Anyone know what kind of eels are in Ginnie springs?

[1amphibian]

Was diving Ginnie this past week, we saw a set of eels we have never seen in there before.

Does anyone know what kind they are?

They stayed near the walls down by the grate and another diver said he saw them going into the cave.

Chris

 

[PerroneFord]

I was in the ballroom for an hour today, and have spent probably 4-5 hours in there, and I haven't seen them. I'll look for them next time.

-P

Was diving Ginnie this past week, we saw a set of eels we have never seen in there before.

Does anyone know what kind they are?

They stayed near the walls down by the grate and another diver said he saw them going into the cave.

Chris

 

[ScubaJW]

Is this what you saw: Anguilla rostrata?

 

[eandiver]

In all the times I've been there I've never seen eels. Just at Morrison. Was it early or late in the day?
I have seen the freshwater sole at Ginnie though. Even took some pictures if the photo gallery ever comes back to life.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'm sure they were probably American freshwater eels, just like the ones in the panhandle springs. I've never seen em at Ginnie, but I don't doubt they are there.

The freshwater soles are pretty common, fun to play with too

 

[1amphibian]

Is this what you saw: Anguilla rostrata?

I did a search and found pics of them, yes that is what they were, they were in the yellow phase and about a foot long each. They were roaming the base of the rock from the grate to the first little room on the left side.

It was around 3 or 4 when we saw them, and we saw them on both dives that day. Is it normal or natural for them to live in caverns or caves? The description of them says that they like to hunt at night, so I guess they can adapt to caves quite easily.

Chris

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

In the panhandle springs, you only seen them in the caverns during the day. At night, they will venture into open water to feed.

 

[1amphibian]

We did end up with one picture of one of them, but it is a stretch to even see it. Hopefully I'll get a better pic of it next time (hmm, sounds like a good excuse to plan another Ginnie trip)

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

You'll see a dozen or more on any given dive at Morrison. Very common at Cypress and Vortex as well.

 

[1amphibian]

Yep that would be them, though the ones at Ginnie were smaller, probably younger ones.