Aquatic Caecilian (Typhlonectes natans) "Rubber Eel" Care Guide

Care guide for the aquatic caecilian Typhlonectes natans, often mis-sold as a 'rubber eel': it is a legless live-bearing amphibian needing soft substrate and hides.

Overview

This caecilian is a smooth, dark grey to black, worm- or snake-shaped amphibian with ring-like folds (annuli) along its body. It has tiny eyes capable of little more than light-dark perception and relies instead on a pair of chemosensory tentacles between the eyes and nostrils, so it hunts by smell rather than sight.

Natural Range & Size

It is native to Colombia and Venezuela, and possibly Trinidad and Tobago, inhabiting rivers, savannas and shrublands; a population was even recorded in Florida in 2019. Adults grow to about 45 to 55 cm (18 to 22 in) in length, so it needs a long tank with plenty of horizontal space.

Aquatic Setup

• Keep it in a fully aquatic tank, as this caecilian lives in water and breathes largely through its skin.
• Use a soft, fine substrate so it can rest and move without abrading its smooth skin.
• Provide caves, pipes and dense planting as hiding places for this secretive, nocturnal animal.
• Fit a secure lid: although mostly aquatic, it occasionally rises to the surface to gulp air.

Water Temperature & Quality

Because most of its respiration happens through the skin, clean, well-oxygenated water and stable conditions are essential, with regular water changes to keep waste low. Provide gentle filtration and ample cover so this shy animal feels secure enough to feed at night.

Diet

As a nocturnal predator with poor eyesight, it locates food by smell using its tentacles and feeds after dark. Offer meaty foods such as worms in the evening, placing them near its hides so it can find them without competing against faster, more visual tankmates.

Health & Handling

Typhlonectes natans is live-bearing (ovoviviparous), with a gestation of about 220 days producing three to seven fully formed young that reach nearly half adult size within a year. Handle it as little as possible to protect its sensitive skin, through which it breathes, and never confuse its care needs with those of a fish.

Common Mistakes

• Treating it as a fish or true eel rather than an amphibian.
• Using coarse, sharp gravel that can injure its smooth skin.
• Keeping it with fast, aggressive fish that outcompete it for food.
• Leaving no hiding places for this shy, nocturnal animal.