All fish / Mastacembelidae

Tapir Spiny Eel

Macrognathus tapirus

Also known as tapir spiny eel, malayan spiny eel, spotfinned spiny eel, peacock spiny eel, spiny eel, ปลากระทิง, tilan, 貘刺鳅

A slender brown eel-like fish with a long, mobile snout and a row of dark eyespots along the base of the dorsal fin. It is kept for its odd shape, its curious nature and its habit of burrowing in soft sand with only the head showing.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

25 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a small group with plenty of hiding places

Diet

Carnivore: bloodworm, blackworm, earthworms, shrimp and other meaty frozen or live foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southeast Asia: Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo

Breeding

It has rarely if ever been bred in home aquariums, and almost all fish in the trade are wild caught. Little is known about its spawning beyond the eggs being scattered among plants in the wild.

Good to know

Use soft sand and a tight lid, as it digs and escapes through small gaps; it will eat small fish and shrimp. Often confused with the similar Macrognathus siamensis, which is sold under the same peacock spiny eel name.