Line-spot spiny eel
Macrognathus lineatomaculatus
Also known as Lineatomaculatus spiny eel, Orange fantasy eel
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–82°F
- 23–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 8.7 in
- 22 cm
- Minimum tank
- 53 gal
- 200 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Mastacembelidae
- Origin
- Ganges basin, India
Overview
The line-spot spiny eel is a small, community-scale spiny eel for the bottom of a planted tank. It is best with a little experience.
Did you know
The line-spot spiny eel's scientific name, lineatomaculatus, is its pattern written out in Latin. Lineatus means lined and maculatus means spotted, after the dark blotches strung along its flanks and fins. The label describes what a keeper sees at a glance.
Caring for the line-spot spiny eel
Keep the line-spot spiny eel in a tank of 53 gal (200 L) or larger, with a soft sand bottom and a tight cover. It buries in the sand by day, so give it fine substrate and quiet hides. Generous planting, some wood and gentle flow suit it.
Give it soft, near-neutral water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, and keep conditions clean and stable. It forages the bottom at night. Feed meaty foods near the substrate after dark, such as frozen bloodworm, live blackworm, daphnia and small pieces of earthworm.
Keep it on its own, since it does not tolerate its own kind in a shared tank. It leaves alone anything too big to eat but will take very small fish. Give it steady, mid-sized companions instead of tiny ones. No aquarium spawning has been recorded.
Good to know
The line-spot spiny eel belongs to the spiny eel family, Mastacembelidae. Ralf Britz described it in 2010, as part of a review of the spiny eels of northeastern India. It also goes by the name orange fantasy eel.
In the wild
The line-spot spiny eel comes from slow, weedy waters of the Ganges drainage in northern India. It lives among plants and soft sediment.
Common questions
What size tank does a line-spot spiny eel need?
A line-spot spiny eel needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a line-spot spiny eel need?
A line-spot spiny eel is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a line-spot spiny eel eat?
A line-spot spiny eel eats meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, live blackworm, daphnia and small pieces of earthworm. Feed it near the substrate after dark.
How big does a line-spot spiny eel get?
An adult line-spot spiny eel reaches about 8.7 in (22 cm).
Related species
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Macrognathus orthosemos
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Macrognathus semiocellatus
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Macrognathus meklongensis
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