three toed amphiuma

[stinkysix]

They make cool pets, just set them up in a big aquarium with sticks and rocks and they will feed out of your hand. They also live for a very long time if properly cared for.

 

[BOSS351]

Caught a couple of them when I moved to BR from NO in a ditch behind my house after some hard rains. Having graduated as a Zoology major and never seeing one before I was amazed at the vestigial arms/legs on them. Truly harmless creatures and that was the last time I had seen one till these pics above. Didn't see any growing up on the NO Westbank, probably cause they got all eaten up by the Westwegans and Marrerites and possibly some St.Bernardians. If one was in Lafitte, he didn't stand a chance. All kidding aside, they are cool critters.

 

[TomTerrific]

Is this the same critter as a conger eel?

I saw one that looked just like the photo but it was brown. This was off of New River in Gonzales, right across from the old country club.

 

[stinkysix]

Is this the same critter as a conger eel?

I saw one that looked just like the photo but it was brown. This was off of New River in Gonzales, right across from the old country club.

Yes, I have heard people call them congo ells and lamprey ells

 

[BOSS351]

Yeah we always called them Congo Eels...thats what a book called them after I went to identify the new to me creature..

 

[screamingdemon]

I find it a bit disturbing people shoot first ask questions later. Especially on a harmless animal that poses no threat.

 

[doc ace]

So it is like the brown eels I have in my ditch? That have four tiny legs/appendages on their sides?

 

[GaryCCR]

I've caught quite a few fishing, before I found out they weren't actually eels I did skin and deep fry one. It was good!!!! They skin kinda like a catfish, but they're bony.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

If anyone has contacts at a school or whatnot and would like to see if they would like the next one I get out, please let me know.

 

[drumz2129]

I have caught them in minnow traps I run for crawfish in the gully on my property. I caught the crawfish to put in the new pond to get them established before the bass got too big. The biggest one I have caught was only about 25-30" long.

 

[troy_mclure]

dude, you realize you can get like $100/ea for them.

your smash first attitude has cost you $$$

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Wouldn't have mattered anyway, it swallowed the hook deep into its throat and I couldn't get to it anyway. Was either let it suffer, or kill it quickly.

I'm not looking to get money out if it. If I wanted money, I'd have taken a different career path.
If a school or someone personally would like to have one for a pet I'd gladly give them one. It would mean more to me to make someone happy than to wory about $20 - $30 I could gt for one.

 

[Bayoupiper]

Wouldn't have mattered anyway, it swallowed the hook deep into its throat and I couldn't get to it anyway. Was either let it suffer, or kill it quickly.

I'm not looking to get money out if it. If I wanted money, I'd have taken a different cater path.
If a school or someone personally would like to have one for a pet I'd gladly give them one. It would mean more to me to make someone happy than to wory about $20 - $30 I could gt for one.

You do realize that since you killed one, more will come.

With vengeance in their hearts.

.

 

[Cat]

dude, you realize you can get like $100/ea for them.

your smash first attitude has cost you $$$

Possibly. But these things get big. Not too many people have the right tank to keep them. That inch per gallon for an aquarium is myth. Plus it'd need a long narrow tank to swim. Not high and narrow. Kill quick or sell to a poor environment. I dunno which is more humane in the long run.

I'd leave them where they are unless its for teaching.

Alpine - if it swallowed the hook, you did good. Leaving it to suffer is cruel.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

I'm going to try and build a funnel trap out if a 5 gal water bottle to try and carp tech these things without hurting them. From what I've read, when they eat, they practically inhale their food, so the hook always goes really deep.

 

[edman87k5]

Cast net? Seine the pond and find out what all is really in it once you get the junk out?
I thought those things only liked muddy swamps and ditches?

 

[Bayoupiper]

.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Still got a ton of crap on the bottom (dead leaves small branches) that I need to figure out not to get out first.

 

[AustinBR]

Call the Baton Rouge Zoo or LSU's Dept that handles that stuff or even Wildlife and Fisheries, I am sure any of the above would be able to either come and get them from you or tell you a place that would like them.

 

[TomTerrific]

Yeah we always called them Congo Eels...thats what a book called them after I went to identify the new to me creature..

There is a marine animal called conger eel. It comprises a whole genus. It is marine and not fresh water. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conger_eel

Thanks for the help.