Their bites can cause flesh wounds which can lead to the fish associating your hand with food. The Zebra Moray
Zebra moray
The zebra moray, Gymnomuraena zebra, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. It is the only member of the genus Gymnomuraena, though it sometimes has been included in Echidna instead.
What do zebra moray eels eat?
The Zebra Moray Eel’s diet should include generous portions of meaty foods and fresh fish – clams, squid, scallops, and shrimp. If possible, give your eel live food every now and then and feed when hungry – a couple times a week.
How often should I Feed my zebra eel?
If possible, give your eel live food every now and then and feed when hungry – a couple times a week. Like other moray eels, caution should be used when housing the Zebra eel in a reef tank.
What are the different types of moray eels?
This includes the banded moray (Echidna polyzona), the zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra) and the ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita). All these species are likely to require special attention when it comes to food selection and presentation (the latter species is an especially tricky eel to keep).
What kind of fish is a zebra moray?
As with other Muraenidae family of eels, the Zebra Moray is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific area from the eastern coast of Africa to western coast of Americas. The eye-catching Zebra Moray Eel is an ideal moray for the community fish tank.
What does a zebra moray eel eat?
These eels eat fish, crustaceans, worms and other scavenged food. At the zoo, we feed the eels capelin (a small fish), krill and squid.
How do you feed a zebra eel?
1:493:07All About The Zebra Moray Eel | FEEDING SHRIMP - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey I dye it they are strictly carnivore of course shrimp nut twice a week make sure you'reMoreThey I dye it they are strictly carnivore of course shrimp nut twice a week make sure you're watching if they get uninterested.
What do I feed my moray eel?
Feeding. All moray eels are carnivorous and consume either fish or crustaceans. Since a constant supply of live silversides and blue crabs is unlikely to be available, you'll want to train your eel to accept fresh or frozen seafood instead.
How often should I feed my zebra eel?
Dietary Requirements for Zebra Moray Eels The Zebra Moray Eel's diet should include generous portions of meaty foods and fresh fish – clams, squid, scallops, and shrimp. If possible, give your eel live food every now and then and feed when hungry – a couple times a week.
How long can a zebra eel go without eating?
If poor water conditions are suspected, it may take several weeks for them to start feeding again. In the meantime, do several larger partial water changes to remedy the problem. Morays have been known to go 2 months without eating, with not weight loss or health issues.
How long can a moray eel go without eating?
Don't worry about it, eels can go weeks without food as long as they are healthy. If it hasn't eaten for a week or two, try live food, ghost shrimp is a good bet.
Do moray eels like to be petted?
Since "Oliver The Green Moray Eel Loves to be Petted" was uploaded in 2012, it has seen more than 100,000 views and countless Twitter shares. When looking for helpful tips and web pages about keeping an eel as a pet, you're bound to stumble upon this clip.
How often should you feed a moray eel?
As for frequency, 3-4 times per week is great. For amount, that really depends on the size of the Eel. Mine will eat either a whole large clam, OR 6-7 silversides, OR a dozen or so krill.
Do eels need sand?
The tire track eel likes to bury itself in a soft substrate, so they require good aquarium sand. Moreover, these are skittish animals and require a lot of safe hiding spaces. Lots of aquarium plants, rocks, caves, pieces of driftwood, and PVC piping are recommended.
Are zebra moray eels rare?
The number of zebra moray eels currently residing in the oceans is unknown. However, they are present in great numbers and often hide in reefs and in rocky ocean beds, making it difficult to ascertain their true population.
How big do zebra moray eels get?
5 feetThe strikingly marked zebra moray is not common, but is easily recognized: it has a blunt snout and is a deep chocolate brown with narrow light yellow bars. This species may reach sizes up to 5 feet, though most specimens are smaller.
How big does a zebra moray get?
The zebra moray is considered as a medium-sized fish even if it can reach a maximum length of 150 cm. However, the average size commonly observed is more of the order of 50 cm. It is densely banded dark and whitish, giving rise to its common name.
How do you feed an eel?
A well-balanced eel diet consists of high-protein foods, such as frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms, krill or brine shrimp, and live foods, such as earthworms and black worms. Things to remember when feeding your eel: Feed them daily.
How do you take care of a zebra eel?
