Fish
Pike Conger
Muraenesox bagio
A large, powerful eel with a long toothy jaw, haunting muddy estuaries and inshore reefs of the east coast.
Also known as conger eel, conger pike, pike conger eel, pike eel
- Typical size
- Commonly to 1.5 m, occasionally larger
- Habitat
- Muddy estuaries, harbours and inshore reefs
- Depth
- Shallow estuaries to about 100 m
The pike conger is an elongate, scaleless eel with a long pointed snout, large eyes and strong jaws lined with sharp canine teeth. It is greyish to brownish above and paler below, with a continuous fin running along the back and tail.
It lives over soft mud and sand near estuaries, harbours and inshore reefs, often entering brackish water, and hunts fish, crabs and prawns mostly at night. Divers rarely see it in the open by day, as it shelters in holes and channels. Handle with care, as the bite can inflict a nasty wound.