Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Reef Compatible: No
General Description: The Snowflake Moray Eel, also referred to as the Clouded or Snowy Moray Eel, is one of the most popular marine eel species. Unmistakable for its blunt snout, yellow eyes and two horizontal rows of black blotches that run the length of its body, the Snowflake eel has a wide distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific, Red Sea and Hawaiian Islands. The Snowflake eel is a nocturnal predator, ambushing fish and crustaceans that will fit in its mouth. While wild Snowflake eels have been reported to grow as large as 36″ in length, those kept in aquariums rarely exceed 24″.
Diet Requirements: A diet largely consisting of frozen chopped or whole shrimp, scallops, mussels, squid, and krill is recommended. Offering live prey items occasionally, such as fiddler crabs or any type of crustacean, is encouraged. We urge using a pair of forceps rather than your hands to feed eels in order to avoid getting bitten by accident.
Care Requirements: A minimum 75 gallon aquarium is ideal for a small-medium Snowflake eel. Size up accordingly for larger individuals. A tight lid is absolutely required to avoid this eel from mistakenly coming out of the aquarium to its demise. A Snowflake eel will enjoy a variety of rock work and crevices to take refuge and conceal its body. The Snowflake eel does not make a good reef inhabitant for a couple of reasons. The first is that the Snowflake eel has poor eyesight and it may inadvertently damage corals as it moves around. The second is that fish and crustaceans will almost always be eaten if the Snowflake eel can fit them in its mouth. Snowflake eels do best in large fish only with live rock aquariums, and with more robust fish species such as triggers, puffers, groupers, larger angelfish, larger wrasses, and tangs. More than one Snowflake eel can be kept in an aquarium, but we recommend that they all be added at once and that all individuals are of relatively the same size. Recommended water conditions, 72-78° F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025. *Eels are copper sensitive.
Purchase Size: XSmall: 6″ or smaller; Small: 6-1/4″ to 8″; Medium: 8-1/4″ to 12″; Large: 12-1/4″ to 16″; XLarge: 16-1/4″ or larger.
Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase sizes are approximate.
