Chainlink moray eel (Echidna catenata) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Chain moray, Gymnothorax catenatus
Family
Muraenidae (moray eels)
Origin
Western Atlantic, Bermuda and Florida to Brazil; clear shallow reefs and rocky shores
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
165 cm
Temperature
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.023–1.026
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
semi_aggressive
Reef safe
no

Care

A black moray with a yellow chain-like pattern, usually 30–45 cm but recorded to 165 cm. It is mainly nocturnal and hides in crevices by day with its head showing. It can survive out of water for a short time and forages in tide pools, so lids must be completely secure. Morays have poor eyesight and find food by smell, so feed with tongs rather than fingers; a bite can be deep and may become infected. Fit a tight lid with every gap closed, as eels are expert escape artists. It occasionally enters the aquarium trade. Water figures here are general marine aquarium guidance, not species-specific: 24–27 °C, pH 8.1–8.4, salinity SG 1.023–1.026. Adults grow far too large for home aquaria and are for public-aquarium-sized systems; no home tank size is given. Selling: our policies require the adult size and long-term tank needs to be stated clearly in the listing. Large fish must travel by a specialist live-animal courier (see the Livestock shipping guide). Sources: Wikipedia, List of marine aquarium fish species (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listofmarineaquariumfishspecies); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainmoray). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Crabs are its main food, with shrimps, worms, octopus and small fish; its blunt teeth suit crushing crustaceans. Offer crab, shrimp, mussel and squid.

Breeding

Breeding in home aquaria has not been reported in the sources used here.

Compatibility and tank mates

Not reef safe: it eats crustaceans. The list notes it can live with fish too small to swallow, but it does take small fish in the wild, so choose robust tankmates.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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