Conger Eel
(Conger conger)

he Conger Eel is a big fish, growing up to 300 cm., though it is normally up to 150 cm. It has an strong body, like a snake, cilindric, with a branquial aperture that gets down to the belly. It has no ventral fins, but it has pectoral fins. Dorsal, caudal and anal fins join together forming a cutaneous crest which begins right after the pectoral fins.

This fish has a big head with big rounded eyes. The mouth aperture gets to the eyes level. The upper side is bluish while the lower side is white.

Lives on sandy and rocky bottoms, where it hides. Lives comfortably from the surface to the great depths, in all the Mediterranean Sea.

It is a night predator, feeding on crustaceans, squid and fish. It can snatch away big chunks of its big preys by turning its body repeatedly, like an screw. Congers use to have circular scares in the head, caused by their favourite preys, the squids.

Females hatch at great depths (up to 10.000 feet). Larvaes turn into young congers in about two years.

More pictures

The following pictures were shot by Jordi Chopo in Tossa de Mar, at a depth of about 34 meters. Each one of these superb animals were about 6 feet in length, and it's body diameter was about 8 inches. 

Clic on the pictures

(C) Text: Miquel Pontes
Pictures: Miquel Pontes and Jordi Chopo