What Is the Moray Eel's Diet?

Two hundred species of moray eel live in marine and occasionally brackish or fresh waters worldwide. They range in size from the tiny, 4 1/2-inch Synder's moray (Anarchias leucurus) to the13-foot slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete). Their diet depends on the size of the species of moray, as these ambush predators eat anything that swims within range of their jaws, fits in their mouth and moves slowly enough for them to catch.

  1. Physiology

    • Moray eels have a highly developed sense of smell. These nocturnal, ambush predators lie concealed in crevices or under rocks, waiting for prey to swim close. Morays have "pharyngeal jaws," or a second set of jaws and teeth in their throat. After catching prey, morays push these pharyngeal jaws into the mouth, where they grasp the prey, transporting it down into the throat and onto the digestive system. Moray eels are the only known animal to use pharyngeal jaws to actively capture prey.

    What they Eat

    • Moray eels eat a carnivorous diet. They feed on fish, cephalopods, mollusks, crustaceans and worms. The size of the prey depends on the size of the moray eel. According to an article first published by the National Aquarium in Baltimore's Department of Education, moray eels especially prize octopus.

    Interspecies Cooperation While Hunting

    • In December 2006, the Public Library of Science reported that the roving coral grouper (Plectropomus pessuliferus) and giant moray eel (Gymnothorax javanicus) cooperate during hunting in the Red Sea. This is the only known instance of interspecies cooperation among fish. According to the study, the groupers signal to eels by shaking their heads. This head-shaking summons eels to join the hunt if a prey moves too quickly for the grouper or the grouper may guide eels to a prey's hiding spot where the grouper cannot fit. The grouper then feeds on the eel's leftovers.

    Diet as Larvae

    • Moray eels spend the first years of their lives as planktonic larvae, feeding solely upon zooplankton, or microscopic algae.

    In Captivity

    • Some smaller species of moray, such as the chain moray (Echidna catenata), banded moray (Echidna polyzona) and goldentail moray (Gymnothorax miliaris) live in people's home aquariums. They often prove difficult to feed, and may only go for live food such as live shrimp or small fish (including unwary tankmates.) Otherwise, many aquarists spotfeed their pet eels frozen shrimp or baitfish with a long pair of tongs.