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Related FAQs: Moray Eels, Morays 2, Moray Eels 3, Moray Identification, Moray IDs 2, Moray IDs 3, Moray IDs 4, Moray IDs 5, & Moray Selection, Moray Behavior, Moray Compatibility, Moray Compatibility 2, Moray Compatibility 3, Moray Compatibility 4, & Moray Systems, Moray Feeding, Moray Disease, Moray Disease 2, Morays and other Eels & Crypt, Moray Reproduction, Freshwater Moray Eels, Zebra Moray Eels, Snowflake Morays, Other Marine Eels Conger Eels Freshwater Moray Eels,

Related Articles: Moray Eels Bite, But Are They Venomous? by Marco Lichtenberger,
The Hawaiian Dragon Eel Enchelycore pardalis by Marco Lichtenberger,
The Zebra Moray (Gymnomuraena zebra) by Bob Fenner
Ribbon Morays by Bob Fenner
The "Freshwater" Moray Eels, Freshwater Moray Eels by Marco Lichtenberger,
Non-Moray Marine Eels, Snake & Worm Eels by Bob Fenner

The Diversity of Aquatic Life Series

The Moray Eels, Family Muraenidae, pt. 2, Less Aquarium Suitable Species

To: Part 1

By Bob Fenner

 

Species to Generally Avoid:

I know I'm going to get heat for this section as usual. There are folks who have had Moorish idols that thrived on banana chips; still others carrying on clairvoyant relationships with their Ornatissimus butterflies. I've seen this, have mercy! But for most of us mere mortals the following does hold true.

Rhinomuraena quaesita Garman 1888, the Ribbon Moray Eel. Ninety nine percent plus do not live a month in captivity. Most starve, refusing all food. Next most common category of loss is escape through the smallest of top openings, or plumbing. Last is "simple stress".

The written record shows some people's success with netting food and eel together and shaking, training on select live skewered items; but most black to blue to all yellow female ribbon morays perish within a short while. You've been cautioned. Rhinomuraena quaesita: Fiji image at right or a changeling female and male. Below, a juvenile (black) and male in N. Sulawesi and a female in Mabul, Malaysia. Females are mostly to all yellow in color. 

Most Gymnothorax species get too big, are too aggressive and strong for all but the most humungous systems. If you're going to try these, watch your fingers, tankmates and lock (yes, lock!) that cover down. For cooler water species, do invest in and run a chiller. species get too big, are too aggressive and strong for all but the most humungous systems. If you're going to try these, watch your fingers, tankmates and lock (yes, lock!) that cover down. For cooler water species, do invest in and run a chiller.

Too often offered to the hobby are the Atlantic green G. funebris, to eight feet! Others include G. javanicus, the Javan or Giant Moray (to ten feet!) and G. flavimarginatus to a mere four feet.

Gymnothorax breedeni McCosker & Randall 1977, the Blackcheek Moray. To a meter in length. Indo-Pacific, sporadically distributed on many island rocky reefs. Very numerous in the Marquesas. Nuka Hiva pix. 

 

Gymnothorax castaneus (Jordan & Gilbert 1883), the Chestnut  Moray (to science) or Morena Verde. To 150 cm. Eastern Pacific; Sea of Cortez to Ecuador, including the Galapagos, particularly the northern islands of Darwin and Wolf. Aquarium image.

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.


Gymnothorax dovii (Gunther 1870), the Speckled  or Fine-Spotted Moray. To 150 cm. Eastern Pacific; Sea of Cortez to Ecuador, including the Galapagos, particularly the northern islands of Darwin and Wolf. Wolf images.

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.
  
Gymnothorax eurostus (Abbott 1861), Stout Moray. Light brown with gold spots, tubular nostrils. To about 2 foot in length. Indo-Pacific. Most common moray species in nearshore Similar to the also common Yellow-Margin Moray, but with a more pointed snout and dark spots on the forward half of the body. Hawaii pix.  

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available
Gymnothorax fimbriatus (Bennett 1832), the Fimbriated Moray. To 80 cm. (32 inches) in length. Indo-Pacific; Madagascar to Society Islands. Feed on fish and crustaceans at night. Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia pix. 

Gymnothorax flavimarginatus (Ruppell 1830). The Yellow Margin Moray. Black spot on gill opening, yellowish green margin on the fins. Indo-Pacific. To four feet in length but girthy. Common in Hawaii where it is often "tamed" by dive companies. Hawaii and S. Sulawesi pix of front end.  http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/
speciesSummary.php?ID=5392&genusname=
Gymnothorax&speciesname=flavimarginatus

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The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)
Gymnothorax funebris Ranzani 1840, the Green Moray. Tropical Eastern and Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. To about eight feet in length (250 cm.) and 29 kg. A dangerous biting Moray that mainly eats crustaceans and fishes in the wild... most everything in captivity. Best left in the sea or the occasional public aquarium display where this shot was made. 

