How long do eels live for?
Summary of differences
| Shortfin eel | Longfin eel |
|---|---|
| Relatively pollution tolerant | Relatively intolerant of pollution |
| Lives for an average of 18–23 years and up to around 60 years | Lives for an average of 35–52 years and up to 100 years, sometimes more |
How big do European eels get?
European eels can grow to length of up to 5 feet. The biggest observed conger eels have been around 10 feet long.
Why do eels live so long?
Longfin eels are long-lived, migrating to the Pacific Ocean near Tonga to breed at the end of their lives. They are good climbers as juveniles and so are found in streams and lakes a long way inland….New Zealand longfin eel.
| New Zealand longfin eel Māori: tuna | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Anguillidae |
| Genus: | Anguilla |
| Species: | A. dieffenbachii |
How do you tell how old an eel is?
References and further reading
- Much like the rings in the trunk of a tree, eels can be aged by counting the rings on their otolith or ear bone.
- In the laboratory, the eels’ otoliths are processed so that the rings stand out – then they are cut in half and mounted for viewing under the microscope.
What is the longest eel ever recorded?
Conger conger
The European conger (Conger conger) is easily the largest eel in the world. On average, adults measure around 5 feet long and weigh nearly 159 pounds. However, one enormous specimen measured 9.8 feet long and weighed 350 pounds.
How deep can eels go?
Some species of eels also live in deeper water on the continental shelves and over the slopes deep as 4,000 m (13,000 ft).
Do eels live forever?
Mostly. Eels can live for a very long time, up to 85 years that we know for sure. But usually when they are 15 to 30 years old, they suddenly leave the freshwater and swim out in the ocean again and return to the Sargasso Sea. When they do this, they transform again and become what we call the silver eel.
How old is the oldest eel?
But the world’s oldest living eel is no more. Its Swedish owners claim Ale the eel has finally died, aged 155. Eels have been known to live anything between 15 and 60 years, but none this length of time.
How long do eels live out of water?
First, although eels breathe with gills underwater, they can survive out of water for several hours breathing through their skin.
Can eels see?
Eels have limited vision, they have rows of sensors on their head known as lateral lines. These help them detect movement in the water. Eels can travel over land, slithering through wet grass to get to a pond, river or lake.
Do eels travel over land?
Not only do they need them to live in, but they also need to have many waterways available nearby so that they can travel to big rivers and on out to the sea. Believe it or not, eels actually crawl across land to get to other ponds and rivers. They can slither quite some distances (up to 400 metres).
What is the most dangerous eel?
The Moray Eel. One of the most dangerous fish in the sea, the Moray Eel is vicious when disturbed and will attack humans. The jaws of the moray eel are equipped with strong, sharp teeth, enabling them to seize hold of their prey and inflict serious wounds. There are more than 80 species of moray eels.
What is the life cycle of the American eel?
In the fall months, millions of mature American eels from various estuarine habitats along the Atlantic coast travel back to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. This species has an average life span of five years, with max. lifespans reaching 15 to 20 years.
What is the life span of an electric eel?
Electric eels can grow tremendously large which usually can reach as high as 8 foot long and weigh a great amount of 45lbs. In addition to this their average life span in the wild can be up to 15 years.
How long do moray eels live?
Depending on the species, moray eels can live anywhere between 10 – 30 years. Unlike some species that automatically live longer in captivity, moray eels can be finicky if captured from the wild and put into tanks.