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Galzin's garden eel (Gorgasia galzini) — Congridae

Galzin's garden eel

Gorgasia galzini
Family: Congridae

The Galzin's garden eel (Gorgasia galzini) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 53 cm.

Length
53 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
35–53 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: American Samoa, Australia, French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Micronesia and others

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Description

Galzin's garden eel is a garden eel (Congridae) from shallow, clear sandy water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 50 cm and has a very slender, eel-like body. It lives in colonies in which each eel sits tail-first in a self-dug vertical tube in the sand; with its forebody rising upright from the bottom it snaps at drifting zooplankton and withdraws lightning-fast into its tube when threatened. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Galzin's garden eel?

The Galzin's garden eel has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Galzin's garden eel live?

The Galzin's garden eel lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Oceania: American Samoa, Australia, French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Micronesia and others

How big does the Galzin's garden eel get?

The Galzin's garden eel grows to a maximum of about 53 cm. On average the species is around 33 cm.

Is the Galzin's garden eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Galzin's garden eel is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Galzin's garden eel (Gorgasia galzini) — Congridae — 2
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Galzin's garden eel (Gorgasia galzini) — Congridae — 3
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Galzin's garden eel (Gorgasia galzini) — Congridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) uwkwaj, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Galzin's garden eel (Gorgasia galzini) — Congridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) uwkwaj, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

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All data

Identification

English name
Galzin's garden eel sourced
Scientific name
Gorgasia galzini
Family
Congridae
Other names
Speckled garden eel; Speckled garden-eel verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
53 verified
Average length (cm)
33 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey
Tail shape
Rounded

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
35 verified
Max depth (m)
53 verified
Natural range
Oceania: American Samoa, Australia, French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Micronesia and others sourced
Origin
Native

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates
Social behaviour
Large groups
Territorial
No
Activity
Nocturnal
Reproduction
Separate sexes
Sexual dimorphism
No
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known.

For anglers

Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed.
Regulations source

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Gorgasia

More from the family Congridae

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