Electric Eel

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
You have to think of big eels space requirements the same way you would for a snake, they don't need nearly the tank size of a lizard of equal length. Eels (and eel-like fish) are able to live in a much smaller aquarium than "regular" fish. Their sedentary nature combined with their flexibleness makes them able to live in tanks of about the length of the fish and half as wide. The average size tank in most public zoos and aquariums is only around 180 gallons for a full adult (at least ones I've been to). Electric eels are especially suited for smaller tanks because of the confined environment they naturally come from.

I think there is a much bigger issue with people keeping active fish like pacu, large catfish or arowanas in small aquariums
 
Often times you have to stick a goldfish in their just to check if they are alive.
 
Waldo said:
Often times you have to stick a goldfish in their just to check if they are alive.
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LOL! I was gonna say why don't you just poke it, but then I remembered the electricity. Anyone ever been zapped by an electric eel?
 
I have. Not fun, let me tell you. I got set on my butt pretty hard by a 24" animal. The larger ones (5' or longer) are capible of knocking you out. I forget the exact amount, but I want to say something in the area of 900V from an adult. Most of the body on those is the 'electric generating' part. Only the first 15-20% of the animal is organs etc....
 
I've got a broom stick, plastic tongs, rubber gloves for working in the tank, plus I put a grounding probe into the nearby wall socket. I've only ever been shocked by my old 12" electric cat and a variety of fish tank equipment incidents.
 
Zoodiver said:
I have. Not fun, let me tell you. I got set on my butt pretty hard by a 24" animal. The larger ones (5' or longer) are capible of knocking you out.
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Thats crazy. I watched this thing on TV about these guys catching them for a study. Thay all had big long rubber gloves on, but once water got in the gloves they bagan getting shocked. There was people stiffening up and falling over in the water when they got shocked (I'm sure the muddy river bank wasn't helping them either). Pretty comical.
 
A great thread....thanks! Gives me something to watch out for with our EE at work, Pikachu...he's only 15 inches right now, and eats NLS H20 pellets. No feeders, no fish, nothing else. Very fat and sassy guy, and, fingers crossed, yet to feel his electric wrath.
 
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