Fish nocturnal

Australian Long-finned Eel

Anguilla reinhardtii

The Australian Long-finned Eel is a true backyard leviathan, a marbled giant that can grow to the size of a person and travel across land on rainy nights.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 0.5–2.0 meters (1.6–6.6 feet); Weight: Up to 20 kg (44 lbs), with females significantly larger than males.

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Colors

Olive-green to brownish-gold back with dark, irregular 'marbled' spots; belly is a contrasting pale cream or silvery-white.

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Key Features

Dorsal fin begins significantly further forward than the anal fin
Body covered in dark, blotchy 'marbled' spots
Broad head with thick, fleshy lips and small gill openings

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern nocturnal

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Peak hours 8 PM - 4 AM

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Season September-May

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Diet Opportunistic carnivores that eat fish, crustaceans, frogs, and aquatic insects. Large individuals are known to take small waterbirds and even rodents.

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Habitat Found in a wide range of freshwater habitats including rivers, creeks, lakes, and suburban garden ponds with connections to waterways.

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Behavior

The Australian Long-finned Eel is a highly adaptable and formidable predator that dominates many freshwater ecosystems. While they spend much of the day hidden in deep holes, under overhanging banks, or beneath submerged logs, they become active at night to hunt. They are remarkably long-lived, with some individuals staying in the same stretch of a river for over 30 years before embarking on a final, epic migration to the Coral Sea to breed.

One of their most incredible behaviors is their ability to travel overland. During periods of heavy rain or high humidity, these eels can leave the water and move across damp grass or mud to reach new ponds or bypass obstacles like dams. They are generally solitary and can be quite territorial, especially around prime feeding spots or shelters.

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Camera Tips

To capture high-quality footage of an Australian Long-finned Eel, focus your camera on the shallow margins of a pond or creek. If using a standard trail camera, mount it on a stake approximately 12-18 inches above the water level, angling the lens downward at a 45-degree angle. Because these eels are strictly nocturnal, a camera with a high-quality 'no-glow' infrared flash is essential to avoid startling the fish while ensuring the reflective surface of the water doesn't wash out the image.

The best way to guarantee a 'visit' is through scent. Place a perforated container (like a small PVC pipe with holes or a mesh bag) filled with oily sardines or strong-smelling cat food in the shallow water directly in front of the lens. Secure this lure with a tent peg or heavy rock, as a large eel is surprisingly powerful and will attempt to swim away with the prize. Set your camera to video mode with a 20-30 second duration to capture their unique 'serpentine' swimming motion and foraging behavior.

Don't overlook the land! During rainy summer nights, place a camera on a path or grassy bank between two bodies of water. Eels use these 'overland highways' to migrate. For these shots, use a fast trigger speed (under 0.5 seconds) as their wet skin can be highly reflective, and they move faster across the grass than you might expect. Check your local weather forecast for high-humidity evenings to maximize your chances of seeing this rare terrestrial behavior.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Australian Long-finned Eel.

Australian Short-finned Eel

Lacks the marbled spots of the Long-finned Eel and has a shorter dorsal fin that starts roughly level with the anal fin.

Freshwater Catfish

Has prominent whiskers (barbels) around the mouth and a more traditional fish-shaped front half compared to the eel's snake-like body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Australian Long-finned Eels are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active under the cover of darkness. They usually begin foraging shortly after sunset and remain active until the early hours of the morning, though they may emerge during the day if the water is very turbid or during heavy rain events.

If you have a pond or creek on your property, you can attract eels by providing plenty of 'snags' like submerged logs or rocks for them to hide in. Using high-protein, smelly baits like fish scraps or meat in a secure underwater container will often draw them out from their hiding spots for a camera.

They are top-tier predators in their environment. Their diet includes smaller fish, freshwater crayfish (yabbies), frogs, and insects. Large females have even been known to snatch ducklings or small mammals that get too close to the water's edge.

Yes, they are surprisingly common in urban environments. As long as there is a connection to a permanent waterway—even through underground stormwater pipes—these eels can find their way into suburban lakes, golf course ponds, and backyard gardens.

The easiest way to tell them apart is the markings; the Long-finned Eel has distinct dark spots or marbling, while the Short-finned Eel is a uniform olive-green or brown. Additionally, the Long-finned Eel's dorsal (top) fin extends much further toward the head than its anal (bottom) fin.

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