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)
 
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Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker 1859), Giant Moray. To ten feet, 3 meters in length. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea, East Africa to Hawai'i. Feeds principally on fishes, secondarily on crustaceans. Largest Moray species according to Fishbase. Shown here in the Red Sea and Polynesia. 

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available
 
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.
  
Gymnothorax meleagris (Shaw & Nodder 1795), the White Mouth Moray. Brown to black with numerous white spots. Dark spot around gill opening. Indo-Pacific. Most common Hawaiian puhi/moray. To about forty inches in length. Hawai'i image. 

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available
Gymnothorax mordax, the California Green Moray eel.
Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)
Gymnothorax nudivomer (Gunther 1867), the Yellow-Mouth or Starry Moray. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Hawaii, Marquesas. To 180 cm. Here in Nuweiba, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. http://fishbase.org/Summary/
speciesSummary.php?ID=7465&genusname=
Gymnothorax& speciesname=nudivomer
Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available
Gymnothorax pictus (Ahl 1789), the Peppered Moray. Indo-Pacific; East Africa to the eastern Pacific, Hawai'i. To five feet in length. This one off Kona. 

Gymnothorax undulatus (Lacepede 1803), the Undulated Moray. Indo-Pacific; East Africa to the French Polynesia, Hawai'i. To five and a half feet in length. One in Hawai'i, the Red Sea and another in captivity.  http://fishbase.org/Summary/
speciesSummary.php?ID=4905&genusname=
Gymnothorax& speciesname=undulatus

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.
  
Scuticaria tigrina Lesson 1830, the Tiger Reef Eel. Indo-Pacific; East Africa to the tropical eastern Pacific, including Hawai'i. To 120 cm. in length. Secretive, nocturnal. Found foraging between rocks at night. Aquarium photo. 

Other Morays:

    With eleven genera and roughly 165 described species, you can be sure to see an "oddball" Moray eel if you keep your eyes open... Know what you're getting into if you intend to try one of these unknowns... At least look up the species in ICLARM's Fishbase (www.fishbase.com) under the family name, Muraenidae... to gain some insights into how big the species gets, what it eats...

About Freshwater Morays:   

   There are some species of muraenids that occasionally enter freshwater in tropical and temperate areas. Click on the link above for coverage.

Conclusions:

The favored species mentioned make excellent aquarium specimens, a majority of individuals adapting to aquarium care easily, readily accepting prepared foods, neither launching themselves out of your system, nor sampling their tankmates or your hand when doing routine maintenance. Once acclimated to a tank they prove durable, disease resistant pets.

Other moray species are problematical, growing too large, escaping even the most heavily covered tank. Many starve outright refusing all food, others consider all within their capacious jaws as fair game.

Forewarned is forearmed. The vast majority of muraenids are suitable only for public aquaria or visiting in their domain.

It is my opinion that morays provide predatory pressure in a role similar to several sharks, cleaning up the reefs by eating weakened, damaged prey. They should be there.

 

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Axelrod, H.R., Burgess, W.E. & R.E. Hunziker III. 1990. Atlas of Aquarium Fishes, Vol. 1 Marine Fish. T.F.H. Publ. Inc., N.J..

Campbell, Douglas C.. 1980. Morays, the Ever Popular Eels. Freshwater and Marine Aquarium. 10/80.

Castro, Alfred D. 2001. A freshwater moray eel? AFM 8/2001.

Chlupaty, P. Undated. The Leopard Moray, an exciting yet beautiful predator. Aquarium Digest Intl. #37.

Esterbauer, Hans. 1994. The Ecology & Behavior of Moray Eels. Tropical Fish Hobbyist. 2/94.

Fenner, Robert. 2000. The Zebra Moray Eel, Gymnomuraena zebra. FAMA 7/00.

Fenner, Robert. 1995. Moray eels of the family Muraenidae. TFH 3/95.

Gonzales, Deane. 1976. Puhi (Eel in Hawaiian). Marine Aquarist. 7(7):76.

Hemdal, Jay. 1986. The Ribbon Eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita). Freshwater and Marine Aquarist. 2/86.

Howe, Jeffrey C. 1997. Original Descriptions (column). Siderea flavocula Bohlke and Randall 1996. FAMA 12/97.

Margaritas, Anargyros. 1988. Sea Serpents in Your Home. Tropical Fish Hobbyist. 11/88.

Michael, Scott W. 1996. Fishes for the marine aquarium, pts. 22, 23; The morays- serpents of the sea. Aquarium Fish Magazine 7,8/96.

Neal, Tom. 1994. Keeping the Ribbon Eel. Tropical Fish Hobbyist. 5/94.

Nelson, Joseph. 1976. Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons.

To: Part 1


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