Posted on 02/03/2003 6:24:21 PM PST by Shermy
BOCHUM, Germany (Reuters) - "Aalfred" the pet eel, who was threatened with eviction from a German family's bathtub where he has lived since 1969, can stay at home provided he gets a piece of pipe to sleep in, authorities have ruled.
Aalfred (Aal means eel in German) has become a celebrity in Germany, even appearing on television recently after newspapers reported his long stay with the Richter family.
Paul Richter caught the eel 33 years ago, and after the Richter children refused to eat the eel for supper, Aalfred was put in the tub and became a part of the family, decanted to a bucket only when someone needed to bathe.
But animal rights activists complained Aalfred was being held under unnatural circumstances and asked authorities in the western city of Bochum to release the eel into the wild.
A veterinarian sent to examine the 90 cm (36 inch) eel found him well-nourished and apparently happy, said city spokeswoman Barbara Gottschlich.
"He's a bit more lightly coloured than a wild eel, but otherwise he is fine."
Bochum informed the Richters they could keep Aalfred if they installed an arm-length pipe which would allow him to rest more comfortably.
"This was the only reasonable outcome," Paul Richter told Reuters on Monday. "In any case, we would have protected Aalfred."
,,, where I am lambs' brains and tongues are eaten too. I love lamb tongues. Lamb brains I'll eat, on average, maybe every two to three years. Spiced they'd lose their delicate flavour. We serve them in the lightest of mustard sauces or boil them in chardonnay or chablis.
Florida roll ($6.95), a combo with cooked eel, Shiitake mushroom, and crab; and soft-shell-crab roll ($8). My niece and nephew try everything, and my sister comes through bravely, although she can't get past the Florida roll's eel, even though it's cooked, not raw. Arnold, who thinks the only good seafood is cooked seafood, declines all offers and resists both entreaties and taunts.
Not in the United States.
I'm not sure about Germany.
It's just that, while I'd never call myself an avid tropical fish enthusiast,
I've usually maintained a 20/30 gallon aquarium (on and off over the years),
partly as a minor hobby and partly as part of my household decor.
It simply impresses me that these people could easily provide the eel with a somewhat more pleasant living environment, especially if they're going to keep it as a pet for 33 years.
I'm now wondering if I should change my screen name [LOL!]
Yeah, with fish, you don't get a whole lot of that type of interaction like you do with other pets. But that's part of what makes them so easy to care for properly. I went through a phase when I was much younger where I learned everything I could about the hobby. But for the last couple decades, it's been just a routine part of my everday life that takes absolutely no time whatsoever.
It's kind of like having houseplants in a sunny window, every now and then you gotta give 'em a little water, maybe a little fertilizer, move 'em around a little, trim the dead leaves, and occasionally transfer them to a new pot. Not a whole lot to it. I suppose some people may talk to their plants, but most simply take care of 'em without giving it a second thought.
I don't know what something more exotic like an eel would eat. But obviously they must've been feeding it something that was agreeable over the years. And keeping its water changed and fresh. It's just curious that it never dawned on them to provide it with a more interesting habitat, just like most people who have tropical fish do.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.