Typhlonectes Natans

[Kevin_D]

My Typhlonectes natans, these are sometimes sold as "Rubber Eels" or "Caecilian/Sicillian Worms" but these are actually Amphibians. I have two of these, hopefully a male/female pair, one is a lot larger and bulkier than the other one, which I hope is the female, the smaller one could be a young female though. Im keeping these with 9 Cardinal Tetra's, they dont bother the fish at all, from the information Ive found on them online (which is limited) they dont even bother baby fish, and so Tetra's can be bred in the same tank as them, Im looking to add a few other non-aggressive small fish in with them, I havent decided which species yet though. The last picture is of one yawning, just after eating an earthworm.

 

[three-fingers]

I think they will eat the fish .
I know that some people feed them feeder fish like guppies.
When we have them in at the lfs, they are in a separate tank from all the fish too, I presumed that was why...
So watch out. Maybe it depends on the particular caecilian though...
Great pics, especially that last one!

 

[helterskelter]

I've never had these but a firend had something like it sold as Sicillian Worms.

it gave birth to 6 young about a month after having it but i cant remember exactly as this was over 10 years ago.
He's a member here so will send him this link

 

[Kevin_D]

On the video on this site http/homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.cann/Tnatans.html it suggests that small fish are ok in with them, I also got a reply on a Caecilian forum, that someone started off with 3 Hyphessobrycon colombianus in with his Typhlonectes, theres now around 30 Hyphessobrycon colombianus in there, with no signs of them slowing down, apparantly snails and shrimps are likely to get eaten though, so im hopeful the fish in with my ones will be ok, they havent shown any aggression towards them yet, I think they are mainly insectivorous.

 

[three-fingers]

IMO Colombians are probably just safe because they are relatively stocky tetras, and much more active (can be pushy sometimes) than cardinal tetras. Colombians are also a little bigger than cardinal tetras...
But I have limited knowledge of caecilians and have never kept them, so you should try it and watch the number of fish carefully.
If one goes missing, take the remaining cardinals back to the store and replace them with another more active, larger and stocky tetras like red eye tetras (even better than Colombians). don't buy them too small though .

 

[Kevin_D]

IMO Colombians are probably just safe because they are relatively stocky tetras, and much more active (can be pushy sometimes) than cardinal tetras. Colombians are also a little bigger than cardinal tetras...
But I have limited knowledge of caecilians and have never kept them, so you should try it and watch the number of fish carefully.
If one goes missing, take the remaining cardinals back to the store and replace them with another more active, larger and stocky tetras like red eye tetras (even better than Colombians). don't buy them too small though .

They werent/arent even eating his baby Columbian Tetra's though, in the video it also mentions that they arent eating the baby guppies and other small fish that person keeps with his ones. I'd be very suprised if they eat any of my Cardinal Tetra's, even baby ones, if they do eat any adults though I'll take out the remaining ones and replace them with a larger, more active Tetra as you suggested.