Garden Eel 3 Pack (Special Order)

Garden Eel 3 Pack (Special Order) (Heteroconger hassi)

Special order.

Appearance & Behavior

A pale, spotted body rises from an individual burrow as this eel faces the current and intercepts plankton. When alarmed it retreats into the sand, sometimes remaining hidden until the disturbance passes.

Quick Care Guide

• Care level: expert; a specialized feeding and housing plan is essential.
• Temperament: peaceful, shy, and easily disturbed.
• Adult size: approximately 14–16 inches, much of it normally concealed in sand.
• Minimum aquarium: 75 gallons, with a broad, deep sand bed for this three-pack.
• Diet: small drifting zooplankton.
• Reef compatibility: generally safe with corals, but needs a dedicated undisturbed sand area.
• Temperature: 72–78°F.
• Specific gravity: approximately 1.023–1.025; maintain stable salinity suited to all inhabitants.
• pH: 8.1–8.4.
• Alkalinity: 8–12 dKH; prioritize stability and the needs of the aquarium.

Aquarium Setup & Compatibility

Provide a mature, specialist aquarium with a broad, unobstructed bed of fine sand at least 8 inches deep, allowing the eels to form stable burrows. Support rockwork independently of the sand and keep it away from the main burrowing area. A long, wide footprint and adequate spacing between burrows matter more than volume alone. Establish a steady, food-carrying current above the sand without scouring the bed.

A tightly fitted, securely fastened lid is essential. Seal escape routes around cables, pipes, overflows, and filter compartments without compromising ventilation or equipment safety. Eels can exploit small gaps; do not rely on a loose cover or the fish’s usual hiding behavior.

Choose very calm companions that will not chase the eels, disturb burrows, or consume drifting food before it reaches them. Avoid digging fish, aggressive residents, large predators, and crowded communities. This listing is a three-pack, and the existing minimum order of three is retained. Provide each eel space to maintain its own burrow; a group is not a reason to reduce the sand-bed area.

Reef & Invertebrate Compatibility

Garden Eels generally leave coral tissue and typical ornamental invertebrates alone, but eat tiny planktonic animals. Avoid sessile animals and aggressive corals close to burrow entrances, and do not crowd or repeatedly rearrange the sand bed.

Feeding

Offer appropriately sized live or frozen copepods, enriched brine shrimp, and finely sized marine zooplankton foods that remain suspended. Arrange flow so food repeatedly passes within reach of the burrow entrances. Supply several small feeding opportunities daily, checking every eel rather than assuming all three eat equally. Large pieces of seafood placed on the bottom are not a substitute for suitable drifting food.

Keep the feeding routine consistent during time away. A fish that stays retracted may miss every meal even when food is present. Monitor body fullness, breathing, and emergence; persistent hiding with poor intake calls for attention to disturbance, food size, and current.

Introduction & Long-Term Care

Plan quarantine around suitable shelter, secure covers, and the individual’s feeding needs. Garden Eels also need a suitably deep burrowing substrate during observation; a bare holding tank is not an adequate long-term substitute. Acclimate to temperature and salinity, reduce lighting, and minimize handling. Use an appropriately sized smooth container for transfers where practical rather than allowing the fish to become entangled in a net.

Avoid digging up hidden eels or repeatedly testing whether they will emerge. Keep activity around the tank calm while they settle. Maintain stable water quality and arrange dependable care during absences.