Gymnothorax pictus
| Latin name | Gymnothorax pictus - (Ahl, 1789) |
|---|---|
| Local name | Peppered moray |
| Family | Muraenidae - Gymnothorax |
| Origin | East Indian Ocean, West Indian Ocean, Australia, The Red Sea, Indonesia, East Pacific, Central/West Pacific |
| Max length | 140 cm (55.1") |
| Minimum volume |
1000 l (264 gal) 
|
|---|---|
| Hardiness |
Hardy
|
| Suitable for aquarium |
Suitable with care
|
| Reef safe |
Reef safe with caution
|
| Aggressiveness | Might be aggressive |
| Recommended |
Fish Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...) |
|---|
This species poses a threat towards shrimps and crabs etc., which are relatively small.
Morays can easily escape from aquaria, they can even move loose lids and glass covers without problems.
This species can pose a threat towards fish that are relatively large in comparison to its own size.
Morays should be fed a large meal every 3-4 days, as they otherwise can harm themselves by over eating.
If one has problems with getting the Morays to eat frozen fish or crustaceans, try moving the food in front of the fish with a tweezer.
Do note, that the food must be varied and raw/fresh, whole shrimps or smelt (small fish) for example.
It can take a week before they start feeding in the aquarium, but this is not a problem.
Try feeding them live fish or shrimp if the Morays iare not eating frozen foods after a week.
This species has a habit of rearranging rocks and sand.
Make sure rocks are placed securely on the substrate, so they cannot toppled over.
This species needs good hiding places, for example, between live rocks.
This species is nocturnal and therefore the most active when the light is dimmed or turned off.
Moray eels (Muraenidae) are predatory fish that will most commonly live off fish or crustaceans.
To avoid overfeeding, the Moray must only be fed every 3-4 days, but may then also have a large meal.
They may dig up the substrate or move loose objects in the aquarium, so fastening the rocks and corals to the tank is a good idea.
Moray eels can easily escape from the tank if not tightly closed. They can lift lids and glass covers, do not underestimate their escape ability.
It is important that the Moray can, with its full length, hide between the rocks.
There are a few Moray eels which are suitable for reef aquaria, but the bigger species can only live in large tanks with other big fish.
Many Morays have a slightly poisonous bite, although it is not normally dangerous for people. One must not underestimate the strength of their bite however.
| Aquarium trade | No |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Indo-Pacific: East Africa (Ref. 26165) to the Galapagos, Cocos, and Clipperton islands, north to the Hawaiian and Ryukyu islands, south to Australia and the Kermadec Islands. |
| German common names |
Tüpfelmuräne |
| French common names |
Murène grise des flaques |
| English common names |
Ocellate moray Painted moray Peppered moray |
Scott W. Michael. 2001. Reef Fishes volume 1 - TFH Publications / Microcosm Ltd. - (English)
Frank Marini. 2002. A Serpent For Your Reef Tank: A Look at Fish-Safe Eels - Reefkeeping Magazine - (English)
Mike Maddox. 2009. Morays! - Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine - (English)
Kirby Adams. Five Favorite Eels - Wet Web Media - (English)
Bob Fenner. The Moray Eels, Family Muraenidae, pt. 1 - Wet Web Media - (English)
Bob Fenner. The Moray Eels, Family Muraenidae, pt. 2, Less Aquarium Suitable Species - Wet Web Media - (English)
Marco Lichtenberger. 2007. Moray Eels Bite—But Are They Poisonous? - Tropical Fish Hobbyist - (English)