Animal Guide

Ocellated Wolf-Eel

28 destinations · 18 states

Native Range: Northeastern Pacific Ocean

The ocellated wolf-eel is a fish that can look almost mythical when it peers out from a rocky crevice. Despite its eel-like shape, it is not a true eel. Its long body, blunt head, powerful jaws, and small eyes give it a distinctive face, while pale spots and markings help break up its outline among rocks. In an aquarium, look around caves and rocky ledges rather than expecting it to cruise constantly through open water. Wolf-eels often spend much of their time tucked into dens, but a head poking from a hiding place can reveal just how large and toothy this fish really is. Adults can form long-term pairs and share dens, with both parents guarding their eggs. That makes a quiet rocky exhibit especially rewarding to watch, because what first looks like an empty hiding spot may actually be a home occupied by a pair. Their strong jaws are suited to crushing hard-shelled prey such as crabs, clams, and sea urchins, giving this unusual Pacific fish an unexpectedly powerful bite.

Ocellated Wolf-Eel

Where to see Ocellated Wolf-Eel

28 destinations across 18 states

28 destinations

Adventure Aquarium

Camden, NJ

Alaska SeaLife Center

Seward, AK

Aquarium of Boise

Boise, ID

Aquarium of the Bay

San Francisco, CA

Aquarium of the Pacific

Long Beach, CA

Birch Aquarium

La Jolla, CA

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

San Pedro, CA

Children's Aquarium Dallas

Dallas, TX

Heal the Bay Aquarium

Santa Monica, CA

John Ball Zoo

Grand Rapids, MI

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Kansas City, MO

Layton Aquarium & Wildlife

Layton, UT

MaST Center Aquarium

Des Moines, WA

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey, CA

Mystic Aquarium

Mystic, CT

New England Aquarium

Boston, MA

New York Aquarium

Brooklyn, NY

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omaha, NE

One World Interactive Aquarium

Las Vegas, NV

Oregon Coast Aquarium

Newport, OR

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

Pittsburgh, PA

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Tacoma, WA

SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium

Orlando, FL

Seaside Aquarium

Seaside, OR

Seattle Aquarium

Seattle, WA

Shreveport Aquarium

Shreveport, LA

Steinhart Aquarium

San Francisco, CA

The Florida Aquarium

Tampa, FL

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