European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

Scientific name: Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus, 1758

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a freshwater fish of the family Anguillidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 4–20°C (39–68°F).

European eel care at a glance

Temperature: 4–20°C (39–68°F)

Biology

Inhabits all types of benthic habitats from streams to shores of large rivers and lakes. Naturally found only in water bodies connected to sea. Amphihaline species, which migrates to the depths of the Sargasso Sea to spawn. Spawning takes place in late winter and spring in the Sargasso Sea. Spawning area is reported to be about 2000 km wide. The leptocephalus larvae are brought to the coasts of Europe by the Gulf Stream in 7 to 11 months time and can last for up to 3 years. They are transformed into elvers (small eels), enter the estuaries and colonize the continental waters (Refs. 51442; 11941). Young eels spend their growing period in freshwater, males for 6-12 years (30-40 cm TL, ), females for 9-20 years (55-65 cm TL, ), before ending their

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Anguilla anguilla
Family: Anguillidae (Freshwater eels)
Order: Anguilliformes (Eels and Morays)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 133
Common length: 50
Depth range: 0–700 m (0–2297 ft)
Environment: Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; catadromous; depth range 0 - 700 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Atlantic Ocean: Atlantic coast from Scandinavia to Morocco and rivers of North Atlantic, Baltic and Mediterranean seas. Continuous introductions to Asia and South and Central America, but not reproducing. Spawning area in western Atlantic (Sargasso Sea). Also distributed along the coast of Europe from the Black Sea to the White Sea. At least one country reports adverse ecological impact after introduction. Recent genomic DNA studies show that the European eel exhibits isolation by distance, implying that non-random mating and restricted gene flow among eels from different location exists.
Conservation status (IUCN): Critically Endangered (CR) (A2bd+4bd)
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.1; tm=6-30; tmax=85(?))

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026