Goldentail Moray in Cozumel

A dark brown eel covered in a fine gold net or speckle pattern, with a distinctly gold-yellow tail tip. Smaller and more slender than the other Cozumel morays.

Quick ID

Where You Will See It In Cozumel

Goldentail Moray works the 9 to 82 foot band. On this island that means the sheltered west-coast reefs, and the shallow east-side entries when the sea is flat — these are the sites where the depth and the habitat line up for it.

Without a boat. It is worth looking for at Chen Rio, Coral Princess and El Islote — all shore entries, so you dive them on your own schedule.

On an ordinary beginner boat dive. It should be within reach at Las Palmas, Molas Shallow, Palancar Gardens, Paradise and Punta Dalila. No advanced certification needed.

Deeper, and on the walls. It is also plausible on Colombia Deep, Devil's Throat, Los Atolones and Maracaibo.

Conditions change the odds more than the site does — the current, the time of day and how much the group has already stirred up the sand. Ask your guide what they have been seeing that week.

Behaviour

More active by day than the green or spotted moray, and often seen free-swimming between coral heads rather than anchored in one hole.

Commonly Confused With

• Spotted moray — Fine dark speckles on cream, no gold tail tip.
• Chain moray — Chain morays have bold yellow chain-link markings and a blunt jaw.

Diving Etiquette And Safety

Hands out of holes.

Part of the Cozumel marine life guide · see Cozumel dive sites · plan your Cozumel dive trip

Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.