Common name: Splendid garden eel

General information

The Splendid Garden Eel, Gorgasia preclara, is a captivating and slender fish that is a favorite among aquarists who appreciate its unique behavior and appearance. These eels are known for their striking coloration, with a white body adorned with orange to brown bars and spots, which provides excellent camouflage among the sandy sea floor where they dwell.

In the wild, they are typically found in colonies, where each individual eel maintains a burrow in the sand. They are rarely aggressive towards each other, and their social behavior is a fascinating aspect to observe in a home aquarium.

Care

Caring for Splendid Garden Eels can be challenging due to their specific habitat requirements. They need a deep sand bed to construct their burrows and a tank with a gentle current to mimic their natural environment. These eels are also known to be shy and may hide if the tank is too busy or if they feel threatened.

Feeding can be tricky as they prefer to eat in the water column. A diet of live or frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and other small planktonic foods is ideal. Consistent and patient feeding practices are necessary to ensure that these eels receive adequate nutrition.

Reproduction

Reproduction in captivity is rare for Splendid Garden Eels. In the wild, they engage in a unique spawning behavior where males and females rise from their burrows and release gametes into the water column. This synchronized spawning usually occurs during specific moon phases.

Habitat

Splendid Garden Eels are found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Society Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, and south to New Caledonia. They inhabit sandy areas adjacent to reefs at depths ranging from 7 to 45 meters, where they can retreat into their burrows for protection.