Housing groups of Spiny Eels

[Narwhal]

From what I gather most people hose Spiny eels singly. I personally would like to house a few, and potentially try and breed them. I plan to keep the African Starry Night Eel. From what I have read and seen, people do keep a few of some species. Breeding I have heard is hard because of small size and fungal infections. I would like tips from people who have kept a few spinys in a tank or had them spawn.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I could be wrong, but I don't think the spiny eels have ever been reported to have been bred in captivity.

 

[Narwhal]

I have seen articles that claimed they will, the issue is the fry are tiny, they need tiny foods, and are very prone to fungus. From what I gather it is rare because people only get 1, they are very hard to sex, and the whole fry thing. There are people in this forum who claim to have bred them. I just feel that when in possession of a F0 it is a responsibility to try and breed to take pressure of wild stock.
Many oddballs can be bred, momyrids are apparently pretty easy, and bichirs can be bred, even many saltwater fish can be bred, why not spiny eels

 

[Fat Homer]

I think its mainly down to their temprament of not really tolellerating each other too well... although maybe in an adeqautely sized thank it could be doable...

The only challenge is pairing them up, since as you mentioned they are near impossible to sex, if at all???

 

[F3l1ss]

I'm reading a research paper atm with the title: Domestication and Observation on Induced Breeding of Spiny Eel Mastacembelus armatus
They got them to breed by injecting carp pituitary gland extract...

 

[F3l1ss]

Oh hey I found it online for you http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajfst/1/4/4/

 

[Narwhal]

That is how most farms get hard to breed species to breed, I know that is how you breed loaches and featherfin squeakers. It is a little more advanced than I am willing to go for now.

 

[Hendre]

Hopefully you can induce spawning, African knife fish have been berried with eggs using hormones and their gonads were mature but they never ended up spawning. Even with triple dosage.

Good luck thoufh

 

[F3l1ss]

After reading around, it seems overprim is best hormine and eels raised on trash fish/earthworms.

 

[DeeBee]

There is a very well documented account of multiply successful spawning of macrognathus maculatus without the use of homornes. As this only my 2nd post on this site I cannot supply the link as I need 6 posts. If you were to search - macrognathus maculatus aufzucht - you will find it. The site is german and is called ferraqua. The site offers a choice of language. There are lots of videos on there of of the fry. Also picture showing how to sex them.