Moray Eel Attack
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Diver Dennis
Contributor
Same Eel? They are wild animals. Look at Roy and his white tiger.
darylm74
Contributor
One of our divers lost the tip of his finger to one. Think the eel thought his finger was a worm.
I had a huge green moray come out of a hole on a wall and swim aggresively toward me once years ago. It definitely got my heart rate elevated. I just rolled over on my back, kicked like hell and kept an eye on the eel. It came pretty close to my fins but finally gave up and swam back into a hole.
Hadn't thought much about that until I read this thread
'Slogger
Hadn't thought much about that until I read this thread
'Slogger
ScubaMike14
Contributor
Last weekend my wife and I had an incredible encounter with an 8ft Green Moray on a wreck off Pompano Beach, FL. Those of you that dive Ft Lauderdale - Pompano know the wreck as The Sea Emporer. It's an upside down barge with a large pile of concrete pipes on one side. About 60 foot deep or so.
Anyway, this eel swam right up to us (we were hovering off the bottom of the sand) and began to swim around us. I moved away while my wife just stayed there, and then stood up on the sand. This moray actually let her pet it (with a glove off) much like you would stroke a dog or cat.
We had no issues with the eel trying to bite us, and please remember that the eel CAME TO US, we did not chase nor harrass it.
I do know that eels are VERY nearsighted and can often mistake fingers for food when they are put in it's face. I also know that thier teeth angle backwards, much like the barb on a hook. If bitten, just hold still and the eel will release you. If you try to pull away or agravate the animal, it will just cause more tissue damage as well as pissing off the eel.
It was an incredible dive and I look forward to doing it again. Animal encounters and interactions like this are what help people learn about and appreciate sea life such as eels and sharks. (In my opinion)
Mike Rushton
Anyway, this eel swam right up to us (we were hovering off the bottom of the sand) and began to swim around us. I moved away while my wife just stayed there, and then stood up on the sand. This moray actually let her pet it (with a glove off) much like you would stroke a dog or cat.
We had no issues with the eel trying to bite us, and please remember that the eel CAME TO US, we did not chase nor harrass it.
I do know that eels are VERY nearsighted and can often mistake fingers for food when they are put in it's face. I also know that thier teeth angle backwards, much like the barb on a hook. If bitten, just hold still and the eel will release you. If you try to pull away or agravate the animal, it will just cause more tissue damage as well as pissing off the eel.
It was an incredible dive and I look forward to doing it again. Animal encounters and interactions like this are what help people learn about and appreciate sea life such as eels and sharks. (In my opinion)
Mike Rushton
Diver Dennis
Contributor
I agree ScubaMike. We do not chase or harass any marine animals either but I think they are curious sometimes and a little interaction is a good thing. I have my flame suit on but that is my opinion.
isurus
Contributor
ScubaMike14:
its hard to emphasise just how poor the eyesight of these eels can be. My pet echidna moray is amazingly slow to find anything that isn't within about 2 inches of her. She can get in the region of it real quick using her sense of smell but finding it takes time and biting other stuff like her feeding stick.
I once saw a big green moray at monaco aquarium that I'd swear had cataracts. Anyway its worth bearing their vision in mind when putting fingers near them.
ScubaMike14
Contributor
Diver Dennis:
I agree 100%. The animals ARE curious and the interaction IS a good thing. I have a friend in the Bahamas who has a pet grouper on one particular dive site. On this site there is an old recompression chamber that has been sunk. This grouper (about 30 pounds or so) lives in it.
So when my friend brings a group of divers to the site, the fish will poke his head out and then go back in. But when the divers leave and ONLY my friend goes near the opening, the fish will literally swim into his arms like a baby in a cradle. My friend will then pet the fish for 10-15 minutes!
When my friend swims away this fish will actually follow him. But when any other divers approach the fish hides.
This fish IS NOT fed and to the best of my knowledge is fairly new to this dive site.
Strange eh?
I'm sure we both are going to burn in scuba hell for this one!
Diver Dennis
Contributor
In Mexico we have Mantas that we recognize from their marking that seem to know us and will come within inches when we are hanging there. Most divers they won't go near. I don't know if they recognize the colors or what but they definitely like us and I think like the interaction.
I'm probably going to Scuba hell anyway...
I'm probably going to Scuba hell anyway...
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