Although not normally considered an aquarium fish by most, the American eel makes a fascinating and long-lived pet. A member of family containing over 700 species of fish, including the decidedly uneel-like Tarpon, all American eels apparently spawn in the Sargasso Sea, near Bermuda, at a depth of 23,000 feet. The fry grow slowly and, over a period of two years, migrate back to the streams and rivers from which their parents departed earlier (the parents apparently die after spawning). Most males remain in the vicinity of saltwater until breeding time, while the females take up a freshwater existence in rivers, lakes, and ponds, often far from the sea.

In captivity, American eels quickly give up their nocturnal habits and show themselves well in the day, especially around feeding time. They should, however, be provided with shelters in which to retire, or a deep substrate into which they can bury themselves. They are both scavengers and predators, and will consume nearly any sort of animal matter and even table scraps. Certain individuals do, however, develop food preferences, but in general, all will readily feed upon small fish, earthworms, insects, and a variety of pellets and frozen foods. They can be kept with fish larger than themselves but will quickly consume any smaller aquarium inhabitants. All eels are extremely adept at escaping, and even the smallest spaces around filter tubes must be tightly sealed. They can survive a good deal of time on land, so if your pet is found in this condition return it to the water right away and move it through the aquarium by hand so that water is forced into the gills. American eels can live for over twenty years in captivity.