Enchelycore pardalis

(Temminch & Schlegel, 1846)

Dragon Moray, Leopard Moray, Hawaiian Dragon Moray (if from Hawaii)

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Reunion to Hawaiian, Line and Society Islands, North to Southern Japan, and southern Korea, and south to New Caledonia.

Size: 34 inches (87 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow coral and rocky reefs at depths at about 25 - 200 feet (1 – 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 octopuses.

General Husbandry: Somewhat rare in the trade, yet when seen, this popular species with moray eel keepers is quite expensive. Like others in this genus, has curved jaws with long sharp teeth in a mouth that is always partly open, and with its body coloration an overall brownish orange with dark brown and white spots and white and orange bars on the head and snout. It also has elongated rear nostrils above the eyes that look like horns.

Best maintained in a dimly lit aquarium having live rock, hiding places/caves, and tankmates large enough or aggressive 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, unless the aquarium is very large, >200 gallons with many caves and hiding places.

May be difficult to get feeding, if so, try providing it live fishes small enough to be eaten. Also, live ghost/grass shrimp and/or small crabs, e.g., fiddler crabs can be supplied to induce feeding.

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

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

May attack larger fish, therefore be sure to house with large aggressive tankmates.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: 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: Aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 78°F (22 – 26°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5