Keeping aquariums at home brings peace. It has been observed that it lessens your anxiety and stress level and freshens up your mood. They’re also said to bring creativity within a person and broaden one’s mind, making one focus better. To give an unorthodox touch to your drawing-room or make it look aesthetic, people usually go for eels- especially the saltwater kind.
This article will lead you to the best eels for aquarium (saltwater) that will suit you. Everything you need to know about unique fish for a saltwater aquarium is right here!
Suitable Saltwater Eels
Moray eels are known to be the best fish for a saltwater aquarium. This particular kind of eel is getting increasingly popular among the fish keepers. The vast range of its species containing various patterns and styles will always suit your desires. Their hypnotic swimming motion creates a unique dynamic in your aquarium. Morays have around 200 species with their unique look, which will never bore you. However, only 12 out of them are considered suitable for a home aquarium, whereas only five are thought to be safe for housing with other fishes.
Morays are mostly found in coral reefs in tropical regions. They are primarily marine, but a few of their species live in brackish water. They are found in a vast range of varieties concerning their colors, patterns, and diet. For instance, some of them have vibrant colors, while others are muted; some have intricate patterns instead of the simple block designs; some eat fishes while the others eat crustaceans. They also differ in sizes and weights.
More Information
They breathe through their mouths, and that is why their mouths stay open to take water to the gills. But they are thought to be aggressive creatures, as people misinterpret their open mouths as the sign of them being ready to bite; also because their snake-like appearance makes them look as violent as snakes.
These kinds of fishes are hard to find compared to the other fishes. They won’t be available at the local pet store, and you’ll have to look for them at the eel department specialists. Even if you find similar eels being sold somewhere, the chances of finding this specific species are relatively less. They are hard to be kept in stock, and stores face difficulty in their breeding. If you ever come across the Moray eel, don’t let it get away!
Their prices also vary depending on the species, its size, and from where you’re buying the moray of your desire. You can get the most popular Moray species within $25-$100, but the rare species can cost you hundreds of dollars.
Characteristics of the Moray Eel, Suitable for Your Aquarium
Here are some of the best eels for aquarium (saltwater) you can lay your hands on, along with their characteristics. You need to know their nature if you want to pet them!
Chain-link Moray Eel
These species are found in shallow parts of the Western Atlantic Ocean and the islands across the Atlantic. They mostly become the target of the aquarium trade. Their length reaches up to 30 inches. These species eat fishes, so you’d better keep them in a separate tank. They are usually black colored with yellow stripes on the body.
Giant Moray Eel
This species of Moray is considered the most massive moray eel. They are 9.8 feet long. They are widespread in the Indo-pacific region and can also be found on the Eastern coast of Africa, including the red sea. The giant moray usually lives in lagoons and on the outer slopes of the coral reef. They mostly feed on fishes and sometimes on crustaceans. They are brownish.
Green Moray Eel
They are mostly found in the region of Western Atlantic from New Jersey to Brazil. They live 40m deep in the oceans. Green Moray is known to be as Nocturnal Hunters, as they use their sense of smell to hunt down fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.
Snowflake Moray Eel
This species of Moray is the most common for aquariums, as they are small, tamed, colorful, and can be kept easily in the community or reef aquarium. Multiple snowflake morays can be held in the same aquarium because this moray species is very much docile. They can’t be kept with ornamental crabs and lobsters as they feed on crustaceans. We highly recommended this kind of eel; They are simply the best fish for a saltwater aquarium.
Zebra Moray
Zebra Moray is the most suitable for large home aquariums as they are well tamed towards fishes and invertebrates, excluding crustaceans. They tend to adapt to the environment of an aquarium more quickly than larger eels. They grow fast, about 60inch long; you should purchase them in smaller specimens because of their growing speed. Zebra Moray likes to stay hidden in the light, as they are shy species. We love their unique patterns! These eels are found with black, brown, and white vertical stripes.
