Snowflake eel (Echidna nebulosa) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Snowflake moray, Clouded moray, Starry moray, Puhi-kapa
Family
Muraenidae (moray eels)
Origin
Indo-Pacific, Red Sea to Hawaii, and eastern Pacific from Baja California to Colombia; reef flats, tide pools and seagrass
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
100 cm
Temperature
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.020–1.025
Minimum tank
400 litres
Care level
beginner
Temperament
semi_aggressive
Reef safe
with_caution
Lifespan
15+ years

Care

A hardy, commonly kept moray with a white body blotched with black and yellow. It is usually about 50 cm, sometimes up to 100 cm, though it rarely exceeds about 90 cm in captivity. Wikipedia suggests a tank of over 20 US gallons for young eels and 40–50 gallons for adults; we suggest more room for a fully grown fish. It is a messy feeder and needs strong filtration and a tight lid. Its eyesight is poor and it relies on smell, so feed with tongs: it can bite hard. It can live 15 years or more in captivity. Water figures here are general marine aquarium guidance, not species-specific: 24–27 °C, pH 8.1–8.4, salinity SG 1.020–1.025. Minimum tank size of about 400 litres is our estimate from the adult size and habits, not a published figure. 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/Snowflakemoray). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Mainly eats crustaceans, crushing them with blunt, pebble-like teeth. Accepts meaty marine foods such as shrimp, crab, squid and fish; new arrivals may need live ghost shrimp at first. Do not feed freshwater feeder fish, which can cause liver disease.

Breeding

Not bred in home aquaria. It may be able to change sex during its life, but this is unconfirmed.

Compatibility and tank mates

Generally safe with corals, but will eat shrimps, crabs and lobsters, especially if underfed; it may need removing if it starts eating prized invertebrates. Suitable tankmates include lionfish, tangs, triggerfish and wrasses.

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

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