Heteroconger hassi

Klausewitz & Eibl-Eibesfdt, 1959)

Spotted Garden Eel

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea and East Africa to the Society Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.

Size: 16 inches (40 cm)

Natural Environment: Burrows into sandy sloping inshore reef areas and is usually found below depths of about 50 feet (15 m), and feeds on zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Has an overall white coloration with many odd-shaped dark patches and three large black spots on the body. Occasionally seen in the trade, yet a species that should be maintained by professional aquarists.

Taxonomy:

Order: Anguilliformes

Suborder: Congroidei

Family: Congridae

Subfamily: Heterocongrinae

Genus: Heteroconger

FYI: Those in this genus are termed ‘Garden Eels’ and reside buried in the sand or mud with only their upper length/head showing while awaiting a tasty meal to come close enough to be captured and eaten without going too far their burrow. They require at a minimum, for the shortest species, very deep fine sandbeds, e.g., 8 inches (20 cm), more if a large species, and tankmates large enough not to be eaten.

Best displayed in tall ‘special species’ type aquariums/public aquarium displays.

Minimum decor is ideal, as they prefer wide-open areas to see incoming food possibilities, and to be maintained in small groups/colonies.

Basically unsuitable for the average home reef or fish-only aquarium as they require very deep substrates to encompass their entire body.

Shown here for identification only.