That's a moray!

November 5, 2014 7:25 AM

Friendship under the sea (SLYT)
posted by overeducated_alligator (18 comments total)

Now I want an eel for a friend.
posted by SpannerX at 7:33 AM on November 5, 2014

This made me smile.
posted by Uncle Grumpy at 7:39 AM on November 5, 2014

So I learned this from wikipedia: "Moray eels or Muraenidae are a family of cosmopolitan eels."

I had no idea they were so suave and urbane, but it certainly explains their behavior here. After this video they likely headed out for gourmet toast and fair trade coffee.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:41 AM on November 5, 2014 [7 favorites]

My brother does some diving in Puget Sound, and says the eels he's encountered are like big, ugly, friendly, curious dogs. They like to follow him around and see what he's doing. Who's a good slimy boy? You are! Yes you are!
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 7:47 AM on November 5, 2014 [5 favorites]

This video opened with an ad for Red Lobster.
posted by eamondaly at 8:02 AM on November 5, 2014 [7 favorites]

So with the caveat that I'm not knowledgeable AT ALL about moray eels, can someone explain how territorial and aggressive Morays are? I thought they weren't nice creatures.

(maybe too much Little Mermaid?)
posted by Twain Device at 8:05 AM on November 5, 2014

I don't know much about morays - Wikipedia says they're not particularly aggressive but do attack when threatened. They co-operate in hunting with another species, which is unique behavior in fish. They have a second set of toothed jaws inside their mouth, which they push out to drag prey back in. - but I do know something about conger eels.

They are tough, ornery bastards.
posted by Devonian at 8:18 AM on November 5, 2014

Yes, I had always heard that they can be dangerous to divers. Google 'moray eel attack' and some pretty gruesome pictures show up. I've even heard of them biting and not letting go, so a diver drowns.

(And hasn't anyone seen Little Mermaid?)

Who knows? Maybe those were provoked attacks. It is nice to see a friendly side to these majestic creatures.
posted by eye of newt at 8:30 AM on November 5, 2014

eye of newt: that they can be dangerous to divers. Google 'moray eel attack' and some pretty gruesome pictures show up.

There is a video out there of a diver feeding a moray - which apparently isn't unheard of; they can be easily acclimated (trained isn't the right word at all) to humans touching them, and then learning that humans can offer them tidbits.

Unfortunately, this eel forgot his table manners, and lunged when he should have lurched. He only overshot the tidbit by about two inches. He almost looks "Whoops!" in his eyes as he retreated to his lair.

Watching, it's really, really hard to think ill of the eel. As for the humans... they left him in peace. Rapidly. With a trail that half the ocean's predators could follow.

I've even heard of them biting and not letting go, so a diver drowns.

No jokes: THAT is what a diving knife is for.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:38 AM on November 5, 2014

The video was touching , and your post's title is completely brilliant.
posted by Auden at 9:51 AM on November 5, 2014 [3 favorites]

Morays aren't particularly dangerous, they can look fearsome since to pass water through their gills they have to continuously open/close their mouth but they're mostly blind and not really aggressive towards divers. They're actually pretty good photo subjects since they're not skittish like some other underwater animals and you can take your time and really work on getting a good picture.

But seriously, leave the aquatic life alone, don't feed it, don't touch it. If they want to come and play with you that's cool but leave it alone otherwise.
posted by coust at 9:52 AM on November 5, 2014

Best. FPP. Title. EVER!
posted by Frayed Knot at 10:27 AM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

> befriend eel through food
> It can't be done.
> befriend eel through food
> It's impossible.
> befriend eel through food
> You can't do that.
> befriend eel through food
> It can't be done.
> befriend eel with food
> You befriend the eel with food.

posted by hat_eater at 10:35 AM on November 5, 2014 [6 favorites]

HEE I WANT ONE!
posted by ghostbikes at 10:55 AM on November 5, 2014

i found a slightly longer version! has a few more seconds of chillin' with eel.

I don't think that eel actually likes to be hugged though...
posted by ghostbikes at 11:01 AM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

leotrotsky: "So I learned this from wikipedia: "Moray eels or Muraenidae are a family of cosmopolitan eels."

I had no idea they were so suave and urbane, but it certainly explains their behavior here. After this video they likely headed out for gourmet toast and fair trade coffee."

Actually, that's just a Stalinist euphemism for "Jewish".
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 11:29 AM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

On the island where I've done some fieldwork, the locals are cool with almost all the ocean wildlife. The little kids will happily get in the water with reef sharks and stroke and play with them, even when people are gutting fish nearby, standing in bloody water up to their thighs with the sharks circling. Jellyfish are no big deal. Coral cuts don't faze them much either, even though antibiotics and antiseptic is in short supply. But if a moray pokes his head out of a reef, everyone is out of the water so fast. They take those things seriously, and I've seen scars on the legs of people who haven't.

On the flip side, it turns out they taste kind of delicious.
posted by lollusc at 3:57 AM on November 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

Joakim Ziegler: Actually, that's just a Stalinist euphemism for "Jewish".

Was going to flag that comment as offensive, when I realized they are all circumcised.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:22 PM on November 8, 2014