TankBud

Lesser spiny eel

Macrognathus aculeatus

Also known as Eye Spot Spiny Eel

FreshwaterFish

Lesser spiny eel (Macrognathus aculeatus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
15 in
38 cm
Minimum tank
85 gal
320 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Mastacembelidae
Origin
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam

Overview

The lesser spiny eel is a night-active burrower for the bottom of a large, sandy tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The lesser spiny eel is not a true eel at all, despite its name. It is a bony fish with a stretched-out body. A row of short defensive spines runs along its back, just ahead of the soft fin.

Caring for the lesser spiny eel

Keep the lesser spiny eel in a tank of 85 gal (320 L) or larger, since it grows fairly large. Give it a deep bed of fine sand to bury into, because coarse gravel damages its delicate skin. Add driftwood and plants for shelter, and keep the flow gentle and well filtered. It is a determined escape artist, so seal the lid.

Keep the water slightly acidic to neutral, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. The eel hides in the sand by day and comes out after dark to hunt along the bottom. Feed live and frozen foods in the evening, such as earthworms, bloodworms and shrimp.

Keep it singly. The lesser spiny eel is generally peaceful, but it will eat small fish and shrimp it can swallow, so give it larger, calm tank mates. Breeding is rarely recorded in home aquariums.

Good to know

The lesser spiny eel belongs to Mastacembelidae, the spiny eel family, named for the sharp spines in front of the soft dorsal fin. Its long, snake-like body ends in a small, pointed, trunk-like snout. It also goes by the name eye spot spiny eel.

In the wild

The lesser spiny eel comes from the slow rivers, lakes and flooded lowlands of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in Southeast Asia. Soft substrate and submerged cover are common in these waters.

Common questions

What size tank does a lesser spiny eel need?

A lesser spiny eel needs at least 85 gal (320 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a lesser spiny eel need?

A lesser spiny eel is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a lesser spiny eel eat?

A lesser spiny eel eats live and frozen foods such as earthworms, bloodworms and shrimp. Feed it in the evening, when it comes out to hunt.

How big does a lesser spiny eel get?

An adult lesser spiny eel reaches about 15 in (38 cm).

Related species