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Giant Moray and Squirrelfish

This eel was found maintaining station under a ledge out of the strong current at the bottom of the canyon, part of Manta reef off Tofo in Mozambique. I had done a few dives to this site and on numerous occasions had seen either one or a pair in the canyon so was looking to photograph them deep under the ledge. Their underwater colour looks more dark olive green while the squirrelfish appear white and grey until strobe light reveals their true colours. This eel was quite calm and I suspect has had encounters with divers in its environment before and hence did not try escape from the camera.

Giant Moray Eel - Gymnothorax javanicus

The giant moray is a species of moray eel and a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. In terms of body mass, it is the largest moray eel; reaching up to 3m in length and 30kg in weight. Its elongated body is brownish in color. The giant moray is carnivorous and nocturnal, hunting its prey within the reef. It is known to engage in cooperative hunting with the roving coral grouper. These two fish species are complementary hunters; while the eel hunts in the reef, it may scare prey up and out of the reef, leaving them to be eaten by the grouper. Similarly, the grouper hunting above the reef may cause prey to attempt to seek refuge in the reef, where the moray may ambush them. The giant moray mainly feeds on fish and occasionally on crustaceans.

Nikon D300 Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/80th sec @ f11, ISO 200,
Sea & Sea Housing and Two Sea & Sea YS250 strobes on ¼ power.
Taken on scuba at 32m in the canyon, Manta reef, Tofo, Mozambique
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn