Drach's conger eel

Where they come from

Drach's conger eel (Uroconger drachi) is a marine conger from the Indo-Pacific. You see them associated with deeper reef slopes and sandy-rubble bottoms where they can stay hidden with just their head out, waiting for food to drift by. That's basically how they want to live in your tank too: buried, secure, and left alone most of the day.

Setting up their tank

If you're considering this eel, plan the tank around two things: escape-proofing and a place to burrow. Most of the failures I see with congers are either "it vanished onto the floor" or "it never settled and refused food."

• Tank size: big footprint matters more than height. I'd treat this as a large predator tank project, not a "maybe in my 75" fish.
• Substrate: give it a sand bed it can actually work with. Fine to medium sand is your friend. Crushed coral tends to irritate and they don't like burrowing in it.
• Rockwork: stable and sitting on the bottom glass or egg crate, not perched on sand. An eel digging can undermine your whole scape.
• Hiding: PVC sections, rock caves with a sand apron, and shaded zones. If it feels exposed, it stays stressed.
• Flow and oxygen: decent circulation and gas exchange. Eels handle lower flow areas, but they do not love stagnant, low oxygen tanks.
• Lid: tight. Every gap matters - overflows, cord cutouts, loose feeding doors.

Filtration-wise, treat it like any messy carnivore. Heavy skimming, plenty of biological media, and be ready for big water changes if you overfeed. I also like running carbon because feeding tongs + oily seafood can leave the water smelling like a dock real fast.

What to feed them

They do best on meaty marine foods. Mine took food more reliably once it had a burrow and I fed after lights were dim. If you blast them with full daylight and stick tongs right in their face, some individuals spook and go back off food.

• Staples: strips of marine fish flesh (not freshwater feeder fish), squid, shrimp, clam, scallop
• Treats: whole silversides or similar marine baitfish sized appropriately (not constantly - they are rich)
• How to feed: long tongs, offer near the burrow entrance, let them come to the food
• Schedule: smaller individuals can eat a few times a week, larger ones often do fine 1-2x weekly depending on portion size

How they behave and who they get along with

Expect a lot of "invisible eel" time. That's normal. They are ambush predators, and once settled they will pick a zone and defend it. They are also opportunists: if a fish can fit in their mouth, it is food, not a tankmate.

• Good tankmates: larger, confident fish that do not sleep on the sand and are not bite-sized
• Bad tankmates: small fish, bottom sleepers, tiny gobies/blennies, ornamental shrimp, crabs, and basically any cleanup crew you care about
• Reef compatibility: assume "no" for inverts. Corals may be left alone, but the eel's appetite will not be

One more thing people forget: congers are strong. They will move rock, topple frags, and wedge themselves into places that look impossible. Build the aquascape like you are designing it for a bulldozer that likes to dig.

Breeding tips

Breeding this species in home aquariums is basically in the "not happening" category. Like other eels, they have a complex life cycle and spawning is tied to oceanic conditions we do not replicate. If you see a swollen belly, do not assume eggs - it is more often heavy feeding, constipation, or internal issues.

Common problems to watch for

Most issues show up as "not eating," "always pacing," or "mysterious injuries." The trick is figuring out which root cause is actually happening, because the fixes are totally different.

• Refusing food after introduction: usually stress and lack of a real hide/burrow. Dim the tank, add cover, offer smaller pieces, and give it time.
• Jumping/escaping: gaps in the lid, unsecured overflow, or chasing by tankmates. Fix the lid first, then address aggression.
• Mouth or snout abrasions: from charging glass, rough substrate, or trying to wedge into sharp rock. Smooth the entry points and swap to finer sand if needed.
• Rapid breathing and lethargy: low oxygen, ammonia/nitrite, or gill irritation. Check parameters immediately and boost aeration.
• Bloating/constipation: too-large meals, too much rich food, or too infrequent feeding with huge portions. Feed smaller pieces more regularly and vary foods.

Quarantine is tough with eels (they hate bare tanks), but I still do it with a piece of PVC and a tight lid. Also be cautious with medications. Copper and many treatments are stressful for eels, and they do not tolerate "kitchen sink" dosing well. If you need to treat, identify the problem first and go slow.