A beautiful and menacing looking fish, the dragon moray eel (Enchelycore pardalis) makes a stunning addition to a large aquarium. This predatory marine fish is a member of the family Muraenidae and can be found in ocean reefs all over the world. The imposing looking eel is easily identified by its narrow curved jawline and the vibrant orange to red stripes on the head and elongated nostrils which give them the appearance of horns.
This fish is a carnivorous species that is active at night and feeds on smaller crustaceans and fish. It has poor eye sight but compensates with a keen sense of smell and will use its body to knot itself around larger prey to gain leverage. If threatened, moray eels can display an impressive threat display where they open their mouths wide, flatten their gills and erect their dorsal fin.
When first introduced to a tank this eel will spend most of its time hiding in rock caves or other areas until it feels more at home. Once acclimated it will be more active and may even rest out in full view of the tank.
This eel can be hard to coax to eat and should be fed live foods such as crabs, shrimp and small fish or squid presented on feeding tongs. Feed 1 to 2 times a week. If your eel is refusing to eat it could be a sign that it has been overfed, the water quality has deteriorated or that it is sick. Try carrying out a partial water change or offering different food.
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