🐍 Leopard Moray Eel (Gymnothorax favagineus)
🐍 Leopard Moray Eel (Gymnothorax favagineus)
Oddball Predator • Display Species • Advanced Marine Eel
📋 The Leopard Moray Eel (Gymnothorax favagineus) is one of the most spectacular and largest moray eels available in the aquarium trade. Its distinct honeycomb-like black-and-white body pattern gives it the nickname Honeycomb Moray, making it a showpiece in large marine aquariums.
This eel grows massive, reaching up to 8–10 feet in the wild and still over 6 feet in aquariums. It requires very large tanks with rockwork, caves, and strong filtration. Leopard Moray Eels are aggressive ambush predators, feeding on fish, shrimp, and cephalopods, and should only be housed with very large, robust tankmates (or singly).
Due to their size, predatory nature, and specialized care requirements, Leopard Morays are best suited only for expert marine aquarists with very large, secure aquariums.
💡 Highlights
✨ Leopard-like black & white pattern – visually striking eel
⚪ One of the largest moray eels – up to 10 ft
📏 Requires massive aquariums – 265+ gallons minimum
✅ Long-lived species – over 20 years lifespan
🐠 Aggressive predator – not reef safe
🧾 A Quick Look at the Leopard Moray Eel
📛 Common Name: Leopard Moray Eel / Honeycomb Moray Eel
🔬 Scientific Name: Gymnothorax favagineus
👨👩👧 Family: Muraenidae
🌍 Origin: Indo-Pacific (Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives, Red Sea)
📏 Max Size: 250 – 300 cm (≈ 8 – 10 ft)
💧 pH Range: 8.1 – 8.4
🌡️ Temperature Range: 24 – 28 °C (75 – 82 °F)
🧠 Care Level: Advanced – very large system required
💖 Temperament: Aggressive predator
🪸 Reef Safe: No – will eat fish and crustaceans
🏠 Min Tank Size: 1000 L (265+ US gallons)
📌 Tank Level: Bottom crevices and caves
🧬 Captive Bred: ❌ No
🌿 Wild Caught: ✅ Yes
⏳ Lifespan: 20+ years
🍽️ Diet: Carnivore (fish, squid, crustaceans)
🐣 Reproduction: Oviparous – rarely seen in captivity
