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Eels

There are several species of eel living in the waters around Tenerife. Those that we see most frequently are 3 types of moray eel (dotted, dark and tiger) plus garden conger eels.
 

Brown Moray
Tiger Moray
Brown Moray

 

Moray eels

Brown Moray

Moray eels love the rocky habitats found in Canarian waters. The numerous crevices are ideal for their sedentary habits, although they do venture out at night to feed. Their diet is comprised of fish and cephalopods (octopus, cuttlefish and squid).

Typically they grow to just under a metre in length. They have thick scale-less skin covered with protective mucus. The eyes are tiny, resulting in poor vision; they depend on their keen sense of smell for hunting. Even when stationary in their lairs during the daytime, the mouth is kept open, moving from side to side to help water circulate through the gills. So it may seem that you are being threatened by a wide open jaw full of long sharp teeth when, actually, it’s just breathing!

The dotted moray has a dark spotted (no!) body and is a species found only in the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands. Dark morays are most commonly seen here and are a plain dark brown. Tiger morays have a longer more pointed snout than the other species but are most noted for their skin colouring which is not striped as its name would suggest, but spotted like a leopard. You just have to wonder whether something was lost in translation somewhere along the line…

Each of these species has a symbiotic relationship with lady scarlet shrimp, which clean the teeth of the eel whilst benefitting from the ‘ready meal’ that this represents.

For a dive with guaranteed sightings of moray eels, ask for Palm Mar Cave or Roncadores del Faro, though these creatures can be found at lots of our sites.

 

Garden conger eels

Garden Eel

These form colonies in areas of flat sand to produce an amusing swaying garden of eels half buried in the sand and half exposed to catch plankton.

From a distance you can observe them but if you go closer than about 2 metres they disappear into the sand like some synchronised disappearing act. Found at many of our sites including our local beach, Las Vistas.