Heterocongrinae

Garden eels are the subfamily Heterocongrinae in the family Congridae. They are a type of eel that live in warm ocean water, most commonly in the Indo-Pacific. These eels are small and live in burrows, peeking their heads out while keeping the rest of their bodies hidden inside the burrow. They live in groups of up to several hundred, their likeness to plants growing in a "garden" gives them their name. There are 36 known species of garden eel, ranging widely in color and size. Garden eels feed on drifting plankton.