Other Freshwater and Brackish Water Fish
Spiny Eel
Macrognathus siamensis
Photo: Florida Museum · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Temperature23–28 °C
- pH6–8
- Minimum tank150 l
- Adult size30 cm
- Difficulty★★☆☆☆
- TemperamentPeaceful
- WaterFresh
Full profile
- Family
- Mastacembelidae
- Origin
- Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia
- Size
- 30 cm
- Temperature
- 23 – 28°C
- pH
- 6.0 – 8.0
- GH
- 5 – 20 °dGH
- Difficulty
- ★★☆☆☆
- Water type
- tropical freshwater
- Swimming level
- lower
- Behavior
- Peaceful (eats very small fish)
- Minimum number of individuals
- 1
- Minimum aquarium size
- 150 L
- Diet
- carnivore (worms, larvae, shrimp)
- Reproduction
- oviparous; rare in aquariums
Notes: It burrows into the sand, leaving only its eyes and snout exposed, with striking ocelli near its tail. It requires fine sand—never gravel—and a tightly fitting lid.
