Wolf Eel Feeding Session

The wolf eel’s face reminds me of the evil henchman of a villain bent on destroying the universe. Surprisingly the wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus) is actually quite docile and quite lovable.

One of the neat things about volunteering at the Aquarium of the Pacific is talking with the aquarists about the critters under their care. Aquarist JJ introduced me to the wolf eels in the Northern Pacific Preview exhibit. These fish, yes they are fish, have been at the Aquarium for decades. Hanging out at the bottom amongst the rocks they are easily missed on casual inspection of the exhibit. They are quite fascinating to watch during a feeding session. They feed on crustaceans, shellfish, and fish although the Aquarium’s wolf eels seem to prefer squid.

Check out the videos. The expressions on their faces, especially when with photo-bombing rockfish, are just begging for a caption.