VIDEO: Sharptail Snake-Eel Slithers Near Grouper

Rarely seen during the day, watch a sharptail snake-eel slither near a red grouper at the Oakland Ridges in Fort Lauderdale

Sharptail Snake-Eels

What a sight to see! We didn’t know what the hell this thing was until we did some research after our dive. Obviously, it was a type of eel. Or maybe even a sea snake? I mean look at it slither! Who knows though?!

Well, turns out it’s kind of both. A sharptail snake-eel, to be exact!

Sharptail Snake-eels in Florida

This species is rare to see in Florida as they typically dwell further south in the Caribbean. So seeing one so up close like this right in Fort Lauderdale was a treat! Not to mention, they typically hunt for crabs and other crustaceans at night. So what was this guy doing during the day? Good question.

Red Grouper

Let’s not forget about the epic photo bomb. That’s a HUGE red grouper – close to two feet by our estimation. Initially, we thought it might be a Nassau Grouper, but a further analysis revealed markings indicative of a red.

The Dive Site: Oakland Ridges

We spotted this sharptail snake-eel on the Oakland Ridges, a shallow water coral reef dive site in Fort Lauderdale.

The site is known for its high relief ledges and abundance of marine life – it’s one of our favorite destinations for spearfishing or hunting lionfish.

Read More About Marine Life

We hope you enjoyed our post on sharptail snake-eels here in Fort Lauderdale! If you’re interested in marine life, check out the following resource pages to get started:

• 7 Helpful Ways to Conserve Mangrove Ecosystems
• VIDEO: Cleaning the Mangroves of Coral Bay, St. John
• VIDEO: Spotted Eagle Ray in Brewers Bay on St. Thomas
• 7 Ocean Animals Spotted in Fort Lauderdale
• 7 Reasons to Scuba Dive in Jupiter, FL

Have you seen an eel like this before? If so, where? Let us know in a comment below!