A Mesmerizing School of Juvenile Striped Eel Catfish Glides Across the Ocean Floor as One Single Mass

The Abyss Diving School Bali captured absolutely stunning footage of a mesmerizing school of juvenile striped eel catfish as they glided across the ocean floor in Jelemuk Bay as a single mass. These striking catfish find safety in numbers when they’re young and their venom is not quite developed.

These little guys tend to form a school as juveniles, up to a hundred individuals, to protect themselves from predators, and go about their lives on their own when they reach their sexual maturity. Fun fact, if the adults are venomous and can inflict a painful sting, the young ones can only produce a mild version of the venom, tingling the fingers of the people putting their hands in the school (which we don’t recommend you do!)

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.