Moray eels

Facts

• The green moray's color comes from a yellow mucus over dark gray-brown skin. It hides in crevices by day with its head out, hunts at night, and opens and closes its mouth to pump water over its gills.^[1]
• The spotted moray has small dark spots on a white or pale yellow body and is usually seen with just its head out of a hole.^[2]
• The goldentail moray is smaller, dark brown with yellow dots and a yellow tail tip, and hunts by day.^[3]
• Bites mostly happen when divers feed morays or put their hands into holes. Keep your hands out of crevices.^[1]

Related guide: see the guide →

Where it's been reported (8)

From the sources on each dive site's page. Sightings are never guaranteed.

• Crash Boat · Aguadilla & Northwest“moray eels” (Primera Hora)
• El Natural · Aguadilla & Northwest“garden eels, small moray eels, stingrays, sea turtles” (Aquatica Underwater Adventures)
• Cayo Diablo · Fajardo & La Cordillera“green moray eels, barracudas, octopuses, occasional manatees” (Frommer's)
• Chimney · Guánica & La Parguera“green moray eels, Caribbean king crab” (Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center)
• La Parguera Wall · Guánica & La Parguera“green moray eels, large stingrays, sea turtles, reef sharks; occasionally hammerheads” (Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center)
• Bomber Anchor Valley · Isla Desecheo“moray eels” (SSI (Scuba Schools International))
• Three Rocks Horseshoe · Vieques“green and spotted morays” (Aqua Adventure)
• Playa Stella · West Coast“moray eels, lobster, nudibranchs, southern stingray” (Vantage Dive Club)