Has anyone kept spiny eels?

[hamfistUK]

I have owned a tanganyikan spiny eel - a very similar species. It was very satisfying to own and got tame enough to swim up from his rock pile and eat treats from my fingers. Unfortunately it didn't have the longest lifespan with me (lasted about 2 years) but I blame myself as the water I was using was not ideally as alkaline as it really should have been and the nitrates were not well controlled in that tank either. I would love to own another one day. The Tanginyikan species is a nice small species and IMO definitely suitable for a community tank of Tanginkiyan fish. I think you just have to be sensible about the maximum length any eel you buy will get to, and size the community fish it lives with appropriately. Also consider that they are reasonably timid and don't take to being bullied very well, so cichlid choice is important.

 

[JackGulley]

Mine never attacked another fish. I didnt know they hunted small fish.

They seem to be oddly selective about it. They knew exactly what it meant when those rosy red minnows entered the tank, but we also had some very young chocolate cichlids that were smaller than the feeders, and they watched those the same way they watch everything else but never seemed to be trying to eat them.

 

[JackGulley]

They are very peaceful with fish they don't think they can eat.