Conger Eel swimming backwards?

[scottitheduck]

So, we were on a night dive last week and midwater I see a barred conger eel swimming towards me. When I flashed my light up at him he reversed field and swam BACKWARDS about 10 feet. I think I should start a campaign to nominate him for the heisman award..... anyone else seen this?

G

 

[VBlueV]

maybe not the heisman..
but definitely a gue tech pass for effortlessly swimming backwards..

i can do one, maybe two, kicks back.. but then i somehow start moving forward again

i've observed the mustache conger, the bearded cusk eel, and all the morays move backwards.. mostly back into their holes.

 

[Sloth]

maybe not the heisman..
but definitely a gue tech pass for effortlessly swimming backwards..

i can do one, maybe two, kicks back.. but then i somehow start moving forward again

lol, that is probably the biggest obstacle for most people on a tech pass, it was one of mine.

 

[sea nmf]

So, Scotti, were you at 200'? That might explain why no one else has seen it.

 

[scottitheduck]

Ha ha.... hardly. 35 feet at the deepest. Cool though. I've seen em go into their holes backwards, but never im MIDWATER!

G

 

[blesi varney]

So, we were on a night dive last week and midwater I see a barred conger eel swimming towards me. When I flashed my light up at him he reversed field and swam BACKWARDS about 10 feet. I think I should start a campaign to nominate him for the heisman award..... anyone else seen this?

G

Aloha Scotti,

Did it happen to look like this? This photo was taken in the sand channel at Molokini at about 65-70 ft.

This is an earlier photo of another conger taken at about 35 ft at a site called Pu'u Olai.

 

[scubadrewvideo]

Ive seen the big ones at the cove swim backwards before. They seem to put on the brakes and go in reverse!