Symbiosis

Hi

is this normal behaviour or unusual that two different species live together (or are they just good friends ).

What's the one on the left ? pic's a little out of focus , was taken in the Philippines, Balicasac Island.

Ted

the left is some kind of an eel (no moray) and looks a bit dead to me ,also its upside down.

never seen this before so close together.

The animal on the left is a snake eel. I don't know how common this sort of mismatched pair is, but I've seen it a number of times, in Mauritius, Philippines and Indonesia.

Not my best picture ever, but here goes anyway

the left is some kind of an eel (no moray) and looks a bit dead to me ,also its upside down.

never seen this before so close together.

Hi I found out what the one on the left is, if anyones interested, its a "Ophichthus cephalozona" dark shoulder snake eel, and its not dead :glare:

Ted

This really is bizarre behaviour, what you ahev their are two different animals sharing the same hole. I have never seen a moray eel and snake eel close to each other never mind sharing the same hole. Did they stay like this for a while or was it a brief moment and then one them moved. Ordinarilly the snake eel would be out in the sand and the moray yes inbetween rocks and reef.

Very strange indeed!

Funnilyenough, I've seen it a few times, and each time they seemed to be quite happy to share a hole. There was no indication that one was only there temporarily, just waiting to move on...

i saw a similar type of behaviour in lembeh with puffer and a moray

looked very strange...