All fish / Mastacembelidae

Cunnington's Spiny Eel

Mastacembelus cunningtoni

Also known as cunningtoni spiny eel, tanganyika spiny eel, lake tanganyika spiny eel, cunnington spiny eel, 坦干依卡刺鳅

A long, slender eel-like fish from Lake Tanganyika with a pointed snout and a brown body covered in a pale yellowish network of mottling. It is kept by Tanganyika cichlid enthusiasts and spiny eel fans for its curious behaviour, as it burrows, hides among rocks and comes out to feed, often learning to take food from the hand.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

40 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair in a large tank; other spiny eels may fight

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, bloodworms, prawns, mussel, small fish and sinking carnivore foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

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

Breeding

It is an egg scatterer that spawns among rocks or vegetation, but captive breeding is very rarely reported and is not practical for most keepers.

Good to know

Grows to around 40 cm or more and will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so avoid small Tanganyikan cichlids and shell dwellers. It needs hard, alkaline water, a soft sand bed for burrowing and a tight lid, as spiny eels escape easily.