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Encyclopedia / Oddballs & Predators / Peacock eel
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Photo by Wutthichayapartith Rasvara Nangkasamarinile, CC BY · source · credits

Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Peacock eel

Macrognathus siamensis · Peacock spiny eel, Spiny eel

Peaceful but eats tiny fish.

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30 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
6–7pH ✓
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Peacock eel eats animals up to about 3 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Not recommended
  • Peacock eel eats animals up to about 3 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Peacock eel eats animals up to about 3 cm. Ember tetra only grows to 2 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

328 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓0–15 dGH
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 8–12 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful but eats tiny fish.

  • sand

Food

Frozen bloodworms, worms.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Hard to tell apart externally; mature females in breeding condition may look plumper.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-layer (substrate spawner) · Hard

Not bred in home aquariums; in the wild it breeds in the wet season when nearby forests flood.

Pairing

Buy 4-6 young fish. Females are rounder and thicker; males are slimmer. Hormone-induced breeding is the common farm method.

Setup

A 200 L tank with fine sand, plants, caves and a tight lid. Soft, clean water.

What starts it

Hobby spawns are rare. Farms use hormone injections; at home, try conditioning with live foods and big water changes.

Eggs

Females scatter 100-300 sticky eggs on plants or roots. Hatch in about 2 days.

Raising the fry

Fry take infusoria and newly hatched brine shrimp. Need very clean water and fine sand.

Common mistakes
  • Poor lids, since they escape
  • Coarse gravel that harms them
  • Feeding only dry food
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionMainland Southeast Asia – Thailand, Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam
Rivers and lakesMekong and Chao Phraya basins
HabitatSlow rivers and swamps with soft bottoms
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the peacock eel

A spiny eel (not a true eel) with large eye-spots along the base of the dorsal fin that buries itself in sand or silt with only its head showing.

Albert Günther described the peacock eel in 1861 from Siam (Thailand). It is a spiny eel, not a true eel, and buries itself in soft sand with only its head showing. The eye-spots along its dorsal fin give it its 'peacock' name.

First described by Albert Günther in 1861.

  • It is a spiny eel, not a true eel.
  • It often buries itself in sand with only its snout and eyes showing.
  • Its pointed snout works like a probe for finding worms.

Sources

13 facts checked with sources