Octopuses are a favorite treat. A moray can smell an octopus from quite far away and will search a reef until it finds one. This is why aquariums keep the octopus separate from the eels. The moray s hunting behavior is fascinating to watch. They hide and wait for their prey much like a snake does.
Morays have rows of small, short, needle-like teeth that angle in toward their throat.
They sneak up on their prey, snag it with their teeth, and force it down their throat. The prey is swallowed whole, digested, and the bones are regurgitated a few days later. A bite from a moray is not fatal to a human, but it is painful. Germs build up in the moray s mouth and get in the wound from the bite. This can cause a septic wound which must be treated.