#knife fish

Shocking discovery: Electric eels hunt in packs in Amazon rivers

Social predation spotted for the first time among these animals

When darkness comes, electric eels emerge from South American river bottoms to attack their prey with up to 860 volts of electricity—enough to kill a person. Now, scientists have revealed the snakelike fish don't always go it alone: They hunt in packs, similar to wolves, orcas, and some species of tuna. The finding, a first among electric fishes, may open the way for new studies to investigate when social predation evolved among fishes.

"I was shocked," says Douglas Bastos, a biologist at the National Institute of Amazonian Research who first saw a group attack in 2012. Usually the eels, which can grow as long as a broomstick and weigh up to 20 kilograms, prey alone at night, targeting single resting fishes, he notes. "This behavior is unprecedented for electrical eels and also rare among freshwater fishes"...

It’s electrifying!

So, we have this gorgeous beauty of a fish killer at work. Say hello the Lt. Surge the “Electric Eel”.

I kind of hemmed and hawed a bit at wanting to share anything about this because I know how it may make others feel. This is a very dangerous animal that we are selling as a pet. However, I feel it is important to share things like this.

In the right hands (and in a big enough properly put together tank) this can be a fascinating pet. The last one we had seemed to know the difference between when someone was walking by...and when a person who usually does the feeding walks by.

Somehow it always knew when I came up to go to the exact corner, stick his nose out and wait. I’m not sure how he can tell the difference between me, and a random customer coming by. That original sold to a person with a large tank, and lots of experience.

This one will only sell when the potential buyer is one we feel is serious, and is the right fit. Certain animals just should not be sold to just anyone. Money be damned, this can hurt someone badly!

We water change this tank the same way I do the large queen trigger. Hands never go into the tank. We also keep a very close eye on it any time there are lots of young folk who like to do stupid things like tempt fate by sticking their hands where they don’t belong. (looking at you Queen Trigger Fish Tank :C)