An aquarium filled with exotic fish in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, is using an electric eel to power lights on a Christmas tree.
Each time the electric eel at the Aqua Toto Gifu aquarium touches a copper wire in its tank, it sends power that lights up globes decking a Christmas tree. [Mainichi]
Electric eel is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, which it uses for hunting and self-defense. Despite its name electric eel is not an eel, but a knifefish.
Although it seems like a fun project; mind that it is not child’s play when handling an electric eel. A fully grown electric eel could discharge 400-600 volts and 1 ampere of current… more than enough to harm an adult human.