Eel Identification with pic? Help me out here

[Littleg182]

I was out fishing an extremely low tide with a few friends and came across a small eel sitting out of the water on the muddy/sandy intertidal zone. I started looking around and found more of them. It looked as if they weren't expecting such a low tide so they popped out of their holes expecting water...but got air. I grabbed a few of them and brought them to my holding tank at home for some identification, then maybe the fish store. They were found in South West Florida and they look like some sort of Snake Eel, but I can't seem to find the correct id. They can bury in the sand pretty easily and are not fond of being picked up:rollface: . Any help?

 

[THEUNION1]

Should have threw them back in the ocean.

 

[Patrick12]

Look like they might be juvenile chain morays. But they are small.....gonna be hard to get a 100% ID unless someone is real familiar with them.

 

[Anemonebuff]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14721140#post14721140 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Patrick12
Look like they might be juvenile chain morays. But they are small.....gonna be hard to get a 100% ID unless someone is real familiar with them.

They do look like baby moray eels.

 

[Anemonebuff]

They apparently like sand, you should add some sand to the tank. If you plan on doing something with them, return them to the ocean.

 

[Littleg182]

Thanks guys, the chain moray has the right range and these guys were found in the intertidal zone as described on fishbase. I still haven't found any juvenile chain moray pictures that look like these guys though. They will be moved to a suitable habitat shortly, I have a 60 gallon holding system with a dsb. I got in late last night and just set up a temporary tank for them in the picture. Some of them will go to a fish store that I frequent, I'm just trying to get the correct ID on them for aquarium suitability.

Thanks for the concern! They will be treated with the upmost respect (for you PETA sea kitten nuts).

 

[RumLad]

Why not just put them back in the ocean?
What good does giving them to a pet store do, unless you are looking to get something for them? Or is that the plan?

 

[pimpinitup6969]

is it legal to take something like that from the ocean without permits?

 

[Littleg182]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14724741#post14724741 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RumLad
Why not just put them back in the ocean?
What good does giving them to a pet store do, unless you are looking to get something for them? Or is that the plan?

My plan is to train them, then I will take over the world? I didn't make this thread to get interrogated, I was just looking for an ID. Thanks for your interest in my thread though. Your response helps bump it back up so others can assist me.

 

[Littleg182]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14724914#post14724914 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pimpinitup6969
is it legal to take something like that from the ocean without permits?

A Florida fishing license and a saltwater products license gets passed most of the legalities in Florida.
/fixed

 

[pimpinitup6969]

oh dont take it as me knocking on you at all i was just curious!

 

[Littleg182]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14725100#post14725100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pimpinitup6969
oh dont take it as me knocking on you at all i was just curious!

Sorry bout that! Didn't mean to come off like that towards you.:beer:

 

[richard snyder]

IMO they are snake eels as described in the WIKIPEDIA on google. check it out

 

[Littleg182]

Your right richard, I think I'm going to go back to my original assumption of a snake eel. These have small pectoral fins, unlike the chain moray which do not. I've narrowed it to probably somewhere in this genus http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/NomenC...ic+Names+where+genus+equals+<i>Myrichthys</i>

 

[BS]

Kewl..... I like them

 

[FullFathomFive]

Delicious!

 

[tcmfish]

I would say Echiophis intertinctus, but I'm not positive. Max size for those is 3.5 ft. with 2-3ft. the normal range. I would not put them back in the ocean once they have been exposed to non-native water, rock, sand or anything because you don't want to introduce anything. If you don't plan on keeping them the LFS is the best bet.

 

[username in use]

those look sweet man. My brothers tank is all local stuff that we catch on the end of long island. When you get them in the sand id love to see another shot. Do you try ad catch other stuff out there or was this just by chance.

 

[RumLad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14725909#post14725909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Littleg182
Your right richard, I think I'm going to go back to my original assumption of a snake eel. These have small pectoral fins, unlike the chain moray which do not. I've narrowed it to probably somewhere in this genus http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/NomenC...ic+Names+where+genus+equals+<i>Myrichthys</i>

So now that you know what they are, what are you going to do with them?

 

[Mattmcf]

Im not sure the species but it is normal ( i think ) to find them exposed at a low tide. We used to collect a few of them in clearwater. People on this board might not want to hear this, but you cannot find a better bait for those large elusive black grouper you can find on the inshore wrecks.