Depth
Conger · Bony Fish

Conger Eel

Conger conger

0-40m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
0-40m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Reef & Open
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
LC
IUCN Status
Moderate
Sighting Likelihood
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Genus Conger
Species conger

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationVery large, powerful eel with a smooth, scaleless body. Dark grey to black on the back, lighter grey on the belly. Large head with a strong jaw and small eyes. Dorsal fin starts behind the pectoral fins and runs to the tail.
  • SizeUp to 300 cm total length and 110 kg, commonly 100 to 180 cm.
  • Social HabitSolitary and primarily nocturnal. Shelters in caves, crevices, and wrecks during the day, often with only the head protruding.
  • HabitatRocky reefs, wrecks, caves, and boulder fields. Prefers deep crevices and holes for daytime shelter.
  • Depth0 to 500 m, most common between 5 and 100 m.
  • Feeds OnFish, crustaceans, and cephalopods hunted at night. Capable of overpowering surprisingly large prey.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from Norway to Senegal, including the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea.
  • DescriptionThe largest eel in European waters and a common wreck inhabitant. Conger eels are impressive predators that can look intimidating when encountered face-to-face in a crack or cave. Despite their fearsome appearance, they are not aggressive toward divers unless provoked. Wreck sites in Malta frequently host resident conger eels.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found across the Mediterranean, inhabiting reef & open environments. Active from the surface down to 40m depth.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Reef & Open habitats, typically at depths of 0-40m. Most commonly encountered by divers at the shallower end of its range.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Conger Eel species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

A powerful nocturnal predator that hunts fish, octopus and crustaceans. Ambushes prey from rock crevices and wrecks using its acute sense of smell and large gape.

Nocturnal hunter

Reproduction

Migrates to deep Atlantic water to spawn once in its lifetime, then dies. Eggs hatch into transparent leptocephalus larvae that drift back to coastal waters.

Semelparous

Behaviour & Defence

Shelters in tight crevices, pipes and wreck compartments with only its head visible. Its powerful jaws and sharp teeth deter most predators from entering its den.

Crevice dweller

Dive with diveshack

Where to Encounter in Malta

The following dive sites offer strong habitat match for Conger conger. All are accessible on a guided dive with diveshack.

5-30m
North Malta

Cirkewwa

Rocky reef with caves, arches and ledges hosting a rich diversity of reef species.

View dive site ›
5-50m
Gozo

Blue Hole

One of the Med's most famous reef dive sites. Rocky walls and archways covered in life.

View dive site ›
18-36m
South Malta

Um El Faroud

The wreck lies on a sandy bottom surrounded by rocky reef -- a diverse habitat attracting reef species.

View dive site ›
IUCN Red List Least Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes to prey availability.

Source: iNaturalist Guide #888
by Lesley Clements (CC BY-SA)
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide