Moray eels are found all over the world but tropical to subtropical seas are their favoured haunts. They tend to hang out in comparatively shallow waters, searching out hidey holes where they can get away from bright light. During the day, you will only see the head protruding from the entrance to this shelter, disguising the fact there may be a creature several feet long in there – some morays can reach up to three metres long.
Most morays are nocturnal, emerging after dark to search for prey. Morays lack scales, caudal, pelvic and pectoral fins, instead they move by flexing their long, continuous dorsal and anal fins. They have soft and slimy skin that is can be grazed by rough handling.
Just like a cat, morays are extremely curious. All that scary-looking, open-mouthed attitude is actually due to small, restricted gill openings without covers. Simply put, they're breathing, which is why they poke their heads up into the water column. The other reason is their keen sense of smell. Moray eyesight isn’t particularly good, so they rely on smell to sense what is going past.
