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One-stripe spiny eel

Macrognathus aral

Also known as Aral spiny eel

FreshwaterFish

One-stripe spiny eel (Macrognathus aral)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
23.6 in
60 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Mastacembelidae
Origin
Ganges and Brahmaputra lowlands

Overview

The one-stripe spiny eel is a big, solitary burrower for the bottom of a very large tank. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

Most spiny eels in the genus Macrognathus are modest fish of twenty-odd centimeters. The one-stripe spiny eel is by far the largest member of the genus, a tankbuster among its otherwise small relatives.

Caring for the one-stripe spiny eel

Keep the one-stripe spiny eel in a tank of 119 gal (450 L) or larger, with a long footprint and roomy floor space. Give it a deep, soft sand bed to bury in, plus sturdy plant and wood cover. Fit a heavy, tight lid.

Keep the water warm, soft to neutral and clean, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Keep the flow gentle and the filtration strong for such a large, hungry fish. It lies buried in the sand through the day and hunts the bottom at night. Feed hearty meaty foods in the evening, such as whole earthworms, prawn, mussel and strips of white fish.

Keep it on its own, as it grows too large and territorial to share space with its own kind. It is calm with tank mates it cannot swallow but will eat small and medium fish. Keep only large, even-tempered companions. Its wild reproduction has been studied, but there is no established record of breeding in aquariums.

Good to know

Macrognathus aral belongs to the spiny eel family, Mastacembelidae, and Bloch and Schneider described it in 1801. A single clean stripe runs the length of its olive body. It also goes by the name Aral spiny eel.

In the wild

The one-stripe spiny eel lives in the lowland Ganges and Brahmaputra. It is found in ponds, ditches, paddies and slow, weedy rivers over silt and sand.

Common questions

What size tank does a one-stripe spiny eel need?

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

What temperature and pH does a one-stripe spiny eel need?

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

What does a one-stripe spiny eel eat?

A one-stripe spiny eel eats hearty meaty foods such as whole earthworms, prawn, mussel and strips of white fish. Feed it in the evening, before it hunts at night.

How big does a one-stripe spiny eel get?

An adult one-stripe spiny eel reaches about 23.6 in (60 cm).

Related species