Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea to Marquesas, north to Southern Japan and Hawaiian Islands, and south to the Great Barrier Reef and Tuamotu Islands.
Size: 24 inches (60 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow lagoons, seaward reefs, and reef flats at depths between 6 to about 80 feet (2 – 20 m) and stays under rocks and/or in caves during daytime and hunts prey during evening hours when it feeds mainly on crabs, and somewhat on shrimps.
General Husbandry: One of the more commonly seen in the trade moray eels, having a short blunt snout, with its body coloration alternating pale white and dark brown bands.
Best maintained in a dimly lit aquarium having live rock, hiding places/caves, and peaceful tankmates, as this species will not eat its peaceful, smaller tankmates.
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: Echidna
FYI: Avoid hand feeding!
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.
Length can exceed that mentioned above.
More than one can be maintained in the same aquarium, or with other species morays.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
