Tanganjikasee Spiny eel Mastacembelus moorii

Hello to all aquarists,

my first attempt to write an article here.

I put the spiny eel in my Malawi tank because the Malawi predators don't really expend much energy hunting the fry. They always get something from me, so there's no need to overexert themselves. 😉

My C. borleyi Kadango regularly produces about 50-90 fry! Very few of them don't make it! Almost all fry survive with the Kadangos. This means the tank gets overcrowded in a short time! Unfortunately, giving them away in such quantities doesn't work either. 🤔

This species of spiny eel from Lake Tanganyika is truly fascinating, very intelligent, and exhibits very independent behavior in the tank.
The number one aspect of its behavior is that it is an effective and intense hunter; nothing escapes it! Mine is now about 50 cm long after years!

Caution: The fish population must be at least >10 cm; otherwise, it will end up in the stomach of M. moorii sooner or later!!

I can also report the following: for example, it eats from my hand, reacts almost immediately to my hand signals, etc.

Brief species description:
Genus: Mastacembelus
Species: moorii
Trade name: Tanganyika Spiny Eel
Continent, Lake: East Africa, Lake Tanganyika (endemic)
Tank size: min. 200, better 250 - 400 cm length, depth 60-80 cm
Water temperature: 22 - 26 °C
pH value: 7.5 - 9.0
max. size: 45-50 cm possibly even more
Food: Frozen food, live food (mussel meat, krill, crab pieces, (if smelt, then feed rarely))
They do not take flakes, granules, or similar!
Hunting behavior: They hunt and eat anything that barely fits in their mouth or can be overwhelmed.
Care: Sociable with large cichlids, nocturnal
Tank design: Make the tank safe for eels! The animals will "climb" out of the tank whenever possible. They are very curious!

For questions, I am happy to help.

Best regards, Manfred