Edit Monopterus albus
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Name
Scientific name
Monopterus albus
Described by
Not recorded
Family
Synbranchidae
Common names
Swamp Eel
Photograph credits
All 2 credited
Summary
The swamp eel, Monopterus albus, is very widespread, found from India and China to Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia. Not a t…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
1000mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 180 cm, Minimum depth 60 cm, Minimum height 60 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 25–28°C, pH 6–8
Hardness
3–25dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Not recorded
Social needs
Solitary or specimen
Community suitability
Not for a community
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Writing
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Very widespread, being found in India, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia…
Habitat
Occurs in a variety of habitats, including rivers, ponds, rice paddies, canals, ditches and of course swamps. It can survive in very stagnant and polluted cond…
Aquarium size
72" X 24" X 24" 180 ∗ 60 ∗ 60 cm - ~648 litres.
Maintenance
Provide the fish with plenty of hiding places. plants, bogwood, rocks and lengths of plastic piping can all be used. The tank absolutely must have an extremely…
Water conditions
Temperature: 25 – 28 °C is recommended, although it's reported to have the ability to withstand freezing conditions. It would certainly appear to be equally ha…
Diet
Feeds on a variety of prey in the wild, including fish, amphibians and invertebrates. In the aquarium it will accept prawns, white fish (such as lancefish) and…
Behaviour and compatibility
Best kept singly and alone due to its large adult size and piscivorous nature.
Sexual dimorphism
No external sexual differences, though once they undergo the transition from female to male (see below), males are said to grow larger.
Reproduction
Has not been spawned in captivity. In nature, spawning occurs in shallow waters, where the fish lay up to 1000 eggs in a loose bubble nest. This is then guarde…
Notes
An incredibly hardy species, M. albus has the ability to travel over land for short distances if kept moist and as mentioned above, often burrows into moist ea…
References
References
No references