Care
The Snowflake Moray Eel is known from coral/rocky reefs, intertidal reef flats, shallow lagoons, seaward reefs, and, on occasion, seagrass beds. Here, this elongate bottom-dweller may be found in the narrow nooks and crannies between rocks and corals, at a maximum depth of 48m (158ft), but is most commonly encountered at around 10m (33ft) or less. It forages mainly at night on crustaceans but will also take small fishes. The aquarium should be spacious and mature, with a soft sandy substrate. Most importantly, it should be securely covered to prevent the eel escaping on to the floor. Create plenty of narrow, shady refuges in the rockwork that the eel can explore and hide amongst, ensuring that all decor is stable and cannot be undermined. Suitable crevices should have a fairly narrow entrance hole but be roomy enough behind for the eel to conceal its entire body within. Most of the day will be spent with its head projecting from this favoured shelter. Unfortunately, this fish is not recommended for reef aquaria, as ornamental crustaceans and small fishes may be eaten, and corals that are not securely attached to the rockwork may be accidentally toppled. The Snowflake Moray grows large and is a voracious eater, so ensure that the filtration/protein skimming is very efficient and capable of coping with the erratic loading that results from big meals and subsequent spikes in waste output. Circulation should be good, with areas of brisk water movement and some calmer resting spots out of the current. This fish is normally mild-mannered, but becomes somewhat frenzied at feeding times - resist the temptation to hand feed youngsters, as adults that associate fingers with food are something of a liability! Can be kept in groups if space allows, but do ensure all specimens are of the same size and are added simultaneously, as newcomers added at a later date are rarely accepted. Tankmates can include many medium-large sized fish that thrive in a similar set up. The Snowflake Moray Eel is an excellent candidate for those willing to set-up a tank around its specific needs and combines all the appeal of an eel in a fairly manageable package.
May occasionally be seen as Clouded or Starry Moray.
Feeding
Offer a variety of meaty foods including Mysis shrimp, krill, prawns, cockle, mussel, squid, crab meat, chunks of white fish etc. Always use tongs for target feeding - this fish has sharp dentition and can give a nasty bite as it lunges for food. Live feeder shrimps are relished and can be boosted by gutloading with a good dried food prior to being introduced. To ensure nutritional deficiencies are avoided, use a multivitamin supplement regularly for fish that don't take dried food.
Breeding
This species has not been bred in the home aquarium. Pairs should be easy to form due to sequential nature of sexes but immature fish may need to be grown up together to avoid compatibility problems.
