Snowflake eel

Care at a glance

The snowflake eel is white with black, snowflake-like blotches and is the most commonly kept moray in the marine aquarium. Unlike most morays it has blunt, rounded teeth rather than needle-sharp ones: it is specialised in crushing crabs and crustaceans.

That makes it precisely the problem for your cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs, which sooner or later disappear. Above all provide an absolutely tight cover, because morays escape through any opening; feed it with tongs so it does not confuse your hand with food.

Good to know

• Outgrows most home tanks
• Preys on shrimp and snails
• Active at night
• Known jumper — cover the tank

Best not combined with

• Cleaner shrimpLysmata amboinensis
• Hermit crab (red leg)Clibanarius sp.
• Fire shrimpLysmata debelius

Related species

• Matted filefishAcreichthys tomentosus
• Ribbon eelRhinomuraena quaesita
• Clarkii clownfishAmphiprion clarkii
• Starry blennySalarias ramosus
• Longnose hawkfishOxycirrhites typus
• Tomato clownfishAmphiprion frenatus