Is the yellow garden eel the same species as the spotted garden eel (chinanago)?

No. Although the two look similar and are often kept together in aquariums, the yellow garden eel is Gorgasia preclara while the spotted garden eel is Heteroconger hassi — two distinct species.

How big does a yellow garden eel get?

It can reach up to about 40 cm in length.

Where do yellow garden eels live?

They inhabit sandy, current-swept reef slopes in the tropical western Indo-Pacific, from the Maldives to Papua New Guinea and Japan's Ryukyu Islands, at depths of roughly 18-75 m.

Yellow Garden Eelニシキアナゴ

Heteroconger hassiLC— Least Concern

The yellow garden eel (also called the orange-barred garden eel) is a slender, brightly banded eel that lives head-up in a sandy burrow on reef slopes, swaying in the current to catch drifting plankton — easily confused with, but distinct from, the closely related spotted garden eel.

Yellow Garden Eel (reference photo) — Photo: Esquilo / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Anguilliformes / Congridae Source
Size: Reaches a body length of up to 40 cm
Diet: Planktivore Feeds on zooplankton
Distribution: Found in the tropical western Indo-Pacific from the Maldives to Papua New Guinea and the Ryukyu Islands, living in sandy burrows on current-swept slopes at depths of 18-75 m, most commonly around 30 m. Source
Sources: ja.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

It is often mistaken for the similarly shaped spotted garden eel (Heteroconger hassi), but is a distinct species, scientifically named Gorgasia preclara. Source
It digs a vertical burrow in the sand and lives alone or in small groups, usually keeping only its head and upper body exposed and retreating fully into the burrow when threatened. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 1

Sumida AquariumTokyoRight by Tokyo Skytree Station on the Tobu Skytree Line.

Source

Former facilities

Shima MarinelandMieOpened in 1970

Source

Closed: 2021-03-31 Official Site

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Least Concern (LC)

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

Is the yellow garden eel the same species as the spotted garden eel (chinanago)?: No. Although the two look similar and are often kept together in aquariums, the yellow garden eel is Gorgasia preclara while the spotted garden eel is Heteroconger hassi — two distinct species. Source
How big does a yellow garden eel get?: It can reach up to about 40 cm in length. Source
Where do yellow garden eels live?: They inhabit sandy, current-swept reef slopes in the tropical western Indo-Pacific, from the Maldives to Papua New Guinea and Japan's Ryukyu Islands, at depths of roughly 18-75 m. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?: Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 1 Source

Books & gear

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org