They are mildly venomous with small fangs in the rear of the mouth.

They hunt by ambushing their prey in a unique way. They remain motionless under water, anchored to a submerged object. When a fish swims past, the snake “ripples” muscles in its neck area. This movement causes the fish to flee from it, scaring the fish towards the snake’s mouth. The color and pattern of the snake allow it to mimic its surroundings so that the prey is unaware of its presence.

They are solely aquatic which means they have several adaptions to the aquatic environment. They have nostrils that can be closed by tissue and an extendable glottis that can be inserted into the internal nares. They can remain underwater for 30 minutes without air.

If they are threated, they will remain rigid for several minutes (even when removed from the water).

They are very strong swimmers and will thrash to escape imminent danger.

They have twin “tentacles” on the front of its head which may aid the snake in detecting prey. They also play a role as decoys to attract fish.