre-Track eels respond poorly to it.
Ultimately, keep the tank and water quality in optimal conditions at all times, so your fish will not present any health-related problems. Remember to always quarantine new fish before placing them in the main tank.
Tire Track eels are omnivorous and nocturnal, feeding on benthic invertebrates, fish, detritus, and plant material. In their natural habitat, the primary diet is based mainly on live fish, benthic insect larvae, worms, and other aquatic invertebrates. They feed on vegetal material as well.
But in aquariums, they have problems accepting commercial rations. Instead, they prefer fresh, live food such as live fish, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and earthworms.
Feeding a Tyre Track eel can be a bit tricky. You don’t want to overfeed them, as this can cause improper digestion and health problems, but you also don’t want to underfeed them, as this could lead to starvation and death. A good rule of thumb is to feed them a few times a week.
Providing a varied and balanced diet is essential for demonstrating its full potential. But, in general, these fish always seem to be hungry.
In an aquarium with all the correct parameters kept stable and with an ideal diet, this fish can live for up to 18 years, the most common being around 10 years.
So just imagine how long you can enjoy the benefits of having this stress-reliever companion!
In nature, these animals are prone to live less, as they are predisposed to diseases, attacks from other animals, and environmental causes.
An adult Tire-track Eel feature an elongated body and a long snout, the dorsal and anal fins are extended and joined to the caudal fin. It has a light-colored, slightly brownish base body and a darker zig zag-shaped marking along the body, crossing the animal’s eye laterally. This tag conferred one of its names, “Zig-Zag Eel.”
The Tire Track Eel can easily reach 35 inches in length when well-cared for and fed. However, the most common in domestic aquariums is to find animals around 20 inches in length.
These fish are surprisingly peaceful and likes to stay out of the way. While this is the case, they can mistake smaller fish for food, thus why it’s best to keep them in a community aquarium with larger fish or of the same size.
As mentioned, Tyre-Track eels can live in harmony with other fish species in the tank as long as they have a similar temperament.
They’re not very active swimmers during the day, but you can find them around open swimming spaces during the night.
There are very few reports of its reproduction in domestic aquariums. One of the reasons for this is the difficulty of keeping more than one fish in the same aquarium and the problem of sexing them correctly. Nevertheless, even though only empirically contacted, probably essential conditioning for tropical fish works with Tyre-track eels.
It is an oviparous species, and no parental care occurs. The courtship process takes several hours, where they chase each other and swim in circles.
The female then lays the eggs between the roots of floating plants. The eggs are adherents which attach to the plants and hatch in 3 to 4 days. The fingerlings become free-swimming in a few more days and accept being fed nauplii well.
However, larviculture is a challenging and complicated process, as fingerlings are susceptible to fungal infections.
There is no apparent sexual dimorphism. Yet, experienced hobbyists say that adult males are wider and more robust when viewed from above.
By now, you’ll have realized that Tire-Track eels can make a fun addition to your home aquarium. In terms of care, they require plenty of space and just the right amount of food, but if you can provide for all these requirements, then you will be able to enjoy this peaceful creature for years to come.
Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod, Aquarium Fishes of the World, TFH Publications, 1998 Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod.
Dr. Rüdiger Riehl and Hans A. Baensch, Aquarium Atlas Vol. 1, Publisher Hans A. Baensch, 1991.
Dr. Warren E Burgess, Dr. Cliff W. Emmens, Neal Pronek, Jerry G. Walls, Ray Hunziker,Dr. Axelrod’s Mini-Atlas of Aquarium Fishes, Mini- Edition, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1987.
Joseph S. Nelson, Fishes of the World, Wiley, 2006.
Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepède, 1800) Zig-zag eel, Fishbase.org.
Neale Monks, Brackish Water Fishes: An Aquarist’s Guide to Identification, Care & Husbandry, TFH Publications, 2006.
Mastacembelus armatus
Last updated: May 23, 2022
Verified by: AZ Animals Staff
© iStock. com/Miropa
They like to burrow into aquarium sand.
This post may contain affiliate links to our partners like Chewy, Amazon, and others. Purchasing through these helps us further the A-Z Animals mission to educate about the world's species.
View all of our Tire Track Eel pictures in the gallery.
© 1226189398/Shutterstock.com
View all of the Tire Track Eel images!
Find your favorite Animals!
The tire track eel gets its name from the dark splotchy pattern on its long back that looks a lot like a tire tread.
This eel lives in rivers and marshes in Southeast Asia. It’s a popular pet for people who own large freshwater aquariums. This carnivorous eel can be as long as 2.4 feet full grown.
