A fierce appearance

Many animals scare off predators by their intimidating appearance. And so it is with the moray eels. But despite their fierce appearance they are usually harmless to divers. They will not bite divers unless provoked. We went to find the beautifully coloured Tiger Moray, and we found not only this species, but also the more common Dotted Moray Eel.

We wanted images of morays and in particular the photogenic Tiger Moray. On the recommendation of Aqua-Marina, we joined their dive boat to the Palm Mar site. Rhona and Neil assured us that we would find a crevice full of common moray eels and, if we looked carefully around a particular rock outcrop, we would be sure to find the Tiger moray. They were as good as their word. Within a few metres of the boat’s anchor we found the crevice and sure enough there were six Dotted Moray Eels poking their heads out of their respective holes. As morays hunt at night, they’re usually at home during the day. Morays are territorial and tend not to leave their chosen hole if it provides sufficient protection and food.

While they look more like snakes, morays are fish. They don’t have scales but a thick skin that feels soft to the touch. They only have one fin which is along the top of their bodies. The Dotted Moray Eels are endemic to Macaronesia (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, Cape Verde), while the Tiger Moray is found primarily along all the eastern Atlantic Islands. Morays rest during the day, their heads sticking out of their holes and the rest of their bodies inside. At night they emerge to go hunting for fish and invertebrates. Both the Dotted Moray Eel and the Tiger Moray have relationships with ‘cleaner’ prawns, and daytime is cleaning time. The Scarlet Lady Shrimp lives off the moray, eating its parasites and keeping its skin healthy. In return it receives the protection of the moray and a regular food supply.

Like many fish, morays are curious. One huge Dotted moray craned its neck around a ledge to check me out. Without any aggression it just wanted to see what I was doing. A lot of animals are attracted to the underwater camera house. I don’t know if it is because they see their reflections and think it’s another animal, or whether it’s because the house is shiny, or even if it’s because of the warmth of the lights. Whatever the reason, it means that we can often get good close-ups!