Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Freshwater Eels and Eel-like Fishes > Half-banded Spiny Eel

Half-banded Spiny Eel

Zig Zag Eel ~ Spiney Eel ~ Large Spiny Eel Family: Mastacembelidae

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Macrognathus circumcinctus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   The Half-banded Spiny Eel is a great choice for those who keep a smaller aquarium!

   If you've hesitated to purchase a spiny eel because of the size of your tank, the Half-banded Spiny Eel may be just what you are looking for. The maximum size for this handsome fish is just under 8 inches. This eel also has a uniquely different color pattern from the other Asian spiny eels. Rather than being a diamond or 'zig zag' type patterning, its markings are roughly vertical.

   Not only is the Half-banded Spiny Eel relatively small, it is also quite hardy once acclimated. You may not always see it though as it is nocturnal and sometimes will hide for long periods of time. Generally it's a good community fish if kept with tankmates that are too big to fit in its mouth, those under about 2 inches may get snacked on. Although not considered to be true eels, the body shapes of all members of the spiny eel family, Mastacembelidae, are definitely eel-like.

For more Information on keeping freshwater fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The Half-banded Spiny Eel was described by Hora in 1924. They are found in Asia including Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, southeastern Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Indonesia where they inhabit medium to larger rivers and flooded fields. They are nocturnal and will partially bury themselves in the substrate during the day, coming out at night to feed on invertebrates and small fish.

Status:
   The species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The body of the Half-banded Spiny Eel is elongated with a pointed snout. Both the dorsal and anal fins are extended back to the caudal fin, which is very small. Its background coloration is a cream to light brown. Along the entire length of its body it is patterned with a series of irregular vertical dark markings.
   Its common name 'half-banded' is derived from the layout of its dark markings. On the upper two thirds of the body the markings are quite bold. Below that however, the markings become narrow extensions that reach either partially or entirely across the lower portion.

Size - Weight:
   These fish can grow up to about 8 inches (20 cm).

Care and feeding:
   The Half-banded Spiny Eels are carnivores. Like all spiny eels they prefer a diet of live and fresh frozen foods such as brine shrimp, black worms, earthworms or bloodworms. Some spiny eels can be trained to eat freeze dried brine shrimp or bloodworms but this is not something that can be counted on. They will also eat small fishes so make sure their tank mates are too large to be able to fit into their mouths.
   Provide a tank with a sand or fine gravel substrate as they will burrow into it. Also make sure they have plenty of hiding places among roots, rocks, or other decor so they will feel secure in their new home. Floating plant cover is great but plants buried in the substrate may get uprooted.
   Small specimens up to 3 inches can be kept in a tank that is about 20 inches long and about 10 gallons. Larger specimens will need a bigger area, tanks that are 36 inches in length and about 35 gallons will suit an adult. Provide a tight fitting lid as spiny eels are escape artists. These fish respond poorly to copper based medications, so these should be avoided.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   Half-banded Spiny Eels will spend most of their time on the bottom of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Temp: 75 - 82° F (24 - 27° C)
   Hardness: 12 dGH
   pH: 7.0 - 7.5

Social Behaviors:
   They are a nocturnal species but are generally peaceful and shy. They can be aggressive to fish under about 2 inches as small fish are part of their natural diet in the wild. They mostly ignore other tankmates. Some species of spiny eels can get territorial and aggressive with their own kind so a general rule of thumb is to keep them singly unless you plan to breed.

Sexual Differences:
   Sexual differences are unknown and it is almost impossible to identify the sexes, though a mature female may be more full bodied.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The Half-banded Spiny Eel has not been bred in captivity. Only a few spiny eels have been bred in the aquarium, possibly because they are generally kept singly rather than in a group where a male and female can find each other. Though it is not documented what makes them spawn, trying to emulate the bounty of the flood season can help stimulate breeding behavior. Feed more and higher quality food than you normally would and providing an influx of clean water. Their courtship lasts for several hours, where they chase each other and swim in circles.
   The eggs are deposited among floating plants. They are sticky so will adhere to the plants and then hatch in 3 to 4 days. The fry becoming free swimming a few more days after that and should be fed nauplii. The fry are something of a challenge to raise as they are susceptible to fungal infections. Regular water changes and the use of an antifungal water treatment can help.

Availability:
   The Half-banded Spiny Eel is commonly available and reasonably priced.

Author: Clarice Brough, CFS

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Latest Comments
I have over 10 different eels in my 3 55 gallon tanks and all of them are above 1 foot long and they get along great. They are a joy to have and I was successful in breeding tire track eels until they where eaten by the other larger eels:(. I keep my eels with 2 bush fish, Pike chiclds, African knife fish, striped barbs, Brazialian earth eaters, pictus catfish, red rainbows...many more. Johnathan 2009-04-13
I have 1 zig zag eel in my 20 gal. fish tank. It is extremely cool. He is a very peaceful pet. I love him [well I think it's a him] very much. He usally hides in a hole in the log in my tank but once in a while he will come out and swim a little, also sometimes he will bury himself in the gravel. And you will never believe what he does, he acually changes his color, he goes from tan with a brown stripe to very light tan. He used to eat frozen blood worms from my hand. He is 5 ins. long. He loves frozen blood worms. He is in my tank with a upside down cat fish, special and rare african red eyed tetra [niger tetra], juli corydoras cat fish, 2 juvenile silver dollars, some kind of 1in. long tetra that looks a little like a black neon tetra (the guy at the pet store said it was a black neon tetra and since he is alone he changed his color but that can not be true), a rare large 3in. long gold barb, and a dwarf african clawed frog. I was planning on getting a lot more fish but I wanted to get a red lined torpedo barb[rose line shark]or 2. I have had my eel for about 2 yrs. I would definitely recommend zig zag eels. Ethan 2009-02-25
I got a big one a few days ago that's about the same size as my fire eel. I had noticed that he had a big stomache. I thought it was dropsy but fortunately it was constipation. I used a handful of epsom salt in a 55G tank and now he's fine. The epsom salt didn't seem to really do anything but a couple days later he got fatter then he pooped it out. Now he's less active than he was when he was constipated (odd?) and he is good friends with the fire eel. I though the fire eel would be mean to him but they lay together under peices of driftwood. I got mine for $10 -- it was worth it. My fire eel was $30 but it was still worth it :-P Arya 2008-09-08
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Thank you for the info. I decided on a whim to buy an eel when I was picking up new fush for the tank and I haven't seen him since! He likes to hide and, boy is he good at it! It was nice to come online and find out that he's just doing what he's supposed to do! Thanks for all the info! Dani 2008-01-20
Comment on site: As the first result on Google, and with my experienced aquarium owner roommate's approval, I have to really appreciate you guys for the wealth of info. I just picked up two of these guys and am really glad that I now know even more about them. Comment on eel: The larger of the two was in the tank for about thirty seconds before burrowing. They seem to get along well and are a joy to observe. If you like serpent-y things, these guys are great. Josh 2007-12-21

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