The scientific name for these eels is Mastacembelus favus. They are also known as spiny eels. They are in the Actinopterygii class and the Mastacembelidae family. When broken down, the Latin word Mastacembelidae loosely translates to the phrase: Throws itself forward to bite.
There are 93 species in the Mastacembelidae family. Some of them include:
These eels belong to the Mastacembelidae family containing 93 species of eel. These eels are also known as spiny eels.
Other spiny eels include:
The first notable thing about these eels is the pattern of color on their skin. The lines of splotches bring to mind tire tread marks. Their skin is a combination of tan with dark brown markings.
These eels have pointed snouts so they can easily poke its head into narrow spaces. Their size ranges from 0.5 to 2.4 feet and they weigh from three to five pounds.
Tire track eels have spines that can deter larger fish from trying to attack. Also, this eel is able to slip into narrow spaces between rocks to escape predators. The dark color of these eels serves as camouflage in their habitat.
Tire Track Eels have pointed snouts that let them poke into tight crevasses.©Arunee Rodloy/Shutterstock.com
Tire track eels live in Southeast Asia specifically Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. They live in inland freshwater streams, rivers, and marshes. This eel hides under the sand or rocky bottom of its habitat by day and comes out to hunt at night.
The total number of tire track eel is unknown, but its population is stable. It has a conservation listing of Least Concern.
Tire track eel eels are mainly carnivores though some eat vegetation. They use their strong jaws to latch onto their prey.
Sea birds such as bitterns and herons as well as larger eels eat these eels. Large fish like the Kelah may eat eel eggs.
Humans are predators of this eel as well. They’re captured in order to be sold as pets. They’re usually sold by fish stores at a price of around $25. Despite being sold as pets, these eels are categorized as Least Concern.
These eels eat worms, krill, shrimp, and plankton.
In the wild, a male tire track eel chases a female for hours before mating. They may continually circle around each other during the breeding period. After mating, the female releases her eggs into clumps of floating vegetation. These eels can lay from 700 to 1000 eggs. She doesn’t provide any protection or care for the eggs. They hatch in three to four days.
Breeding these eels in captivity is very difficult. For one thing, in the wild, the beginning of flood season serves as the signal for these eels to breed. Secondly, the lack of space in a tank makes it challenging to mimic this eel’s natural habitat. Another issue with breeding is there’s not an easy way for an owner to determine the sex of this eel.
Tire track eel have a lifespan of eight to eighteen years.
These eels are caught in order to be sold to people who own large aquariums. They are captured in traps placed in their habitat. Then, they’re shipped to various fish stores to sell to aquarium enthusiasts.
Many people like to keep this variety of eels in large home aquariums because of their attractive patterns. Also, though these eels like to hide, they can be interesting to watch.
View all 128 animals that start with T
About the Author
AZ Animals is a growing team of animals experts, researchers, farmers, conservationists, writers, editors, and -- of course -- pet owners who have come together to help you better understand the animal kingdom and how we interact.
Where are tire track eels found?
These eels are found in Southeast Asia. Specifically, they live in rivers, streams, and marshes in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia.
Are tire track eels aggressive?
Yes and no. They can be aggressive toward other tire track eels. However, they aren’t known to be aggressive toward tank mates such as larger fish.
What fish are compatible with tire track eels?
Blood parrot cichlids, clown loaches, tinfoil barbs, and silver dollar fish are all compatible tank mates. All of these fish are available for a reasonable price at online fish stores.
As an important note on care, avoid any tank mates that are small enough for this eel to eat!
Habitat loss and being captured for the pet trade
They live in freshwater, but their proper care requires sea salt sprinkled into the tank. Put two teaspoons of sea salt in for every three gallons of tank water. This gives the aquarium a brackish quality. Containers of sea salt can be purchased for a low price.
How often do tire track eels eat?
They usually eat once per day, however some eat once every few days.
How big does a tire track eel get?
It can grow to a size of 2.4 feet.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
SourcesMany car enthusiasts ask this question, but not everyone decides to deviate from the manufacturer's recommendations.
Replacing regular car wheels is one of the simplest types of tuning. Why is this needed? There are many options. The most common reason is not liking the look. Let's say you want the wheels to look spectacular. To do this, the disk must be larger in diameter. Well, or you bought a used car, and the design of the rims categorically does not suit you. Perhaps you liked some specific wheels, but their dimension is not included in the list recommended by the car manufacturer. You can also change the wheels for reasons of practicality. But how can the installation of such wheels turn out in the future? Let's figure it out.
First, let's remember the key parameters of the wheel.
