Young eels are transparent and leaf shaped. Years ago when they were first collected they were thought to be a new fish species and erroneously give the scientific name Leptocephalus. By the time American eels get close to the coast they are about 6 inches in length. The species only begins to develop coloration when the young reach nearshore areas. Once they reach freshwater, females continue to migrate deep inland as far up rivers and tributaries as they can.
Males remain much closer to coastline areas.
Eels tend to hide under rocks or submerged rocks, during the day, and venture out only at night to feed. The American eel occurs in a variety of habitats, and is probably the most wide-ranging fish latitudinally in North America. This species is known from Greenland to as far south as Brazil. American eels occur as far west as New Mexico, and are common through- out the Caribbean and the West Indies. Although native to much of Texas, the construction of dams, which impede upstream spawning migrations, has eliminated this species from most central and western areas of the state.