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Aquatic Caecilian

Typhlonectes natans · also called Rubber eel, Black caecilian

Intermediate Family Typhlonectidae

Not an eel and not a snake — a limbless amphibian for the planted aquarium.

⚠️ Before anything else: Often mislabelled "rubber eel" in fish stores — an amphibian, not a fish.

✅ We have a full, fact-checked care sheet for the Aquatic Caecilian.

Open the Aquatic Caecilian care sheet →

📋 At a glance

Tank
Aquatic 20 gal+ (1–2), planted, tight lid
Temp
Warm 79–86°F (26–30°C)
Water
Dechlorinated, gentle filter, soft sand
Food
Bloodworms, chopped earthworms, sinking foods
Lifespan
5–10+ years

✅ Peaceful, hardy and genuinely bizarre — a rewarding oddity for a gentle planted tank.

🛒 Before you buy

  • A warm, filtered, planted aquarium with a TIGHT lid (they escape)
  • Soft sand + plenty of hides
  • Gentle flow + target feeding (they hunt by smell, not sight)
  • The knowledge it is an amphibian that breathes air — not a fish

A healthy one: Dark, glossy, worm-like body · well-fleshed · smooth skin · actively nosing the substrate.

🚨 See a vet / act now if…

  • Not eating / weight loss
  • Skin lesions, fungus or cloudiness
  • Floating or bloating
  • Gasping

⛔ Never

  • Treating it like a fish (it needs surface access to breathe air)
  • Gravel
  • An open-topped tank
  • An unguarded heater (they wrap around it and get burned)

Common aquatic caecilian questions

How hard are Aquatic Caecilians to keep — are they good for beginners?

Intermediate. Not an eel and not a snake — a limbless amphibian, often mislabelled 'rubber eel'.

What do Aquatic Caecilians eat?

Bloodworms, chopped earthworms, sinking foods

What size tank do Aquatic Caecilians need?

Aquatic 20 gal+ (1–2), planted, tight lid

What temperature do Aquatic Caecilians need?

Warm 79–86°F (26–30°C)

What water setup do Aquatic Caecilians need?

Dechlorinated, gentle filter, soft sand

How long do Aquatic Caecilians live?

5–10+ years

What are the signs Aquatic Caecilians are sick?

See an exotics vet if you notice: Not eating / weight loss; Skin lesions, fungus or cloudiness; Floating or bloating; Gasping.

🧠 Myths, kindly busted

Common myths about the aquatic caecilian and its relatives, gently corrected — each one checked against a named source, never a pet-shop rumour.

“The 'rubber eel' I bought at the fish store is a kind of eel.”False

Not an eel, or any fish. The fish-store 'rubber eel' is usually Typhlonectes natans, an aquatic caecilian: a limbless amphibian related to frogs and salamanders but in an order of its own. It looks like a worm or snake, yet it isn't either. It's the caecilian most commonly sold as a pet. — Smithsonian's National Zoo · AmphibiaWeb · Florida Museum of Natural History

“Caecilians are blind — my rubber eel can't see a thing.”Mostly false

Not quite. Rubber eels have small but working eyes under almost-transparent skin, tuned for dim light, and can tell light from dark. Their sight is very poor, though, and they find food mainly by smell, using sensory tentacles beside the nostrils. — AmphibiaWeb · European Association of Zoos and Aquaria · Aquarium of the Pacific

“Rubber eels live underwater, so they breathe underwater like fish.”Mostly false

Not like a fish. Newborns lose any gills within hours. Adults breathe two ways: through the skin, especially at rest, and with large lungs refilled at the surface, snout tip out, about six times an hour. They can drown, so give them easy access to the surface. — AmphibiaWeb · Journal of Experimental Biology (2000) · Reptiles & Amphibians (2025)

🐸 Did you know? — Aquatic Caecilian fun facts

Little true delights about the aquatic caecilian — each one checked against a named source, no old-wives' trivia.

More amphibian fun facts →

Free tools for the aquatic caecilian

Calm, honest help — each one knows when to say "see a vet."

Symptom checker Triage a worrying sign and know when to see a vet. Aquatic setup planner Tank, water, filtration & drowning-prevention. Water interpreter Make sense of your water-test numbers. What does a aquatic caecilian cost? The honest cost — setup vs ongoing, and where to save. No price tags. Common questions Real questions keepers ask — answered straight.

📚 More all amphibians guides

Get the free Aquatic Caecilian Starter Kit

A one-page setup-criteria checklist and a first-30-days plan for your first aquatic caecilian — what to get, what makes each thing matter, and the honest bits the pet shop skips. Join the burrow and we’ll send it over. Free sheets and tools always stay open, no gatekeeping.

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