Caught this at Punggol. It swallowed the hook and a few people told me its edible. Brought it home 10hrs later and its still alive. The guilt is eating at me
Please ID this eel
Moderator: Handlinefishing
- ThePractice
- Line Untangling
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 3:58 pm
- Fishing interest: Crabbing, Prawning, Cast Netting
- Peace
- Site Editor
- Posts: 4168
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 2:48 pm
- Fishing interest: Handline fishing
- Location: Singapore
- Contact:
Re: Please ID this eel
It doesn't quite look like the common Estuarine Morey Eel, do you have another body shot? Eels can be pretty hardy, you could give it a good smash on their head if you intend to keep them for consumption. It probably can't survive if you're unable to extract the hook anyway, so don't feel too bad.
- ThePractice
- Line Untangling
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 3:58 pm
- Fishing interest: Crabbing, Prawning, Cast Netting
Re: Please ID this eel
That's right, Its yellow and seems more firm. People told me its a moray eel but they're normally grey. This eel actually dug into the sand and entirely submerged under it when i put it in the water. I thought of using it as bait for surfcasting but i was advised otherwise. Here is the full body shot
- Peace
- Site Editor
- Posts: 4168
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 2:48 pm
- Fishing interest: Handline fishing
- Location: Singapore
- Contact:
Re: Please ID this eel
Its body doesn't seem to have any pattern on it or perhaps faded (I can't quite make it out in the picture). It could be a large Estuarine Moray adult, they lose the tiny spotty pattern as they age.
- ThePractice
- Line Untangling
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 3:58 pm
- Fishing interest: Crabbing, Prawning, Cast Netting
Re: Please ID this eel
Does the Estuarine Moray also change color? The regular ones i get are normally gray. Also, is it edible? I've gotten mixed answers. People who say that it is advertise it as tonic
- Peace
- Site Editor
- Posts: 4168
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 2:48 pm
- Fishing interest: Handline fishing
- Location: Singapore
- Contact:
Re: Please ID this eel
I'm not sure if it can change colours to blend into the environment but an Estuarine Moray is generally greyish or brownish with speckles like in the picture below. Those speckles can fade with age though I've not seen many large ones around.
If the body is plain brown, it could be a Brown moray eel (Uropterygius concolor)
Edit: The Estuarine and Brown Moray are edible but not all species of Moray are. So if you're not sure of its identification, it's best to release the eel back. I've not heard of Morays as tonics though.
If the body is plain brown, it could be a Brown moray eel (Uropterygius concolor)
Edit: The Estuarine and Brown Moray are edible but not all species of Moray are. So if you're not sure of its identification, it's best to release the eel back. I've not heard of Morays as tonics though.
- ThePractice
- Line Untangling
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 3:58 pm
- Fishing interest: Crabbing, Prawning, Cast Netting
Re: Please ID this eel
Thanks peace, that was very helpful