All fish / Mastacembelidae

Tanganyika Flat Spiny Eel

Mastacembelus platysoma

Also known as flat spiny eel, tanganyika spiny eel, platysoma spiny eel, lake tanganyika spiny eel, 坦干依克刺鳅

This Lake Tanganyika spiny eel has a long, flattened body, a pointed fleshy snout and a brown body with a pale, mottled net-like pattern. It is kept by rift lake enthusiasts for its unusual shape and its curious, secretive habits among rocks and sand.

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

300 litres

Keep as

Best kept singly or as a pair in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: bloodworm, earthworms, shrimp, mysis and small fish

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

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

Breeding

Spawning in aquariums is rarely reported, and little is known about its reproduction in captivity. Most specimens in the trade are wild caught.

Good to know

It will eat small tankmates such as shell-dwelling cichlids and fry, and it needs fine sand to burrow in plus a tight lid because spiny eels escape easily. Care figures are general guidance since little has been published on this species in aquaria.