They will readily accept other food sources in the aquarium and almost always accept dead food such as shrimp and other types of sea food. Give them a varied diet consisting of meaty foods. If possible it is good to give them some live food every now and again. Feed your Zebra moray eels when they are hungry.
How much does a zebra eel cost?
Item #DescriptionPrice001753Zebra Eel , Medium: over 8-14", Indo Pacific$299.99001755Zebra Eel , Large: over 14-20", Indo Pacific$399.99001757Zebra Eel , X-Large: over 20-26", Indo Pacific$499.99001759Zebra Eel , XX-Large: over 26-32", Indo Pacific$599.992 more rows
How big do zebra eels get?
Description. The zebra moray is considered as a medium-sized fish even if it can reach a maximum length of 150 cm. However, the average size commonly observed is more of the order of 50 cm. It is densely banded dark and whitish, giving rise to its common name.
What do zebra moray eels eat?
DIET. The zebra moray eel is carnivorous, and does most of its hunting at night. They feed mainly on crustaceans, mollusks and sea urchins. With their short blunt grinding teeth they are able to crush their prey and grind the meat out.
What color are zebra moray eels?
APPEARANCE. The Zebra moray eel is a dark brown to medium brown color with white rings. In some specimens not all the rings go all the way round the body. On lighter colored specimens such as in the images a faint reddish ring can be seen in between the white rings. Compared to most other morays the head is small and rounded.
What are the jaws of a moray eel?
Moray eels have a second set of toothed jaws in their throat called pharyngeal jaws. When feeding, morays latch onto the prey with their outer jaws. They then push their pharyngeal jaws, which are set back in the pharynx, forward into the mouth. These jaws then grasp the prey and pull it back into the stomach. Moray eels are the only fish that use pharynge al jaws to capture prey. Their main hunting tool is their excellent sense of smell which makes up for their poor eyesight.
What is a zebra moray?
2911. T he zebra moray, Gymnomuraena zebra as its name implies is a dark colored moray with white stripes. They are one of the more reclusive moray eels. As they are nocturnal they are not commonly seen.
Why do moray eels open their mouths?
As a result the moray is constantly opening and closing its mouth to facilitate sufficient water flow over its gills.
Do moray eels have poison?
Some researchers speculate that moray eels contain toxins in their mouths and are poisonous.From many years of catching crayfish on the Kwa Zulu Natal coast I have never had a bite go sceptic. After every bite I have soaked the bite area in hot water as hot as I can take it.
Can a zebra moray eel be seen in a cave?
The zebra moray eel are not generally seen protruding from a hole or small cave as are most morays. Usually during the day they can only be seen deep in caves or holes and seldom if ever put their head out.
Appearance
Habitat
- The white-mouth moray eel is found across the Indian ocean and in the Pacific. They are found as far west as the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands.
Diet
- The zebra moray eel is carnivorous, and does most of its hunting at night. They feed mainly on crustaceans, mollusks and sea urchins. With their short blunt grinding teeth they are able to crush their prey and grind the meat out. As with most other morays they will probably feed on carrion if the opportunity presents its self. Moray eels have a sec...
Reproduction
- Studies have shown hermaphroditism in morays, some being sequential and others synchronous which can reproduce with either sex. Courtship usually occurs when water temperatures are high. After posturing to each other they wrap their bodies around each other and simultaneously release sperm and eggs. Once they hatch the larvae float in the ocean for aroun…
Commercial Exploitation
- Ciguatoxin, the main toxin of ciguatera, is produced by a toxic dinoflagellate and accumulated up through the food chain, of which moray eels are top. This makes them potentially dangerous for humans to eat. They are fished and do take bait but because of the toxins should not be eaten. Once caught they are extremely troublesome to deal with. They wrap around the line and secret…
Aquariums
- Because of their attractive looks and their diet they are kept in aquariums. As their diet comprises of crustaceans, mollusks and sea urchins, they are reasonably safe to keep in a tank with fishes. Due to their size of up to one meter in length they should only be kept in a very large aquarium. Being very reclusive they require deep hiding places where the whole body can be hid…
Zebra Moray Eel Classification
- Kingdom:Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Anguilliformes Family: Muraenidae Subfamily:Muraeninae Genus: Gymnomuraena
Literature Cited
- The Reef Guide fishes, corals, nudibranchs & other invertebrates: East and South Coasts of Southern Africa by Dennis King & Valda Fraser
Equipment Used