Zebra Moray Eel Eggs  - 09/14/06
HELP! My Female Zebra Moray Eel had eggs (TONS of them) last night!! I netted out alot of them and put them in a 10 gallon tank. I know they will hatch in about 4 days and be in the planktonic stage - but what do I feed them then to try to keep them alive?? I know it will be 6-10 months before they look like eels and that is why most do not make it. PLEASE any help you can give would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks,
Christin
(I also took pictures and videoed her having babies)
<... let's back up a bit... You only have one Gymnomuraena specimen? These eggs will be infertile. Bob Fenner>

Re: Zebra Moray Eel Eggs  - 09/14/06
Bob Fenner,
<CC>
     No sir, I have 2 of them. They are both about 2 1/2 feet long.
<! Bonus!>
     The eggs seem to be still doing well, none have hatched as of yet.
     I did get small fry (liquid) and Kent ZooPlex to "feed" them when they hatch. I don't know if this is correct - Please let me know. I would love for them all to make it.
Thank you in advance,
Christin Cross
<I do wish I knew more to relate here... There is some scientific literature... I'll look for Ron Thresher's volume here... re Muraenid reproduction, larval development. Best of wishes for your success here. Do know that Moray young have long planktonic larval histories... eat zooplankters. Bob Fenner>

Re: Zebra Moray Eel Eggs  10/03/06
Bob,
     I just have another question for you, I thought none of my Zebra Moray Eel eggs hatched so I was cleaning out the tank. But, I found 2 "worm like" things on the bottom. I scooped them out and finished cleaning out the tank and put them back in (by themselves).
I have attached pictures, are these baby eels????
Thank you,
Christin Cross
<Mmm, no pix attached... Most likely (highly) these are worms of some sort... True Eels/Anquilliforms have long pelagic larval histories... not going to metamorphose, settle in an aquarium. BobF>

Zebra Moray Eels - 8/23/03
I have a zebra moray that is now in a 75 gallon tank after living in a 10 and or 20 gallon for 3-4 years
<good heavens... is this the WWM week for shoehorning fish into aquaria? A 20 gallon tank?! Er... never mind>
what I would like to ask is "do they lay eggs?"  
<yes>
"how do you tell male from female?"  
<yours is a male. All singly kept specimens are male. They are protogynous hermaphrodites>
after being in the 75 gallon tank for only 2 months, my zebra let me know it's name is not king George the 2nd, but queen Georgina, as it laid an egg.
<I believe it passed an orb... but that was no egg, bubba. Just a remarkably artistic turd I suspect>
I only have 3 small damsels and a 4 inch pinfish in the tank  so it had to be my eel.
<OK>
now if it is that happy in the tank I would love to find it a mate. Wallace
<Hmmm... do be sure to pick a freshly imported one from a group for your best chance at a female. Singles turn to male before too long. Best of luck. Anthony>

Zebra Moray Gender/Egg-laying - 8/24/03
I always did have crazy pets ...   they are just like me lol
<<Ha! Its in the fishkeeper's blood... we are all a bit daft <G>>>
<good heavens... is this the WWM week for shoehorning fish into aquaria? A 20 gallon tank?! Er... never mind>
ROFL well at least I have him/her in a 75 gallon now, with lots of Fiji rock, and sand from my beach (largo Florida near Tampa).
<<much better indeed >>
and the funny thing is he never tried to escape the 20
<<that's because he had Charlie-horses and was to cramped to make a run for it... heehee>>
and would hand feed quite readily, he just didn't grow very much. now he is growing as fast as he can eat hehehe
<<get it while the gettin's good, as they say>>
<yours is a male. All singly kept specimens are male. They are protogynous hermaphrodites>
well that would explain the egg and it not happening before :-} after being in the 75 gallon tank for only 2 months, ::::snip:::::: it laid an egg. well I took it out and it has the shape and shell very similar to a snake or lizard egg I almost cut it open to see for sure  (we know it won't be fertilized there is only one eel LOL) seen too much fish, and snake, and bird turds, over the years, amongst other forms of scat to think I could mistake an egg for a turd hehehe.
<<understood... very interesting>>
I have just recently purchased a small wet/dry filter setup but I still need an overfill box and a water pump to put the water back in the tank from the wet/dry.
<<the wet/dry will be a very nice upgrade as the eel and bio-load grows>>
I did learn about feeding eels and fish and cleaning rocks for people who believe in a sparkling white tank (oy vey) and I immediately did the opposite. Now I have a nice tank with rock and algae and  clear as a bell water the eel and the pinfish took to it like a flash. (I rescued the pinfish from my uncles bait bucket) I am glad you took the time to answer my questions as lame as they might be and I figured I should learn something besides what it eats when it laid that crazy egg. Wallace
<very cool happenings... much thanks for sharing. Best of luck. Anthony>

Zebra Moray Eel
I have two Zebra Moray Eels and one is black with white stripes and the
other is white with black stripes. How Do I determine the male from the
female is there a specific marking or etc.
<I have never heard of Zebra morays being sexually dichromatic.  Are they different sizes?  Usually juveniles have thicker white stripes compared to the adults.  Full grown ones will have very thin white stripes on a dark brown base.>