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Many hobbyists have stories of eels flapping on the floor or getting caught in a small opening of their aquarium lid. That’s why, in my opinion, we should leave these animals in the sea or the capable hands of dedicated, expert aquarists willing to provide the type of environment these eels need to thrive in captive care.ĭragon Eels, Green Moray, Yellow-Head Moray, Jeweled Moray, Tessalata and Golden Moray are all considered fang-toothed eels.Įels are well-known escape artists. Lastly, they will make quick work of any other fish in your aquarium and must therefore be kept in a species-only tank. They may become more aggressive or even die if they are not provided the proper living conditions for a large animal. Even after death, their specialized jaws will stay latched on and must be manually pried off.
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If bitten by a fang-toothed eel, it is nearly impossible to remove the animal without harming and/or killing it. This group includes many of the more fascinating eel species, but they are also difficult to keep in most home aquariums. The second group of Moray Eels commonly found in our hobby is “fang-toothed eels” which have precisely that: numerous sharp teeth designed to shred and tear prey apart. Snowflake, Zebra and Chain Moray Eels are among the “pebble-toothed eels” and make for great aquarium inhabitants. You have much less risk of a serious injury if bitten and they tend to leave other fish, corals and invertebrates alone when kept fed and healthy. These “reef safe” eels primarily prey on crustaceans and have rounded, molar-like teeth that help when feeding upon hard-shelled crustaceans. While this is true for many of the Moray Eel species, there are a few exceptions. The biggest misconception with Moray Eels is that they are all extremely aggressive and will completely clean out your aquarium of other inhabitants as well as pose a risk to your fingers during feeding time. I personally have only seen two species of Garden Eels available for sale, the Spotted Garden Eel (Heteroconger hassi) and the Splendid Garden Eel (Gorgasia preclara). The second is very specific: “Garden Eels” come from the family Congridae and are even more demanding when kept in aquariums than their larger, more aggressive cousins. The largest is the Muraenidae family, or “Moray Eels,” which include pretty much all of the eels we have come to know: Snowflake, Green Moray, and even Ribbon Eels all come from this family.
#WOLF EEL FOOD HOW TO#
In this article, we are going to explain how to care for eels suited for life in a marine reef aquarium as well as address some of the common myths that surround this particular family of aquarium pets.įor marine aquariums, two families of eels are represented in the hobby and regularly available for purchase. However, not all saltwater eels are suitable for home aquariums, and the ones that are, require specialized care.
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Eels are among the most fascinating marine animals for many of the reasons mentioned above.
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Aggressive carnivores that swim with an eerie snake-like motion and sit with jaws agape displaying gnarly rows of teeth that are ready to latch onto any unsuspecting prey that may swim by and entice this animal’s extremely well-developed sense of smell.
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