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Yellowhead Moray EelDark-spotted Moray Eel ~ Fimbriated Moray Eel Family: Muraenidae
Latest Reader Comment - See More I was walking amongst some rock-pools two days ago and spotted a 2 and a half foot long leopard eel (not a yellow head) and started snorkeling with it. It stayed sto... (more) Kurt van Wyk 2008-05-19
We bought this eel as a "Leopard Eel" but have failed to find out exactly what kind of eel it really is. This eel has the coloring and looks of the Yellowhead Moray Eel, Dark-spotted Eel, or Fimbriated Moray Eel, Gymnothorax fimbriatus. It has connected spots in a less random manner than those we've seen in Atlases, however, the moray's are known to come in a variety of patterns!The Yellowhead Moray Eel, Dark-spotted Eel, or Fimbriated Moray Eel is like most other, being a hardy animal that likes holes to hide in and eats live, meaty foods. This species is commonly seen and will only grow only up to 30". It is a hardy and fairly peaceful species for the marine aquarium. The Leopard Moray Eel, Gymnothorax undulatus, is not a good choice for a marine aquarium as they grow upwards of 6 feet!If you find one that is called a Leopard Moray Eel, and it has the coloration and patterning of the one above, you most likely are looking at the Yellowhead Moray Eel, Dark-spotted Eel, or Fimbriated Moray Eel rather than a "Leopard Moray Eel". For more Information on keeping this fish see:
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| Geographic Distribution Gymnothorax fimbriatus |
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| Data provided by FishBase.org |
The Yellowhead Moray Eel, Dark-spotted Eel, or Fimbriated Moray Eel is easy to keep. Most eels are very hardy and readily eat all kinds of live and meaty foods.
Maintenance:
Feed all kinds of live fish and meaty foods. Use a poker
if necessary at first to place the food right in front of their mouth.
Don't worry if it doesn't eat for a while at first, they can go for several
weeks without food (and often do).
Habitat: Natural geographic location:
Yellowhead Moray Eel, Dark-spotted Eel, or Fimbriated Moray
Eel are found in the Indo-Pacific.
Foods:
They feed mainly on small fishes in the wild with an occasional
invertebrate.
Social Behaviors:
Sociable and peaceful, can be considered a community fish
as long as the tankmates are not small enough to eat!
Sex: Sexual differences:
Unknown.
Breeding/Reproduction:
Probably not possible in the aquarium. See Breeding
Marine Fish page for a description of how they reproduce in the wild.
Several freshwater species of eels are known to lay their eggs in the ocean and die afterwards.
Light: Recommended light levels:
No special requirements.
Temperature:
No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish
is between 74 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.
Length/Diameter of fish:
Yellowhead Moray Eel, Dark-spotted Eel, or Fimbriated Moray
Eel adults can grow to 80cm (32 inches), the eel pictured above is about
16 inches long.
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
A minimum 60 gallon aquarium is recommended.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
No special requirements.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
Will generally stay in the bottom of the aquarium. Will find
a cave or crawl under a rock and spend most of their time there with only
their heads sticking out.
Availability:
This fish is available from time to time.
Click to see All the comments!
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| Latest Comments |
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| I was walking amongst some rock-pools two days ago and spotted a 2 and a half foot long leopard eel (not a yellow head) and started snorkeling with it. It stayed stock still with its mouth agape and then darted off. I love eels; they're my passion!
2008-05-19 |
| I purchased a fimbriated moray a month ago. Tankmates: four 6 inch columbian sharks, a 5 inch sailfin tang, two yellow mimic tangs, and a volitans lionfish. Within 24 hours, one of the sharks was gone, and that solved the problem of what i was going to feed it ($3.98 each)... The lionfish and the moray seem to have a polite respect for eachother. And the mimics and the sailfin try to harrass the moray, competing for hiding places. I ran out of decent sized sharks and started feeding the eel medium rosys, 3 or 4 at a time, what a time I had trying to keep the lionfish from eating itself to death while the eel fed. The sailfin succumbed to the moray a short while after, and the larger columbians were rescued and put in a brackish water tank. The mimics continue to press their luck, so far this moray has cost me $70 in fish, and is gonna cost me another $120, but at least it will be well fed!!
2007-03-23 |
| We have an 18 inch Yellow Headed Eel in a 300 gallon fish only tank. The Yellowhead also lives with a smaller Snowflake, a V. Lionfish, two different type of puffers, a Harlequin Wrass and a R. Trigger. Last night we added a 6 inch Lunare Wrasses to the tank. This fish was the bully of another of our tanks. Everyone ate fine last night. This morning the Lunare was missing!!! Gone, no where to be found. While feeding the others the Yellowheaded Eel didn't come out to feed. Later we herded the Yellowhead out to find a very large belly! We are convinced this monster ate the Lunare Wrasses.
Debbie N.
2007-02-26 |
| I added a 15" cheetah moray to our tank and immediately lost a 3.5" lunare wrasse to this glutton. After trying to add what I thought was an unswallowable Red Snapper of 3.5" length by 2.5" height, I was treated to a viscious side of mother nature. This eel immediately sunk his fangs into this poor fish, coiled himself around like an anaconda and dragged him under to his hiding place to finish off his $60 meal! So far my 5" Koran Angel is doing fine, but I'm still nervous.
2006-02-28 |
| I currently have a 16" Fimbriated moray eel. His only other tankmate up until today was a porcupine puffer. I bought a very good sized Black volitan Lionfish and in the first night, within 3 hours of putting the lion in the tank, the Moray ate the lion whole! i am so mad that i can hardly see straight. i just gave my moray a $70 meal! I hope he enjoyed it.
2005-07-23 |
| Some of the coolest comments: |
| I have a Sulphur Head Moray Eel (different coloration of a Yellow Headed Moray) and a undulate trigger fish (very aggresive), When they first entered my tank they tried to kill my resident Snowflake eel numerous times, especially the suplhur head (made the snowflake bleed many times). I eventually had to buy a new tank to put the Snowflake into. Then after a couple months, i put a decent size voliton Lionfish in the tank with them. During the FIRST Night, the eel (Nasty Nate) ripped the lionfish in half and ate everything up to his gills... A Very expensive mistake... The sulphur head will not attack the Triggerfish (Squirrel Master), in fact he will occasionally attack the eel. So, now I have what I call a Predator Tank. I throw poor little unsuspecting goldfish and mollies in there and watch them get devoured in just seconds! (The mollies give a much better fighting chance because they like salty water and are much more mobile.) 2004-08-31 |
| I currently have 12" Fimbriated Moray living in a reef tank. I have been very lucky to not have any major incidents.
Make sure you have proper hiding places in at least 2 in different parts of the tank.
Fish in my tank include: Sohal/Yellow/Kole/Naso Tangs, Cherry Grouper, Green Bird Wrasse, Speckled Hawkfish.
Also, the eel loves the cleaner shrimp station. Lets him go all over and inside his mouth.
I have only had him for a short time, but so far so good. 2003-08-04 |
Author: David Brough. CFS.
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