Eels Out of Water??

[humdiver]

Ok so I just got back from The Big Island Hawaii and were eating dinner at a local hot spot Huggos which is right on the beach (the closest a restraunt can get due to grandfather rights blahblahblah)we sat down at 8 o clock around 8:50 we noticed something down moving on the rocks there were huge lights beaming down lighting up the rocky beach and waves were coming about 8 feet from below our table there were 4 differant moray eels spotted moving about on the rocks and moving from tide pool to tide pool at times spending several minutes out of the water apparently cruising the boulders and rocks Im no eel specialist but I have never heard of such a thing please fill me in if anyone has info thanks:06:

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi

Yes I have heard about it and seen it, I live right on the ocean front and I often see Chain Morays doing exactly what you describe.

 

[LavaSurfer]

Ok so I just got back from The Big Island Hawaii and were eating dinner at a local hot spot Huggos which is right on the beach (the closest a restraunt can get due to grandfather rights blahblahblah)we sat down at 8 o clock around 8:50 we noticed something down moving on the rocks there were huge lights beaming down lighting up the rocky beach and waves were coming about 8 feet from below our table there were 4 differant moray eels spotted moving about on the rocks and moving from tide pool to tide pool at times spending several minutes out of the water apparently cruising the boulders and rocks Im no eel specialist but I have never heard of such a thing please fill me in if anyone has info thanks:06:

I have never seen that but I am going to have to keep a better eye out.
I often sit on the rocks just north of huggos after sunset. Its a great place to contemplate and listen to the music in huggos on the beach.

 

[humdiver]

Ok so what are they doing, out for an evening stroll, breeding I saw 2 smaller eels fighting in the tide pools near Place of Refuge earlier that day are these activities related??
And how long can they stay out of water they are a fish right??

 

[Damselfish]

We saw a moray (not sure of type) cruising around the rocks and tidepools in Curacao, from the deck of a restaurant downtown. I assume it was hunting for easy pickings of fish that got stranded in there. Never knew they did that before, it was pretty interesting to watch and great dinner entertainment.

 

[drbill]

When the morays are being fed at the USC Marine Science Center here on Catalina, they will often come out of the water to take the food. Mind you I don't participate in this activity but have obsxerved it on occasion.

 

[serapis]

Yep it happens quite a bit

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I have a friend who has a balcony extending over tidepools in Kailua-Kona. At night, he will drop pieces of hot dogs into the tide pools and watch the eels climb over the rocks to eat them. Not very PC. :11:

 

[isurus]

I would guess these would most likely be Echidna sp. (ie chainlink or snowflake eels). They are known to crawl out of water, apparently to catch crabs. I can't confirm their motivation but I do know I have to keep a very heavy lid on my pet snowflake eels tank to make sure he doesn't go for a wander.

 

[marku]

Fishes can still "breathe" even if they're out of the water as long as their gills remain moist. Many freshwater species (e.g. eels, catfishes, the notorious snakehead...) take advantage of this ability and go on short overland migrations if living conditions become sub-optimal in the pond that they are in.