What happens when an octopus and a tiger snake eel become involved in a face to face encounter?
a- They take a selfie together
b- They exchange crustacean recipes
c- They engage in a life or death struggle
If you chose A or B, we will reserve our judgment about your knowledge of marine life but we would suggest that you lay off the rum.
In this highlighted video, you will see how option C plays out in an incredible encounter captured by divers in the Red Sea.
The Two Fighters
In one corner we have the Red Sea octopus. Known to marine biologists as Abdopus horridus, this fellow is commonly found in the Red Sea as well as in the western Indian Ocean. Its preferred habitat is on or near coral reefs.
In the other corner, we have the tiger snake eel. These can measure as long as four feet in length. Don’t let their name fool you. They are neither snakes nor do they have stripes like tigers. They are full-fledged eels and have a spotted pattern more akin to that of a leopard. Who applied the tiger snake eel naming convention, we do not know.
The Encounter
The entire scene is captured in a single shot by a diver. You can see that the Red Sea octopus and the tiger snake eel are present in different parts of the same section of coral. All seems innocent enough at first. There are several fish swimming in the vicinity adding to the tranquility of the scene.
Less than half a minute into the action you will notice the octopus approach the area where the eel was located second earlier. The octopus enters a crevice in the coral in order to surprise the eel from behind.
Suddenly you see the eel struggle. It seems as if he might have gotten stuck. There is spinning and convulsions on the part of the eel. What could be happening?
Well, the octopus had the eel by its tail from within the crevice of the coral. The eel was trying to get loose of its grasp.
The struggle only intensifies as the video progresses.
Fish Can Be SO Gossipy
As the struggle between the octopus and the eel intensifies and carries over into the open you will notice that fish begin to take notice. It is as if they are actually gathering around to see the fisticuffs take place. You almost expect one of the fish to pull out a cell phone and capture the fight on video and post in social media.
Who Wins?
You would think that having eight arms and being equipped with a powerful toxin to immobilize prey that the octopus could have dispatched with the eel in no time. The tiger snake eel, however, is no pushover.
While at first, it seems as if the eel is done for, in the end, he manages to break free and swim away to fight another day. The octopus, either upset or embarrassed, retreats into his lair inside an opening in the corral.
It is an epic battle that must be seen in its entirety in order to be properly appreciated.
