Rubber Eel Typhlanectes Natans

[Lin]

I went into the fish place a couple of weeks ago and saw these eels and decided I would put one in my tank. I have all livebearers in my tank except for two hoplosternums about 4" long and one small plec. Anyway there is very little info on the web re these guys and so far I am hoping he is eating what is left in the gravel at the bottom.

I hardly see him except for when I clean out the tank, when he swims away. I put live blood worm in every week and frozen once a day but all the fish eat it very quickly.

Does anyone else have one of these and have they any idea what the best thing to do to feed him is? Lin

 

[moray]

I went into the fish place a couple of weeks ago and saw these eels and decided I would put one in my tank. I have all livebearers in my tank except for two hoplosternums about 4" long and one small plec. Anyway there is very little info on the web re these guys and so far I am hoping he is eating what is left in the gravel at the bottom.

I hardly see him except for when I clean out the tank, when he swims away. I put live blood worm in every week and frozen once a day but all the fish eat it very quickly.

Does anyone else have one of these and have they any idea what the best thing to do to feed him is? Lin

Sicilian worms are interesting amphibians - this is probably best posted in inverts and amphibian forum below. They are blind nocternal feeders, best fed in the dark (or just before you turn the lights off. They will eat most live things including small fish (so depending on what sort of livebearers you have, is whether they will be safe or not). I've heard they particularly like earthworms, though they will eat most meaty fish foods. they can get to about 2 foot and are known escape artists so they need a largish very secure tank (it is also though that they like the company of their own kind). Hope this helps

 

[SirMinion]

As Moray said, Typhlanectes Natans is not a fish or eel, it is an amphibian, closely related to frogs and toads and very closely related to salamanders.

For this reason this thread has been moved to a more appropriate section.