The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-14
THE EXPERIENCES OF AN EEL.
Happily Preserved from Being Eaten
Alive by Catfish.

Happily Preserved from Being Eaten
Alive by Catfish.
fhc seventy-pound Mississippi river cat
fish at the aquarium, which broke its fast
on June after abstaining from food for
nearly six months, namely, from the time
it was received on December 70 last, is
now eating regularly and with a good APP
petite. 1t takes about pound of solid
food daily in the shape or dead cells or
herring. The fish would eat two or three
pounds, but one is considered enough at
present because Of the little exercise it
is able to get in the limited quarters of
Its tank.
The fact that the big catfish has found
it's appetite and is eating the kind of food
that ii is now taking is doubtless-if eels
can experience such feeling-a source of
great satisfaction to a certain eel in the
aquarium that was once offered to the cat
fish as food. No apprehension was felt at
the aquarium because the catfish refused
to eat during the winter and the colder
part of the spring, for during those sea-
sons the catfish often goes long time
without food. But In the later spripg and
early summer, when the temperature of
the water had materially risen, the aqua
rum authorities thought 1t was time the
CO fish began to eat. Dead food having
failed to arouse his appetite, they tried
to tempt him with live food. Among the
things they put into the tank for him
were two cells each about a foot in length.
One of these cells soon disappeared but
there Is every reason to believe that 1t
was not eaten by the catfish. In all
probability II escaped through one of the
pipes leading into the tank. After the
first cells disappearance a strainer was
put over the pipe.
7 he bottom of the catfish's tank was
covered with coarse gravel when the cells
were put into it. The remaining eel bur-
ied itself in this gravel out of sight. Be
fore the catfish resumed feeding the grav-
ell was removed and sand substituted,
which the catfish liked better. But ii
was not so good for the eel. The latter
could bury itself completely on. of sight
in the gravel and yet get from the water
that washed through this coarse material
sufficient supply of air; while the sand,
which soon packed down closely, would
In great measure, If not wholly, have cut
off the supply If the eel had completely
covered itself in It. This, however, the
eel did not do; it buried all but Its head
back TO and including its gills, which 1t
kept raised just above the bottom of the
tank There it stayed through two or
three long days. keeping itself alive in
that manner and hoping If ees do hope.
that the catfish wouldn't see him, or that
liz it did, 1t wouldn't want him. Mean
while the aquarium people were daily try
Ing The big catfish with other food. and
finally, on June s, the fish took two pieces
of dead eel and the next day a little
more. 1t had found its appetite and pre-
ferred the dead food.
Then the eel was promptly released
from its self-imprisonment and put oack
among its fellows in the eel tank, whence
lit had been taken and where It now
lsQuirmed with happiness.-NewY York Sun.