Behavior: Spotted garden eels burrow into the sandy sea bottom to make their home. They make their body rigid by tightening their muscles and then drive their pointy tail deep into the sand.
Heteroconger hassi.
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Family: | Congridae |
| Genus: | Heteroconger |
| Species: | hassi |
Do garden eels come out of the sand?
Other eels swim freely to capture their prey. Although garden eels can swim freely, they choose instead to burrow into the sand. They anchor themselves to the hole by secreting a paste that sticks to the sides of the burrow. Then they emerge, drifting back and forth, feeding on plankton that passes by.
Do eels hide in sand?
They burrow themselves in the sand, mud (or more rarely among the rocks). Unlike most eel species who are nocturnal, garden eels feed during the day and will retreat in their burrow at night.
Why do garden eels face the same direction?
Fun Facts about the Splendid Garden Eel
Diet consists of zooplankton it picks from the current as it flows past. For this reason, all the eels in a colony generally face the same direction: into the current.
How much sand do garden eels need?
The Garden Eel should be kept in a 40 gallon or larger aquarium with at least 6 inches of sand, a gentle current, and without aggressive tank mates.
Do garden eels leave their burrows?
Garden eels will generally only leave their original burrows to move closer to mates during spawning season. If two males end up too close to one another, they may fight over territory and nearby females. While mating, garden eels entwine their upper halves together, their tails remaining in their individual burrows.
How long do garden eels live for?
35 – 40 years
The average life of spotted garden eel is 35 – 40 years. You can see the spotted garden eel in the Red Sea Section of Istanbul Akvaryum. Spotted garden eels have an improved visual sense that allows them to easily see their prey, and predators that pose a threat.
Why do garden eels bury themselves?
If it feels threatened, it retreats into its burrow and closes it with a mucus block so the predator cannot dig into its home. It has a gland in its tail that secretes a sticky substance that keeps the burrow from falling in on itself and burying the garden eel in sand.
Why do eels bury themselves?
Between April and September they swim in large shoals close to the seabed and will burrow into the sand to escape predators. In the winter months, they bury themselves up to 50cm in the sand.
What is a group of garden eels called?
Garden Eel Classification and Scientific Name
The scientific name for the collective group of these eels is Heterocongrinae. The species comprises two genera: Heteroconger and Gorgasia.
How large do garden eels get?
Can grow to about 24 inches (60 cm) in length although individuals of 14-16 inches (35-40 cm) are more common. Body diameter to about 0.5 inches (1.4 cm).
How big do garden eels get?
Size: They grow to 16 inches (40 cm) in length and have a body diameter of 0.5 inch (1.3 cm). Behavior: Spotted garden eels burrow into the sandy sea bottom to make their home. They make their body rigid by tightening their muscles and then drive their pointy tail deep into the sand.
Can you keep a garden eel as a pet?
The easiest approach would be to keep them in a species-specific aquarium. If you’ve got the money and space for a tank large enough to house both a deep sand bed and a rocky reef for your corals, that would be OK, too. Since Garden Eels are timid animals, they can fall victim to larger carnivorous fish fairly easily.
What should I feed my eel?
What Foods Do Eels Eat? Eels eat insects, fish, and crustaceans as part of their carnivorous diet. Eels eat fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. They are carnivorous predators that eat a very diverse diet, including just about any marine creature that is smaller than them.
Can two eels live in the same tank?
If your tank is large enough, you can also have more than one snowflake eel, but it’s best if they’re both about the same size and added to the tank at the same time. It’s important to be aware that snowflake eels can become aggressive with each other, as well as to other tank mates, during feeding times.
Do eels burrow into sand?
Each eel has to make its own burrow that goes straight down into the sand. They dig these burrows with their tails using a gland in their tail which secretes a slime that makes the sand stick together. This technique ensures that the eels burrow does not collapse.
Why are garden eels called garden eels?
Spotted Garden Eels get their name because their colonies look like sea grass from a distance. They’re found in the sandy bottom of the Western Pacific.
Is a garden eel a fish?
Description. The spotted garden eel is a small fish that can reach a maximum length of 40 centimetres (16 in; 1.3 ft).
How do garden eels breed?
During the mating season, males and females move their burrows closer and closer until they can temporarily combine them. White-ring garden eels mate via a behavior known at broadcast spawning, where the female releases her eggs and the male releases his sperm into the water column at the same time.
Are garden eels true eels?
Congers are members of the true eel order, and although these garden eels are tiny, their close relative the European conger is the larges species of eel in the world. Verdict: IT’S AN EEL!
Does eel fish produce electricity?
Electric Eel | National Geographic. Electric eels can generate an electrical charge of up to 600 volts in order to stun prey and keep predators at bay.