Golden-tail Moray
Golden-tail morays are the best eels for aquarium (saltwater) as they are well tamed and have comparatively small adult size, just 27 inches long. They feed on small fishes and crustaceans. The fish are the best for the inexperienced aquarist. They can be found in multiple colors, from bright yellow and gold to speckled brown and gold.
Dragon Moray
This species is relatively uncommon. That is why it’s highly expensive as well! It is considered a good choice for large setups as it enhances the look of an aquarium. They are piscivore as they can feed on any fish of the size of their head or even smaller. Dragon Moray is 36 inches long. They’ve red-orange, yellow-brown, and white spotted patterns with red and white dragon-like vertical, flared-up nostrils that make their sharp teeth stand out. Everyone loves dragons, and having your dragon moray is a unique, fascinating experience.
Honeycomb Moray
They are a bit similar to dragon moray; they support a few color vibrations, like the black-and-white honeycomb pattern and the orange-brown-and-white spotted pattern. The fish usually feed on crustaceans and slow-small fishes. They are 40 inches long.
Dwarf Moray
As the name suggests, they are tiny eels, about 10 inches long. They are highly expensive because of their size, not-even-a-foot length. Their minimal price is $400, and it gets higher depending upon their size and colors.
Habitat and Tank Conditions
Moray eels are exclusively marine and found in the tropical regions with coral reefs. Corals and rocks are essential for their habitats or tanks to let them weave in between. This encourages playful behavior, and your fish live a healthier, longer life. Moray eels are relatively more robust than others, and they’re very active, especially during feeding. Rocks should be put in their tanks to keep them from knocking down.
As they produce a large amount of waste, it is recommended to keep them in a bare-bottomed tank. These saltwater eels also like to bury themselves in their substrate. Their aquarists can put a thin layer of sand in their tanks to keep an eye on them when they bury themselves. As the size of these eels varies from species to species, from 4.5 inches to 13 feet, their tanks will also vary depending upon their sizes. The largest eels, more than 10 inches long, aren’t usually kept at home as it gets hard to take care of them. The ones with 2.5 feet length are to be kept in a 30-gallon tank. Eels with 15 inches in size, the ‘mini-morays,’ are to be kept in a 15-gallon tank.
The eels take the carnivorous diet; a significant amount of mess is produced in a short period. To keep the tank from nitrogenous waste, water should get changed in 1-2 days, regularly. Wet-dry filters and canister filters can help maintain suitable water quality.
Diet and Feeding
Eels are usually nocturnal ambush predators in the wild. They have dilated pupils to help them prey in dim light, but the saltwater eels quickly get used to the daytime feeding routine. Morays are carnivores, but they can be divided into those who eat hard-shelled organisms- durophagous, and those who eat fishes-piscivorous. These both eels have jaws according to their diets. Eels also like varied diets. You can provide them live food along with your crustaceans and fishes. Eels enjoy live food, especially when they are in hunting mode. As live food is hard to find, you can also give them frozen crabs, lobsters, and other fishes.
There comes a time when they refuse to eat. The reason can be improper water conditions, which can be resolved by changing the water. One reason for them not eating can be overfeeding. If this doesn’t seem to be the case of their food refusal, then you can try changing their food. This hunger strike is among the newly added individuals. The newbies get settled with the time if you keep giving them a proper diet and lots of attention! These saltwater eels should not be fed too much. If they eat excessively, there are chances of them developing liver complications. It is recommended to feed them twice a week. After all, we love our eels and want them to live a happy, healthy life!
Conclusion
Moray eels are the best eels for an aquarium (saltwater) if you want to give an offbeat touch to your home. Their unique behaviors and colors will attract every eye, but you need to keep certain things in mind before bringing them home. For instance, they can only be kept with the fishes, which are large enough and in a tank filled with corals and crevices to help them hide.
Before purchasing a particular eel, make sure to thoroughly research it and buy a tank according to the recommended maximum size. Read blogs for guidance regarding fish for saltwater aquariums. You can also check out a reliable aquarium retailer for purchasing and for more detailed information!
