I was hoping to see more "vertical" eels, and finally encountered another on 10th September 2000.

While being filmed for an episode of a forthcoming new "In Search Of" tv series, researchers John Minshull, Dick Raynor and Adrian Shine,  on board the MV Deepscan, encountered and filmed an apparently torpid eel with its tail buried in the sediment, and its body in a curved vertical position.

During the 25 seconds or so that the fish was in view, it did not make any apparent movement, and its mouth was partly open.

If any readers have any comments or knowledge regarding this behaviour I would be interested to hear from you.