Sea Snake vs. Electric Eel: Which Deadly Deep Sea Animal Would Win in a Fight?

Sea snakes and electric eels are both dangerous marine animals. They look similar in many ways and share many behavioral characteristics. However, they live in two distinctly different environments and don’t cross paths. But what would happen if they did? Today, we’re going to picture a sea snake vs. electric eel fight. Join us as we examine the factors that would come into play in a potential battle between the two to decide which would emerge victorious.

Comparing a Sea Snake and an Electric Eel

There are roughly 69 sea snake species across seven genera and two subfamilies, Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae. They prefer warm coastal waters, and their habitat ranges from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. The electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) lives in pools, lakes, streams, and flooded forest floors in South America.

What Are the Key Differences Between a Sea Snake and an Electric Eel?

Although sea snakes and electric eels look relatively similar, there are some critical differences to watch out for as we prepare for our imaginary battle. 

Sea snakes have flattened bodies and paddle-shaped tails, which allows them to swim swiftly through the water. Scientists are still studying the many sea snake species. However, there is evidence that the eyesight of sea snakes is far superior to that of their land-based relatives. Additionally, though sea snakes do need to surface to breathe, they can hold their breath for an extended period.

Electric eels have an anal fin that helps them move swiftly through the water. They can hover in place and swim both backward and forward as needed. The reason behind their name is the fact that over 80% of their bodies are made up of an electrical signal. And at an average length of 6 to 8 feet, they are longer than sea snakes.

What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between a Sea Snake and an Electric Eel?

Several critical factors would come into play in a hypothetical battle between a sea snake and an electric eel. These include size, speed and movement, defenses, offensive capabilities, and predatory behavior. Below, we’ll look at each of these more in-depth.

Sea Snake vs. Electric Eel: Size

When it comes to size, electric eels have the advantage. They can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh over 40 pounds. In contrast, sea snakes generally range from 4 to 5 feet long, with an occasional outlier up to 10 feet long. The larger size of electric eels grants them a physical advantage and potentially greater strength. 

Sea Snake vs. Electric Eel: Speed and Movement

Both sea snakes and electric eels are adept swimmers, as you might expect. Sea snakes are well-known for their agility and speed. They utilize their paddle-shaped tails to propel themselves gracefully through the water. Most sea snake species can swim backward and forward. And when necessary, they are capable of bursts of speed up to 1m/second.

Electric eels don’t have the same paddle-shaped tail. Instead, they have a dorsal (or anal) fin that helps propel them rapidly through the open water. These rapid marine animals can reach speeds of up to 5 mph. Like the sea snake, they are capable of swimming backward and forward. But they also possess a unique capability. Electric eels can hover quietly as they lie in wait for their prey.

The ability of electric eels to hover and sea snakes’ rapid speed makes them roughly equal competitors in regards to speed and movement.

Sea Snake vs. Electric Eel: Defenses

Sea snakes are venomous creatures. They possess potent toxins that get delivered through their sharp fangs. That venom is highly effective in deterring potential threats. However, most sea snake species only use their venom while defending themselves. 

Electric eels have a formidable defense in the form of electric discharges. They can generate both high-voltage and low-voltage electric shocks. Which one they use will depend greatly on the situation. These electric shocks can be very powerful and incapacitate animals much larger than the eel itself.

Since the electric eel can generate a shock with its entire body, sea snakes may not get close enough to bite. That gives electric eels the defensive advantage.

Sea Snake vs. Electric Eel: Offensive Capabilities

While many sea snakes rely on their venomous bites as a defensive mechanism, some species use them to immobilize and kill their prey. Their venom attacks the nervous system, leading to paralysis and eventual death. Sea snakes are highly efficient hunters that strike with remarkable speed and accuracy. 

Electric eels use electric shocks to incapacitate prey. But they don’t need to get too close to their target for the shock to prove effective. They can release the high-voltage pulses into nearby currents, sending them straight toward an unsuspecting victim. Those pulses can cause muscle contractions and disrupt the nervous system of their targets. 

Since sea snakes primarily rely on their venom, electric eels have the advantage of stunning their opponents from a distance with their electrical discharge.

Sea Snake vs. Electric Eel: Predatory Behavior

Sea snakes are primarily piscivorous since the bulk of their diet is fish. However, they also eat fish eggs and some eel species. They are well-adapted for hunting in aquatic environments and use their excellent eyesight to locate prey. Thanks to their streamlined bodies and agile swimming skills, sea snakes have no trouble swiftly approaching their targets. Some species will simply swallow their prey whole. But others do take advantage of the venom delivered via their fangs.

Electric eels have a much broader diet. These apex predators are not picky about where their meals come from. They pursue fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and even small mammals. They are ambush predators and lurk in the water. Electric eels can hover quietly while they wait for unsuspecting prey to swim nearby. They also have a remarkable ability to detect the electric fields generated by the movements of their prey. This skill allows them to initiate a successful hunt.

Since electric eels can wait so patiently, virtually unseen, and utilize their electrical pulses at a distance, they are more adept predators than sea snakes.

Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Sea Snake and Electric Eel?

Sometimes it can be fun to try and figure out who would come out on top in an epic animal battle. The mental exercise is even better when the two contenders do not live in a shared or even similar environment. That gives us a chance to explore their natures, behaviors, and skill sets, as we did with sea snakes and electric eels.

Sea snakes are agile swimmers possessing the advantage of venomous fangs, allowing them to deliver precise and deadly strikes. And while smaller than the electric eel, they are only slightly so. They strike quickly and suddenly. Sea snakes are also quite a bit faster than electric eels when they need to tap into a burst of energy.

On the other hand, the electric eel’s ability to generate powerful electric shocks can give it a significant advantage. Its slightly larger size may provide it with an edge in combat. But since the electric eel can also sense its target nearby through changes in the water’s electrical current, it has the upper hand.

In a head-to-head battle, the electric eel would win against the sea snake.