TankBud

Marbled spiny eel

Mastacembelus favus

Also known as Honeycomb spiny eel, Tyre-track eel, Favus spiny eel

FreshwaterFish

Marbled spiny eel (Mastacembelus favus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
19.7 in
50 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Mastacembelidae
Origin
Native to large rivers and floodplains of Southeast Asia, including the Mekong and Chao Phraya, over sand and among submerged wood.

Overview

The marbled spiny eel is a big, mostly peaceful eel for the sandy bottom of a large tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The marbled spiny eel is often mislabeled as the tire-track eel, and many buyers only learn the truth later. Its pale markings run down onto the belly, and that gives it away.

Caring for the marbled spiny eel

Keep the marbled spiny eel in a tank of 119 gal (450 L) or larger, since it is a large spiny eel. Give it a soft sand bed for burrowing. It escapes readily, so the lid must be completely sealed.

Keep the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. The eel burrows in sand by day and comes out at night to hunt. Feed earthworms, prawns, mussel and other meaty foods after dark.

The marbled spiny eel ignores fish too big to eat but will swallow small tank mates. Choose larger companions.

Good to know

Mastacembelus favus is a spiny eel in the family Mastacembelidae, and like its relatives it is not a true eel. It is a snake-like fish with a honeycomb pattern of pale rings over a dark body. It has a pointed, trunk-like snout and a row of short, sharp spines along its back. It stays a little smaller than its close relative, Mastacembelus armatus.

In the wild

The marbled spiny eel is native to large rivers and floodplains of Southeast Asia, including the Mekong and Chao Phraya. It lives over sand and among submerged wood.

Common questions

What size tank does a marbled spiny eel need?

A marbled spiny eel needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a marbled spiny eel need?

A marbled spiny eel is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a marbled spiny eel eat?

A marbled spiny eel eats earthworms, prawns, mussel and other meaty foods. Feed it after dark, when it comes out to hunt.

How big does a marbled spiny eel get?

An adult marbled spiny eel reaches about 19.7 in (50 cm).

Related species