Main dimensions of the tire: D - outer diameter of the tire; H is the height of the tire profile; B - tire profile width; d - landing diameter of the wheel rim (tire).
traffic police prescribed requirements for converted cars
Next, we'll tell the story on the example of tires for a very common size on B-class cars, 185/65 R15. These are the popular Rio, Solaris, Logan, Largus, etc. By the way, let me remind you what all these designations mean.
So, there are several ways to move away from the size of the standard wheel .
While maintaining the standard size of the rim, we increase the width of the tire profile while maintaining the percentage of height to width. In our example, we get 195/65R15. It is important to know here that all cars are designed for the installation of snow chains with a size of at least 12 mm. Indeed, in some European countries, driving on mountain roads without chains is prohibited, and not a single self-respecting manufacturer will make a car so that it cannot be operated in the mountains of France or Switzerland. Therefore, an increase in the width of the tire profile is permissible in most cases by up to 24 mm. At the same time, the car will become a little softer on the move, and wider tires will improve braking performance.
Wheel care: checking wheel and tire products
Keep the rim the same and increase the percentage of tire profile height to width to 70. In our example, we get 185/70 R15. The outer diameter of the wheel increases by 20 mm, which is quite acceptable (remember the reserve for installing chains). Everything would be fine, but in our particular example, the factor intervenes that tires of this size are produced mainly for commercial vehicles and they are too rigid and expensive to install on a passenger car. However, in other dimensions, the situation may be different.
The story of a friend's car is quite indicative. He bought a Kia Rio with a 1. 6 engine and a 6-speed automatic. The regular wheels of the car had a size of 185/65 R15. The owner drove through the summer season and was not happy with the stiff suspension of the car and insufficient ground clearance. Then he decided to change the behavior of the car, not by tuning the springs with shock absorbers, but by working with the wheels. In preparation for the next summer season, he used forged wheels with a diameter of 14 inches, completely matching the mounting dimensions.
The previous generation Kia Rio was equipped with 15-inch wheels in the base, but to make the car softer, the owner installed 14-inch tires with 195/70 R14 tires.
Driving Tire Test - measuring braking distances in hot and cold weather
However, disc diameter reduction is very rare. Much more often it happens that the owner chooses wheels one or even two sizes larger. And "wraps" them in low-profile tires. At the same time, the overall dimensions of the wheel remain almost unchanged or grow within acceptable limits.
Typical example of a low profile tyre.
Tire pressure: your norm
It's a different story when a car owner decides to install wider disks. Some people like it when the wheel protrudes a little beyond the arch. Please note that changing the dimensions of the wheel and tire can significantly increase the weight of the wheel assembly. Such weighting will negatively affect the life of the suspension elements and even the body, since large unsprung masses can cause resonant vibrations that the suspension is not designed for structurally. It is also important to remember such a parameter as wheel offset.
Wheel offset is the distance between the plane of symmetry of the rim and the surface adjacent to the vehicle hub. From left to right in the diagram are shown: negative offset, zero and positive.
Those who like to change the offset of the rims, as a rule, tend to place the wheels wider. The aesthetic component of such changes is controversial, but the resource of the suspension elements will certainly decrease.
| Of course, it is possible to stretch narrow and inexpensive tires on disks that look more like solid sections of pipes with flanges, but the deformation of the tire carcass will soon render it unusable. You don't ride many of these. It is certainly possible to pull narrow and inexpensive tires onto rims that look more like solid sections of pipes with flanges, but the deformation of the tire carcass will soon render it unusable. You don't ride many of these. | Even large crossovers, which in comparison with sedans seem to be a kind of bumpkins, when you install low-profile tires begin to manage at least “good”. Even large crossovers, which in comparison with sedans seem to be a sort of bumpkins, with the installation of low-profile tires begin to manage at least “good”. | On the utilitarian Sobol, a tuning enthusiast installed discs that significantly increased the track. Guaranteed curious views of others, as well as a reduced resource of wheel bearings and shock absorbers. On the utilitarian Sobol, a tuning enthusiast installed discs that significantly increased the track. Guaranteed curious views of others, as well as a reduced resource of wheel bearings and shock absorbers. |
| PLASS | Lessine |
| Clerence increase . On our roads, every millimeter of ground clearance counts. If the bottom of the car is 5-10 mm further from the potholes, then there is less chance of damaging it on a bad road. | The wheel may touch body parts. If the width and diameter of the wheel grow no more than 24 mm from the maximum wheel size recommended by the manufacturer, then this problem is not terrible for you. You can't put chains on after that. |
| Economy improvement. Economy improves slightly on country roads, especially on vehicles with gearboxes that have few gears (4 or 5). | Vehicle roll increase. Yes, the roll will increase slightly, due to the fact that the center of mass is now slightly higher. In practice, this means a slightly lower limiting rearrangement speed. |
| Change the speedometer and odometer. Regular instruments always overestimate the readings. You can check with GPS. And with new, slightly larger wheels, the readings will come in line with reality. Plus or minus you decide. Still, such a discrepancy is made primarily for security reasons. | Derating. The new wheels are a little harder for the engine to turn, and they themselves are a little heavier. |
| Reducing the offset of the discs (when the wheels protrude further out of the wheel arches) provides a wider track, which improves the lateral stability of the machine. | The wide disc is easily damaged by when touching a curbstone. In addition, if the width of the disk is much larger than the nominal one, the tire carcass does not work correctly. This results in increased wear of the tire . |
| In most cases, looks more aesthetic and catchy. | Protruding wheels overload the wheel bearings and make the difficult to drive. It is worth getting the front wheel on the roughness of the road, as the steering wheel literally pulls out of your hands. |
It is convenient to use a tire calculator for calculations.
