Nick Chapman, Chaloklum Diving – Koh Phangan –, Thailand
Info
Gymnothorax moluccensis is a secretive, uniformly brown colored moray eel with numerous inconspicuous white spots and no bright margins on the fins.
The moray is nocturnal and lives in coral reefs.
To the moray Gymnothorax moluccensis there are different data to the water depth and to the length of the moray.
FishBase: 2 - 25 meters and 45.0 cm total length
CSIRO National Collections and Marine Infrastructure: 40 - 200 meters
Fishes of Australia: 2 - 25 meters and 31-90 meters (finds from Western Australia) and 37cm length
Zootaxa: 38,7cm length
Color: Head and body medium brown, body and fins densely covered with very small pale spots, space between the spots larger than the diameter of the spots. Anterior nostril brown.
Origin of dorsal fin anterior to gill opening; anus distinctly posterior to middle of body;
Large canines absent; mandibular teeth triangular and directed posteriorly, conspicuously dentate on posterior margin; six premaxillary teeth in outer row of each side, increasing in size posteriorly, and two in midline; 15 teeth on each side of maxilla, decreasing in size posteriorly; 18 teeth on each side of mandible; small, conical vomerine teeth biserial anteriorly and becoming uniserial posteriorly.
Etymology
The species name "moluccensis" is named after the type locality: the island of Ambon, Moluccas, Indonesia.
Synonyms:
Muraena moluccensis (Bleeker, 1864).
Priodonophis moluccensis Bleeker, 1864
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
The moray is nocturnal and lives in coral reefs.
To the moray Gymnothorax moluccensis there are different data to the water depth and to the length of the moray.
FishBase: 2 - 25 meters and 45.0 cm total length
CSIRO National Collections and Marine Infrastructure: 40 - 200 meters
Fishes of Australia: 2 - 25 meters and 31-90 meters (finds from Western Australia) and 37cm length
Zootaxa: 38,7cm length
Color: Head and body medium brown, body and fins densely covered with very small pale spots, space between the spots larger than the diameter of the spots. Anterior nostril brown.
Origin of dorsal fin anterior to gill opening; anus distinctly posterior to middle of body;
Large canines absent; mandibular teeth triangular and directed posteriorly, conspicuously dentate on posterior margin; six premaxillary teeth in outer row of each side, increasing in size posteriorly, and two in midline; 15 teeth on each side of maxilla, decreasing in size posteriorly; 18 teeth on each side of mandible; small, conical vomerine teeth biserial anteriorly and becoming uniserial posteriorly.
Etymology
The species name "moluccensis" is named after the type locality: the island of Ambon, Moluccas, Indonesia.
Synonyms:
Muraena moluccensis (Bleeker, 1864).
Priodonophis moluccensis Bleeker, 1864
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
