Enchelycore carychroa

Bohlke & Bohlke, 1976

Chestnut Moray, Viper Moray, Caribbean Moray

Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and south to Brazil.

Size: 14 inches (35 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky and rubble areas on coastal reefs at depths at about 10 - 200 feet (3 – 60 m) and stays under rocks and/or in caves during daytime and hunts prey during evening hours when it feeds mainly on small fishes and crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade having slender, curved jaws with long sharp teeth in a mouth that is always partly open, with its body coloration an overall chestnut brown.

Fairly shy, and best maintained in a dimly lit aquarium having live rock, hiding places/caves, and tankmates large enough not to be eaten.

As to diet, fresh fish and/or crustacean flesh impaled on a long feeding stick and waved near its head, which usually sticks out of a hiding area, will entice it to grab the food and should be offered twice weekly.

Taxonomy:

Order: Anguilliformes

Suborder: Muraenoidei

Family: Muraenidae

Subfamily: Muraeninae

Genus: Enchelycore

FYI: Avoid hand feeding!

One per aquarium.

May be difficult to get feeding, if so, try feeding live ghost/grass shrimp and/or small crabs, e.g., fiddler crabs.

Aquarium must be covered, as they can get out of the aquarium through very small openings. Its an escape artist.

Rockwork in the aquarium should be quite stable, as they can undermine rock structures and cause their collapse.

One of the smallest morays.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Semi-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 28°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5