Blind Cave Spiny Eel

[Josh's Fish]

A fish you don't see often. The strange looking Mastacembelus brichardi

Caught in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Congo Aquarium, a collector and retail supplier.
Just thought I'd share (not my pic)

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Wow, that's an interesting looking eel. It looks a lot like any other spiny eel, just all white with no eyes.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

I had no idea there were any species of these in Africa at all, neat

 

[ocellatus]

Very interesting. Not a habitat I imagined spiny eels would thrive in. Nature never ceases to amaze

O

 

[Chub_by]

Afaik they aren't actually cave dwelling, but live in rock crevices in the deeper areas of the congo river.

 

[ocellatus]

Afaik they aren't actually cave dwelling, but live in rock crevices in the deeper areas of the congo river.

Ah,Ok. That's closer to my understanding of their habitat. Just couldn't picture them in a cave.

O

 

[Josh's Fish]

That's my bad, should of specified they're not actually from caves haha. Was just a comparison to the better known Mexican Tetras and other species which had vars develop in caves.

 

[ocellatus]

I have to admit, I keep coming back to look at that picture. Its weirdly fascinating, yet it might freak me out a bit to keep one. I do love the oddballs though

O

 

[DawnMichele]

Very interesting.

 

[Narwhal]

I would love to explore this region of the congo, and maybe collect some stuff, this eel, as well as the blind cichlid. The environment is really unique, I imagine it like a flooded canyon with strong current, and these blind fish live over 500 ft bellow the surface. This makes them probably some of the deepest living freshwater fish, they are also some of the deeper living organisms in the entire hobby, as those depths are similar to deep reefs. They are blind because the water is murky, unlike in the oceans where the water is crystal clear just doesn't have any light, so bioluminescence is useful, and there for there is something to see. it is just a whirlwind of murky water, that these fish probably rarely venture into