All fish / Muraenidae

Freshwater Moray Eel

Gymnothorax polyuranodon

Also known as freshwater moray, polyuranodon moray, spotted freshwater moray, many-toothed moray, fw moray eel, freshwater spotted moray, ปลาไหลมอเรย์น้ำจืด, belut moray air tawar, ナミダカエルウツボ, sidat moray air tawar, 淡水裸胸鳝, 多齿裸胸鳝

A yellowish to tan moray covered in dense dark blotches, with the long, snake-like body and gaping mouth typical of the family. It lives in river mouths, estuaries and lower stretches of streams, and keepers value it as one of the few morays that will tolerate low salinity.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

60 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Best kept singly

Diet

Carnivore: fish, prawns, mussels, squid and other meaty foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Brackish

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, northern Australia, Fiji

Breeding

Not bred in captivity. Like other morays it is thought to spawn at sea with a long-lived planktonic larval stage, so home breeding is not realistic.

Good to know

Although sold as a freshwater fish, it does best long term in brackish to near-marine water. It is a skilled escape artist that needs a tightly sealed lid, and it will eat any fish small enough to swallow.