All fish / Muraenidae

Whitemouth Moray Eel

Gymnothorax meleagris

Also known as white mouth moray, whitemouth moray, turkey moray, guineafowl moray, comet moray, white-mouthed moray, ワカウツボ, 白口裸胸鳝, 白口海鳝

A dark brown moray covered in small white spots, with a distinctive white lining inside the mouth. Keepers like it for its striking pattern and bold character, and it becomes quite tame in a large rockwork tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

100 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

700 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: fish, shrimp, squid and other meaty seafood

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaii, Japan and Australia

Breeding

It spawns in open water and has a long drifting leptocephalus larval stage. It has not been bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

It can reach about 1 m and will eat small fish and crustaceans, so tankmates need to be large. It also bites hard and escapes easily, so fit a tight lid and use tongs when feeding.