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Peacock Eel

Spot-Finned Spiny Eel ~ Peacock Spiny Eel ~ Siamese Spiny Eel Family: Mastacembelidae

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Macrognathus siamensis Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   With its six attractive 'eyespots' you can readily see where the name 'Peacock' Eel comes from!

   The handsome Peacock Eel is very hardy and commonly available, making it a great starter fish for first time spiny eel keepers. It is generally a willing feeder and readily adapts to aquarium life. It is also relatively small, with its maximum adult size being just under a foot long. As it is nocturnal you may not always see it though. It will usually hide during the daytime by burying itself in the substrate. Although not considered to be true eels, the body shapes of all members of the spiny eel family, Mastacembelidae, are definitely eel-like.

   Peacock Eels are peaceful fish that can be kept in a community tank with larger fish. As you can see from the photo above where this adult specimen is housed with a Jack Dempsey cichlid, they are great with a variety of tankmates. Unlike many of the spiny eels, this species will also get along well with others of its own kind as long as they are of a similar size.

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

Distribution:
   The Peacock Eel was described by Günther in 1861. They are found in Asia: Mekong, Chao Phraya, Maeklong, Peninsular and Southeast Thailand. They inhabit slow-moving, thickly vegetated areas of rivers and the still waters of flooded fields. They are nocturnal and will bury themselves (except for the head) in the silt or fine sand substrate during the day. They will emerge at night to feed on insect larvae, crustaceans, and worms.

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

Description:
   The body of the Peacock Eel is elongated with a pointed snout. Both the dorsal and anal fins are extended back to the caudal fin, which is quite small. There can be some color and pattern variations depending upon it place of origination, but it is primarily light brown in color and it has a thin pale yellow stripe running from the eye to the base of the tail. Its common name 'Peacock' Eel is derived from the approximately 3 to 6 ocelli or 'eyespots' found along the base of the dorsal fin.

Size - Weight:
   These fish can grow to about 11.8 inches (30 cm) in length.

Care and feeding:
   The Peacock 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.
   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 can be kept in a tank that is about 24 inches long and about 20 gallons. Larger specimens will need a bigger area, tanks that are 36 inches in length and about 35 gallons and up 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:
   Peacock Eels will spend most of their time on the bottom of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Temp: 73 - 82° F (23 - 28° C)
   Hardness: 6 - 25 dGH
   pH: 6.0 - 8.0

Social Behaviors:
   A nocturnal species, they are generally peaceful and shy. They mostly ignore other tankmates. They can be kept in a community tank with a wide variety of larger fish. Unlike many of the spiny eels, this species will also get along well with others of its own kind as long as they are of a similar size.

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 Peacock 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 Peacock Eel is commonly available and reasonably priced.

Author: Clarice Brough, CFS

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Latest Comments
I have had my peacock for 3-4 months now and though they are peaceful in general, do be careful of tankmates. They are a predator and mine ate 10 neons in one night! It also killed a fancy guppy and a cardinal. Mine eats ghost shrimp, small feeders, black worms and angle worms. It doesn't hide ever and I have it in fine sand for substrate. I have mollies, neons, cardinals, dwarf gouramis, fancy guppies, german rams, and a gold nugget pleco for tankmates. Scott 2009-10-06
Yes, I have had my eel now for about three months. At first I couldn't get him to eat till one day I went outside after a rain found a common worm and put it in the tank, so now that is all it wants is earth warms. If it is what it will eat I won't argue. When he is hungry he comes out and swims around till I see him. Being my computer is by the tank it doesn't take long. I drop a worm in, it eats, then about an hour later he wants another. Then I feed once more till night. He is happy and loves to chase my angelefish and sharks. He runs the tank, it is so cool. theodore 2009-07-15
My boyfriend and I just recently got a 55 gallon tank for our tiger oscars, and silver-tipped sharks, and our pleco. We went to petsmart to possibly get a catfish that would be compatible with our oscars, and that's when we found the Peacock Eel. So far we really enjoy him. We did just get him today so we haven't fed him yet. But I am a little worried about the space behind our tank. We have a lid on it, but I have read several stories about them getting out. Does anyone have any ideas to reassure us he won't get out? But so far so good. =] Taelor 2009-05-11
I have a 29 gal tank that is home to my peacock eel, 5 tiger barbs, and three rainbow sharks, all of which are fairly agressive fish. My Tiger barbs knocked off one of their runty buddies and so now I only have 4 tigers. I feed the tigers and sharks before I feed the eel, but no matter how much u feed them they're still hungry. So when I go to feed my eel they usually steal his food because he generally sleeps under the rocks or in his tube or castle. They also like to bully him while he is sleeping and pick at him or push him out from under the rocks to pick on him. I have had him for about 6 mo. and he's about 12 in. long and very beautiful but seeing as the other fish have been bullying him idk how much longer he'll last. I have had the other 7 fish for about 3 months now and it's not getting better... i think the only reason hes still holdin on is cuz i bought 3 otocincli to help with the tank cleaning and they have magicly disappeared. Haha stupid move on my part. Did i pick out fish that are too agressive to be with my poor peacock eel? and if i did what would be some fish that would do well with my peacock. i am also aquiring a 75 gal. later this month so any size fish suggestions would be much abliged. Thank you, emmy Emmy 2009-04-17
Great pet, I had my first escape through a tiny gap within 2 days so I bought 2 more. After sealing my lid they are now both happy and extremely active. They absolutely love pvc pipe, I put 2 in there but they share one most of the time. I have been feeding them live blackworms and frozen bloodworms but I will try brine shrimp very soon. Their tankmates are 2 peacock cichlids and a snail(vacuum cleaner), great combination as my eels are not shy and all play together... Troy 2009-03-24
Some of the coolest comments:
I have had a striped peacock eel for a few months now and absolutely love him, living in a 29 gallon with platys, tetras, and a loach. He disappeared one morning and thinking he had just buried himself under the gravel, I continued with my plan to clean my Whisper filter (you know - the external waterfall type filter) Taking it to the sink, I change out the filter bags and carbon and dumped the excess water down the drain to scrub the inside and too late, I watched my eel slide out of the filter - very much alive- and right into the garbage disposal. I was about to give him up for lost (i couldn't figure out how to open the pipes to try to save him in the u-part of the pipe), but before I did I shined the flashlight down the drain one last time and there he was sitting on the platform slithering around out of water and between the blades. After a 1/2 hour trying, I finally fished him out with a twisted up fish net and a spoon. I dumped him in a spare tub of aquarium water to "rinse" off the gunk he accumulated in the drain and quickly placed him back in the tank. 5 days later he is still alive and well, eating as usual and none the worse for wear - only a small scratch that is healing well. I never would have expected him to swim upstream/uphill AND out of the tank into my filter, not to mention surviving a 1/2 hour out of water and the stress of being chased around with implements to save his life. I thought for sure he was a goner, but he is hardier than I thought! Kirsten 2009-04-28
I had a peacock eel before that was doing okay until one day I noticed that he/she was missing! So about a mounth later I finally got my mom to check around the tank. We found him in a hole under a rock! I WAS SO HAPPY! The next morning he was gone again. We checked the tank one more time, no eel. I gave up and asked my mom if I could get another. She said yes. I got a 7in. striped peacock eel. He is doing very well in our 75 gallon tank. He loves to hide in a plant that I bought just for him. It has been about 17 days or so since we fist checked the tank and found him. I still have not seen my first eel. but I'm happy with my new eel. He is very active at night. p.s. if your eel is hiding under the rocks and if he/she has not been in your tank for that long, put a good plant in there if you want to see him more often. zack 2009-03-25

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