goldspotted eel
Myrichthys ocellatus
An eel of shallow reefs and sand bottoms, with dark spots that have bright yellow centers in life. It is rarely caught on line.
Also called: enguia-de-manchas-douradas, safio ocelado, tieso manchas doradas, goldspotted eel
- maximum
- 110 cm
who is the goldspotted eel
An eel of the family Ophichthidae, with a long, cylindrical body that reaches 110 cm. It lives near islands, in rock and coral areas and on sand bottoms with seagrass and coral rubble, down to 15 m. It can move under the sand. It feeds mainly on crabs and forages at night. It is rarely caught in sport fishing, but it has uses in commercial fishing and the aquarium trade.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the goldspotted eel; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It can move under the sand.
- The pale center of the spots is bright yellow when the fish is alive.
identification
A long-bodied eel with diffuse dark spots, each with a pale center, bright yellow in life, on a beige or greenish brown background, paler underneath. The pattern of large spots with pale centers sets it apart from the cutuca (Myrophis punctatus), which has fine dots and a light brown background.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It ranges from Bermuda and southern Florida to the Caribbean and Brazil, as far as Santa Catarina, on reefs and coral areas.
Habitat: Shallow reefs, coral and seagrass areas, down to 15 m.
coast
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. It forages at night.
rules for the goldspotted eel
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It is not venomous, but it has teeth and is slippery. Hold it just behind the head, with cloth or a glove, and release it without pulling.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00093, b = 2.99; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Myrichthys ocellatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Myrichthys ocellatusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
