Greshoff's spiny eel
Mastacembelus greshoffi
Also known as Greshoffi eel
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–82°F (23–28°C)
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 15 in (38 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal (300 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Congo basin
- Family
- Mastacembelidae
Overview
Keep Greshoff's spiny eel singly, as it is solitary and will defend a chosen hide against its own kind. Give it a sand floor to dig in and a choice of caves, pipes, or wood to shelter in by day, since a confident hide is what brings it out to forage at night. It is peaceful with tankmates too large to be eaten but treats small fish as prey, so choose sturdy, even-tempered companions. Feed sinking meaty foods in the evening: chopped earthworm, prawn, cockle, and frozen bloodworm suit it. A tank of around 300 liters with a deep sand bed and a secure cover matches an adult.
In the wild
Greshoff's spiny eel ranges widely through the Congo basin, over rocky river beds and into rapids, as well as calmer lakes. Set it up with a sand substrate, piled stone and driftwood for cover, and moderate, well-oxygenated flow. Keep it warm, roughly 23 to 28 C, at a pH between 6.0 and 7.5 on the soft-to-neutral side, with steady filtration to hold the clean, oxygen-rich conditions this active eel prefers.
Good to know
Mastacembelus greshoffi, a member of the spiny eel family Mastacembelidae, reaches around 38 centimeters and wears a marbled, leopard-like pattern that earns it the trade name leopard spiny eel. It occurs over rocky bottoms and in rapids across the Congo. Like its large African relatives, it has no recorded history of breeding in aquaria.
Did you know
The eel is named for Anton Greshoff, a Dutch trader stationed at Boma near the mouth of the Congo in the late 1800s, who forwarded collections of local fishes to the museum naturalists who described them.
Common questions
What size tank does a Greshoff's spiny eel need?
A Greshoff's spiny eel needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH do Greshoff's spiny eel need?
Greshoff's spiny eel are comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
How big do Greshoff's spiny eel get?
An adult Greshoff's spiny eel reaches about 15 in (38 cm).
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Related species
Liberian spiny eel
Mastacembelus liberiensisFreshwater15 in (38 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Eyespot spiny eel
Mastacembelus notophthalmusFreshwater17.7 in (45 cm)106 gal (400 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Tin Win's spiny eel
Mastacembelus tinwiniFreshwater17.7 in (45 cm)106 gal (400 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
White-spotted spiny eel
Mastacembelus alboguttatusFreshwater19.3 in (49 cm)106 gal (400 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Marbled spiny eel
Mastacembelus favusFreshwater19.7 in (50 cm)119 gal (450 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Blackedge spiny eel
Mastacembelus nigromarginatusFreshwater19.7 in (50 cm)106 gal (400 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)