🐍 Japanese Dragon Eel (Enchelycore pardalis)
A Mottled Orange, Black and White Dragon • Flared Nostrils and Head Horns • One of the Most Sought-After Eels in the Hobby
 
📋 The Japanese Dragon Eel, also known as the Dragon Moray or Leopard Moray Eel, is a true showstopper: a mottled body in vivid orange, black, and white, enlarged nostril flares, bony "horns" above the eyes, large jet-black eyes, and fang-like teeth, with a lower jaw whose curved shape means it can't fully close. The result is a dramatic, dragon-like face that no other eel can match.
It comes from the tropical Indo-Pacific, from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of South America, and the more intensely coloured local form collected off Japan gives it its common name. It lives among rocky reef formations and uses its keen sense of smell to hunt in caves and crevices. It's one of the most sought-after eels in the hobby and rarer than the more common morays, and every Japanese Dragon Eel we ship is feeding well. It can be shy in its first few weeks, then grows bolder and more visible as it settles in.
It's not reef safe: it won't eat coral tissue, but its size makes it hard on reef structures, and it will eat small fish, ornamental shrimp, and crabs. Plan on a spacious, dedicated tank (we recommend at least 680L) for an adult of up to 92cm, feed it with tongs, and fit an absolutely gap-free lid, since it can squeeze through remarkably small gaps.
 
💡 Highlights
🐉 A Mottled Orange, Black and White Dragon: Flared nostrils and bony head horns
💎 Among the Most Sought-After Eels: Rarer than the usual morays
🍽️ Ships Feeding Well: Every Japanese Dragon Eel we send is eating confidently
🔒 Tongs and a Gap-Free Lid: A clever escape artist with fang-like teeth
🪸 Not Reef Safe: Eats small fish, ornamental shrimp, and crabs