Garden Eel – Indo-Pacific and Northwestern Australia to the Red Sea and East Africa

Garden eels are slender, serpentine creatures found in the sandy ocean floors of warm tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. They have a peculiar habit of living in large colonies, with dozens of eels poking out of the sand like blades of grass.

These little critters are fascinating to watch as they sway in unison with the ocean currents, waiting for planktonic food to float by. While they might seem appealing to a home aquarium, garden eels are notoriously difficult to care for and require specific tank conditions. Furthermore, they have a high mortality rate in captivity, making them a risky choice for inexperienced aquarists.