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Tanganyika striped spiny eel

Mastacembelus plagiostomus

Also known as Plagiostomus eel, Saddled Tanganyika eel

FreshwaterFish

Tanganyika striped spiny eel (Mastacembelus plagiostomus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
7.8–9.0
Adult size
13.8 in
35 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 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
Lake Tanganyika

Overview

The Tanganyika striped spiny eel is a solitary bottom dweller for a rocky, hard-water tank. It is moderately demanding to keep.

Did you know

The Tanganyika striped spiny eel's scientific name, plagiostomus, means slant-mouthed. It describes the obliquely set jaws of this eel. That mouth shape is well suited to picking small food from the crevices and surfaces of a rocky lake floor.

Caring for the Tanganyika striped spiny eel

Keep the Tanganyika striped spiny eel in a tank of 79 gal (300 L) or larger, with a secure lid. Give it a sand base for burrowing and generous, piled rockwork with narrow gaps to explore. It keeps to the bottom and comes out to forage in quieter hours.

Match the lake's hard, alkaline chemistry, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.8 to 9.0. Keep the water clean, stable and well oxygenated, since it is adapted to a large, chemically steady lake. Feed meaty foods such as chopped earthworm, prawn and frozen bloodworm, with the odd piece of mussel.

Keep it singly, as it is territorial with its own kind. It mixes well with larger, hard-water tank mates and is peaceful toward fish too big to swallow. It will eat small fish, so choose medium-sized, even-tempered companions. No aquarium breeding has been recorded.

Good to know

Mastacembelus plagiostomus is a spiny eel of the family Mastacembelidae, banded in gold and umber. It is part of the endemic radiation of spiny eels in Lake Tanganyika. It also goes by the name saddled Tanganyika eel.

In the wild

The Tanganyika striped spiny eel is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives in shallow water over rocky bottoms.

Common questions

What size tank does a Tanganyika striped spiny eel need?

A Tanganyika striped spiny eel needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Tanganyika striped spiny eel need?

A Tanganyika striped spiny eel is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.8–9.0.

What does a Tanganyika striped spiny eel eat?

A Tanganyika striped spiny eel eats meaty foods such as chopped earthworm, prawn and frozen bloodworm. Give it the odd piece of mussel as well.

How big does a Tanganyika striped spiny eel get?

An adult Tanganyika striped spiny eel reaches about 13.8 in (35 cm).

Related species