Custom wheels are prohibited by law. Therefore, any experiments with the dimensions of tires or wheels are illegal. An exception is if the new dimension is allowed to be installed by the manufacturer. However, in reality, not everything is so scary: if the rims on your small car are not welded to a width of 12 inches, if the diameter is not 19and more than inches, then such wheels will not arouse the interest of traffic police officers. But with obtaining a diagnostic card, problems will already arise.
Boiled discs may be of interest to traffic police officers, because the use of such discs is a direct intervention in the design of the car, which is prohibited. In this case, you can try to convince the traffic cop that you "get to the place of repair in compliance with the necessary security measures."
In conclusion, I would like you to share what changes in tire and rim sizes you have applied to your cars, and what you think it has resulted in.
Photo https://www.techradar.com
We are all used to seeing large-diameter wheels with low-profile tires on expensive and powerful cars . As a rule, they look spectacular and give the appearance of the car an aggressive and dynamic look. Cheap small cars, on the contrary, are equipped with miniature wheels, which often make them look like toys. What affects the size of the wheels and the profile of the rubber, the portal "AvtoVzglyad" found out.
Ivan Flyagin
Driving characteristics of the car directly depend on the diameter of the disk and tire profile. Those tires where the profile height (it is indicated by the second digit) is less than 55% are considered low-profile: 205/55 R16, 225/45 R17, 225/40 R18 and so on.
The lower the tire profile, the larger the disc diameter, and the worse the rubber dampens the flaws of the road surface and better transmits the relief of the canvas to the passenger compartment. Passengers traveling in such a car on uneven, broken roads are doomed to jolts and shaking.
Moreover, not only people in the passenger compartment will suffer from this, but also the suspension of the car, the elements of which will take the blow. Along with the wear of the chassis, the operating period of such rubber is reduced. Due to the increased contact patch of the tire on the road, it tends to be more prone to noise and can also increase the effect of hydroplaning on wet roads. Such tires are capricious even to the slightest deviation of the internal pressure from the norm. After all, they are more expensive than conventional tyres, as is the cost of installing them when replacing them.
Large wheels with wide low-profile tires improve handling and directional stability of the car, as well as increase its dynamic and speed characteristics. They have better braking properties, and they usually dampen body roll in corners. In the "offset" you can also record the mentioned fact that the car with such "skating rinks" looks more impressive.
As a rule, small diameter wheels are equipped with high profile tires with a profile height of more than 60%. Such tires provide a better ride and increase passenger comfort when driving on a bumpy road, damping surface flaws. As a result: the suspension experiences less stress. In addition, cars with such tires, as a rule, have increased cross-country ability, acoustic comfort and a long service life.
At the same time, compared to low-profile tires, they have poor grip, they can cause roll in corners and a long braking distance. In addition, high-profile tires do not have the best effect on the steering of a car, although such changes are not critical..
view due to the installation of large wheels. But it should be borne in mind that any manufacturer configures the chassis of each specific model for a certain size of disks and tires. Therefore, changing the outer diameter of the wheel will inevitably affect the driving characteristics of the car, and not in the best way.
In addition: the higher the wheel, the lower the odometer and speedometer readings will be relative to the true values. It is even more dangerous when home-grown craftsmen change the offset of the rim, expanding the track, relative to the factory value. This inevitably leads to negative consequences, both for handling and for the life of the suspension, and especially wheel bearings. So in any case, the size of the wheels on specific machines must be within the allowable values established by the manufacturer.
All Family Traveling Family Travels
26725
ADDARISED OF FAMILY 9000 26725 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 :
