All fish / Mastacembelidae

White-spotted Spiny Eel

Mastacembelus alboguttatus

Also known as white spotted spiny eel, whitespotted spiny eel, spotted spiny eel, burmese spiny eel, alboguttatus spiny eel, 白斑刺鳅

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A slender, eel-like fish with a pointed, fleshy snout. Its brown body is covered in small pale or white spots. Keepers like it for its odd shape and curious behaviour, and it often burrows in sand with only its head showing.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a small group in a large tank with many hiding places

Diet

Carnivore: bloodworm, blackworm, earthworms, brine shrimp, mysis and small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Myanmar (Irrawaddy and Sittang basins), possibly western Thailand

Breeding

It has rarely been bred in aquariums, and very little is known about how it spawns in captivity. Related spiny eels scatter adhesive eggs among plants, but no reliable home-breeding method has been described for this species.

Good to know

It will eat small fish and shrimps, and it can escape through tiny gaps, so use a tight-fitting lid. Give it soft sand rather than sharp gravel. Wild fish are often thin when you buy them and may need live foods before they will feed properly.