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Lesser Siren
Siren intermedia
The lesser siren is an elongated, fully aquatic amphibian possessing external gills and front limbs but lacking hind legs. It thrives in a 150L tank with dense vegetation, soft substrate, and sluggish water flow.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Caudata
Family:Sirenidae
Genus:Siren
Species:Siren intermedia
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Water Temperature
18 - 25 °C
pH Value
6.5 - 7.5
Environment
Freshwater
Humidity
100 %
Day temperature
22 °C
Night temperature
18 °C
Ambient temperature
22 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the slow-moving rivers, swamps, ditches, and shallow ponds of the southeastern and central United States. It lives in muddy, heavily vegetated waters, where it can survive dry periods by secreting a mucous cocoon.
Taxonomy and Genetics: An eel-like, neotenic amphibian that grows to 20–40 cm. It maintains bushy red external gills throughout its life, lacks hind legs entirely, and possesses only small, weak front limbs with four toes. The skin is smooth, slimy, and dark gray, black, or olive-brown with fine gold or black speckling.
Behavior and Habits: Nocturnal and secretive, spending the day hidden in mud or dense aquatic vegetation. At night, it swims with eel-like body undulations to hunt. Uniquely, it can emit quiet clicking or yelping sounds when handled or distressed.
Morphology: Sexes are highly similar in appearance; during the breeding season, males may become slightly more territorial, but there are no obvious external differences between males and females.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Require a spacious aquarium (minimum 80–100 liters). The bottom must be covered with fine sand, as coarse gravel can be swallowed and cause fatal impactions. Decorate with PVC pipes, smooth driftwood, and caves, and use a tight-fitting, secure lid to prevent escape.
Lighting and Heating: Keep water temperatures cool to moderate (18–24°C). Temperatures above 26°C are stressful and can be fatal. Provide dim LED lighting, as they prefer dark environments. No UVB is strictly required, but a low-output lamp can be beneficial.
Humidity and Hydration: Fully aquatic. Water quality must be maintained with a mature biological filter, though strong currents should be avoided. Perform regular 30% weekly water changes. Never use chlorinated water, as the chemicals will damage their sensitive skin.
Feeding and Supplementation: Highly voracious carnivores. Feed them earthworms, frozen bloodworms, ghost shrimp, and sinking carnivore pellets. Ensure a balanced diet to prevent obesity, as they will eat continuously if food is offered.
Compatibility: Solitary. They are territorial and frequently bite or nip at conspecifics, leading to damaged gills and skin wounds. Do not house with fish or smaller amphibians, as they will be eaten.
Health and Common Diseases: Overheating and ammonia buildup are major health risks, leading to gill loss, lethargy, and skin lesions. Always wash hands before and after maintenance, and avoid direct handling, which damages their protective mucus layer.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Native to the slow-moving rivers, swamps, ditches, and shallow ponds of the southeastern and central United States. It lives in muddy, heavily vegetated waters, where it can survive dry periods by secreting a mucous cocoon.
Origin
North America
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 68.6 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 68.6 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 68.6 cm for this species, recorded as total length (TL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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