Garden eels - Congridae
GARDEN EELS - CONGRIDAE
Garden eels belong to one of the most shy fish species. They live in large colonies where each eel has its own burrow hole. When seeing one of these colonies from a distance, it looks like a large amount of sticks coming out of the sand. They come out of their burrow to feed on zooplankton brought along by passing currents. When threatened they retract themselves into the burrow. Garden eels never leave their hiding places and even when mating make contact through the sand. Length: 40 cm. Distribution: from Bali (Indonesia) to SW- Japan, Fiji and Vanuatu.
White to cream with numerous dark bars. Most bars do not completely encircle the
body. Mostly visible when a good current passes their burrows.
Form colonies in shallow sandy areas close to reefs of sheltered bays and coastal
slopes, from -1 to -10 m. Length: 60 cm.
Distribution: Philippines and Indonesia.
Pale to dark brown with numerous white-bluish specks.
Fine white margin on dorsal fin and elongate white patch on gill cover.
Lives in a burrow, like all other garden eels. Solitary or in colonies, in sand or muddy bottom of sheltered bays and coastal reefs, from -1 to -35 m. Length: 47 cm.
Distribution: from Kalimantan (Indonesia) to Papua New Guinea.
White to yellow base colour with dark-brown spots on head, body and dorsal fin.
Lives solitary or in small groups, in silty or sandy bottoms close to coastal reefs.
Can be found from -5 to -15 m. Feeds on plankton. Length: 40 cm.
Distribution: From the Maldives to SW- Japan, Guam and Fiji.
Alternating white and orange encircling bars which are divided by a dark brown to
black line. Lives solitary or in small colonies on sand or rubble substrates near reefs, from -18 to -75 m. Feeds on plankton. Length: 70 cm.
Distribution: from Comoro Is. to Philippines, Fiji, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. From pale to dark grey. White spots on head and dottet line on sides.
Long dorsal fin. Large colonies, coastal and seaward reefs exposed to current.
From -15 to -40 m.
Garden eels info
Heteroconger taylori -Taylor's garden eel
Heteroconger Hassi - Spotted garden eel
Heteroconger polyzona - Zebra garden eel
Heteroconger perrisodon - Many-toothed garden eel
Gorgasia preclara - Orange-barred garden eel
Gorgasia maculata - White spotted garden eel