All fish / Mastacembelidae

Malawi spiny eel

Mastacembelus shiranus

Also known as malawi spinyeel, malawi spiny eel, shire spiny eel, lake malawi spiny eel, african spiny eel, 马拉维刺鳅

A slender, eel-like fish with a pointed, fleshy snout and a brownish body marked with a mottled or reticulated pattern of darker and paler shades. It lives among rocks and sand in Lake Malawi, which makes it an unusual bottom-dwelling companion for larger Malawi cichlid setups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

25 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

240 litres

Keep as

Singly, or several in a large tank with plenty of caves

Diet

Carnivore: bloodworm, earthworms, mysis, krill and other meaty frozen or live foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper Shire River (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

It lays eggs, but spawning in home aquariums is very rarely reported and there is little reliable information on how to achieve it.

Good to know

It will eat small fish and fry, likes to burrow, and is an escape artist, so use a fine sand substrate and a tightly fitting lid. Avoid sharp gravel, which can damage its skin.