All fish / Muraenidae

Peppered Moray Eel

Gymnothorax pictus

Also known as peppered moray, painted moray, spotted moray, paintspotted moray, gymnothorax picta, gymnothorax pictus, siderea picta, no, アセウツボ, 花鳍裸胸鳝, 云纹蛇鳝

A pale whitish to grey moray covered in fine dark peppering, often found in shallow rocky reef flats and intertidal pools. Keepers like it because it is hardy and has an interesting look, and it suits a large predator tank with plenty of rockwork to hide in.

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

500 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: crabs, shrimp, squid, fish pieces and other meaty seafood

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific, East Africa to the Americas

Breeding

It scatters eggs in open water, and the larvae drift in the plankton for a long time. It has not been bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

Crabs make up most of its diet, so it will eat crustaceans and small fish, and it may climb out of tanks without a tight-fitting lid. Adults can reach over 1 m and its bite can cause serious injury.