All fish / Mastacembelidae

White-spotted Spiny Eel

Mastacembelus albomaculatus

Also known as white spotted spiny eel, tanganyika spiny eel, albomaculatus spiny eel, white-spot spiny eel, 白斑刺鳅

This is a slender, eel-like fish from Lake Tanganyika with a pointed snout, a long low dorsal fin and a brown body covered in small pale spots. Keepers like it because it suits hard, alkaline Tanganyikan cichlid setups and has an interesting burrowing, nocturnal lifestyle.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

25 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a well-spaced group in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: bloodworm, mysis, krill, earthworms and small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zambia)

Breeding

It has rarely, if ever, been bred in home aquariums, and almost nothing is recorded about its spawning in captivity. Most fish in the trade are caught in the wild.

Good to know

It will eat small fish and fry, and it needs a tightly fitting lid because spiny eels escape easily. Give it a soft sand substrate and rocky hiding places, and use medications with care because it can be sensitive to them.