Scientists discover Grouper and Moray eels team up to hunt fish

[IceIce]

Interesting information!
I saw moral eels hunting before, but never seen them with companion. When I followed one for few minutes, the hunting was not succesful, one small sized white eyed moray even got beaten up by a small fish's tail when moray used its hole for temporary hiding.
I was wondering, why the moray didn't try to eat that fish?
it was hilarious though, face beating by but, what the gut that small fish must have!

 

[dive_lover88]

Wow this is fascinating!!

 

[OceanObsessed]

I've seen this sort of cooperative type of hunting in both Cozumel and Maui. The nuzzling I've noticed was kind of a resynchronization after going through one coral head. The eel would come out, and just kind of hang until one of the groupers or jacks came up alongside, facing the same way and nuzzled or brushed it.

I have also witnessed this cuddling/nuzzling between a Nassau grouper and a green moray. These photos were taken back in the early 1980’s at Looe Key down in the Florida Keys. When I first encountered the grouper and moray they were face to face. I thought it was odd for these two to be hanging around together. They did not exhibit any aggressive behavior toward each other. After photographing them for a few minutes the grouper swam up to the moray and leaned against the coral right next to the moray. Then the moray immediately draped himself around the grouper and they sat there nuzzling both staring in the same direction. They stayed like this for quite a while. It was obvious that their behavior was deliberate and they were both comfortable in each others presence.

Here they are facing eachother. This is how I found them:

And here is the cuddling/nuzzling:

I remember after that dive I was so excited to get the film developed. It's not every day that you see these two hanging around together like this

 

[DennisW]

Very interesting. I've never seen this, but will pay more attention in the future.

 

[Charlie99]

Very interesting. I've never seen this, but will pay more attention in the future.

Come dive with me in Maui next winter. I see it about every 3rd dive on Ulua reef. Usually a whitemouth moray with either a peacock grouper or a small jack, sometimes with both at the same time. As long as I stay 10' or so away, they will continue hunting together. Getting closer generally will scare away the Peacock Grouper, which are pretty skittish.

Although I've seen may 20 hunts in progress, I've never been able to see (or at least notice) the initial formation of a cooperative hunting group. I did notice recently that the Peacock Groupers also like to hang out with Day Octopus. http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=179956 and then another pair doing the same thing a couple days later.

Lots of interesting stuff going on down there if you take the time to really watch.

Charlie Allen