All fish / Mastacembelidae

Ellipse Spiny Eel

Mastacembelus ellipsifer

Also known as ellipsifer spiny eel, tanganyika spiny eel, ellipse spiny eel, spotted tanganyika spiny eel

A long, slender spiny eel from Lake Tanganyika with a pointed snout and a brownish body marked with pale, ring-like oval spots. Keepers like it as an unusual, characterful bottom dweller for large Tanganyikan cichlid setups, where it burrows in sand and hunts at dusk.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

35 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly, or a pair in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, bloodworms, shrimp, mysis, small fish pieces

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

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

Breeding

There are very few reliable reports of captive spawning, and it is not bred commercially. Wild-caught fish make up nearly all of the trade.

Good to know

It grows large and will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so do not house it with small tankmates. Use a tight-fitting lid because spiny eels escape easily, and give it a soft sand substrate to protect its skin.