This week we will take a quick look at the Conger Eels (Conger spp.).
This is a genus of large marine eels that can grow to 6ft (2m) or longer and can weigh over 125lbs (57kg), the European Conger being the largest eel in the world by weight. They prefer rocky and sandy areas and are primarily nocturnal. Their diet consists of fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Like other species of the group, it reproduces only once in its life. They spawn in deeper waters, laying anywhere from 3-8 million eggs. The young eels stay near the coast and as they get older they retreat to the deep.
Many species in this genus have been fished for thousands of years and are still valued as a food today. Congers in Asia are especially popular for use in sushi. The European Conger has been well documented as aggressive, sometimes attacking divers and inflicting nasty wounds with their strong teeth.
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