)and "oyster sauce" - our lunch veg yesterday :wink: 
So how exactly are we defining exotic? Something our grandparents wouldn't have eaten regularly?
) . how else would i have turned out to be so smart , yet understand so little ?)European eel
(Anguilla anguilla)
Classification and names
Fish; order: Anguilliformes (eels and morays), family: Anguillidae (freshwater eels)
In French/Français: anguille
In Spanish/Español: anguila
In German/Deutsch: : Aal
In Dutch/Nederlands: aal, paling
Description
Life history
Born in Sargasso Sea as leptocephali from eggs around 1.1 mm in diametre and look like a curled up leaf. As they reach European waters following ocean currents they become glass eels or elvers and are almost transparent and later olive-green. They then become small eels and most begin to swim up rivers.
Description of eels in freshwater
Long snake-like body with 110-120 vertebrae. Lower jaw protruding. Long dorsal and ventral fins, which begin behind gill and end together at end of tail.Small, round eyes.Tough, slimy skin.
Colour: back dark (various colours possible, blue, olive green, red, brown and black) and underside light (white or yellowish)
Length: males up to 50 cm, females up to 1 m. (record female 130 cm).
After several years eels become silver eels when their backs become black and their underside lighty coloured. Their eyes become bigger and their head broader and pointed. They then start swimming back to the Sargasso Sea.
Distribution
Spawn in Sargasso Sea. As Eels in rivers of the Eastern North Atlantic from the White Sea, Baltic Sea and North Sea in the north to North Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea in the south.
Migration: Eels are catadromous. This means they are born in salt water and become adults in fresh water. European eels are born in the Sargasso Sea (in the North Atlantic Ocean) as leptocephali and travel to European in about three years, following water currents. They then become glass eels or elvers in European waters and swim up rivers and lakes. After severeal years they travel back down river as adults and then swim back to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and die.
European Eels from different areas appear to be genetically different.
Habitat
As leptocephali in ocean waters. Become elvers before entering freshwater and then become young eels.
Eels live in on the bottom of freshwaters (e.g. rivers, brooks, lakes, ponds) in mud and under rocks in temperatures between 0 and 30°C and up to elevations of 1,000 m. In lesser numbers also in salt and brackish coastal waters.
Eels in lower parts of rivers tend to be smaller and are more often male. Females usually swim further up river.
Food
Eat almost all aquatic fauna (in salt and in freshwater). Prefer fish and invertibrates.
Behaviour & Reproduction
Sociability: elvers and young eels are sometimes found in schools
Mobility: can travel upstream and over land. Swim 20-40 km/day to Sargasso Sea
Sexual maturity: varies, males after 6-12 years in freshwater, females after 9-10 years in freshwater
Reproduction capacity: female lays millions of eggs
Reproduction period: eels travel to sea September-November, sperm and eggs are produced en route to Sargasso Sea, spawning in Sargasso Sea in March/April
Life span: drifting from Sargasso Sea to Europe as leptocephali takes 3 years; males stay 6-12 years in freshwater, females stay 9-20 years in freshwater. They die after spawning. Oldest eel 85 year.
Predation and competition
Eels are eaten by birds and otters.
Threats
Overfishing of elvers and full-grown eels
Habitat loss, physical obstructions on migrating route
Parasites
Protection
No protection status.
Numbers
Unknown.
