October 2006

Streetwise Magazine

Slippery Customers

No I’m not talking about the local estate agents or car dealers, but of a creature that is more often than not associated with fear. Eels may be slippery, but they should not be feared out of hand. If you really knew just how many there are underneath you while you swim you would be surprised.

We have two main types along our coast, the Moray (Muraena helena) and the Conger (Conger conger). We also have a smaller little known eel called a Finless snake eel (Apterichthus caecus). These are only usually seen at night as they poke their heads out of the sand.

It’s easy to tell the difference between the Moray and the Conger. The Moray has a beautiful golden speckled pattern while the Conger is slate grey on top and white underneath. The Conger also has pectoral fins, which are absent on the Moray. They are nocturnal creatures, usually to be found in holes or caves during the day and they come out to feed at night.

They are not aggressive or hostile towards humans and both will learn rapidly to accept food from divers. This is not to say that they won’t bite. If you stick your hand in its hole, you deserve all you get. Encountered out in the open they will usually swim away or even directly under you.

The Moray will eat fish cephalopods and crustaceans, while other Morays and Groupers are amongst their few predators.

It’s unfortunate that often when caught by fishermen they are beaten to death and thrown back in the sea to rot. We have even successfully freed these creatures that were hooked and the line caught around a rock. Once you cut the line they swim quietly away.

They have a grace and a beauty all of their own and any fear that people have is misplaced. The only “slippery customers” that I know, are the human kind.

 

 

 

Photographs by D Graves & J Jensen

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