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A powerful eel-like fish with a thick scaleless body marbled dark brown and yellow, and strong jaws filled with needle teeth. It hides by day in rocky crevices along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast and emerges at night to hunt fish, octopus and crustaceans.
Holes and crevices in rocky reefs and breakwaters
Night fishing with strong tackle hard against rocks
Strong outfit and a heavy fished tight to rock holes and wrecks, after dark.
A whole squid or oily-fish chunk wedged by rocky holes at night brings eels out to feed.
Eating & safety
The bite is deep and the raw blood is toxic — keep well clear of the head and never handle a live moray.
Stung or poisoned? First-aid steps →Best conditions: Night fishing with strong bottom tackle hard against rocks
Moray blood contains a toxin that breaks down on cooking, but the fish was a famous luxury feast item for the ancient Romans.