Brown Garden Eel (Heteroconger longissimus)
Fish in the family Congridae. Hard care. Reef Safe.
Quick facts
Appearance
Heteroconger longissimus is a slender, elongated eel with a brown to tan coloration and a distinctive yellow-gold stripe running along its dorsal surface. The body is cylindrical and can extend to nearly 4 feet in length. Garden eels characteristically inhabit burrows in sandy bottoms and exhibit a unique hovering behavior near their burrow entrance.
Diet and feeding
Feed small live or frozen zooplankton such as copepods, mysis shrimp, and brine shrimp. Multiple small feedings daily are preferable to one large feeding, mimicking their natural grazing behavior on plankton drifting past their burrow.
Difficulty and care for the Brown Garden Eel
Brown garden eels are challenging in captivity because they require specific sandy substrate conditions, excellent water quality, and frequent small feedings. They are also prone to jumping and may hide excessively if stressed.
Common health issues
Marine ich, Fin Rot, Swim Bladder Disorder, White Spot Syndrome, Bacterial Infections
Origin and habitat
Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, East Africa, and across to the Hawaiian Islands and French Polynesia, typically found in coral reef environments at depths of 5-40 meters.
Log Brown Garden Eel in your reef tank
Reef Trak gives you the full record on every species in your tank: acquisition date, source, photos, parameters at time of stocking, and links to maintenance and feeding events. Track Brown Garden Eel alongside everything else in your reef.
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