Photo: Screenshots from Instagram
You never know what could be hidden in someone’s home. For Nick Tobler, his house is also the site of an eel pit that is beneath his property. If that sounds unbelievable, Tobler assures you that the pit is real. Through fascinating videos he shares online, he showcases the eels and other aquatic creatures that live in the pit. The vignettes show how much he cares for the eels, crabs, loaches, and snails while also highlighting how he maintains this unique addition to his house.
Though it may seem like an unusual and expensive undertaking, Tobler fortunately didn’t have to excavate part of his home to accommodate the eel pit. “It’s an underground rainwater cistern that came with the house,” he tells My Modern Met. “It was originally built in 1958 and has been holding water since then. It originally supplied the house with drinking water before it had city water.” Prior to becoming the eel pit, the cistern sat empty for the last 15 or 20 years.
Tobler saw the possibilities for the cistern when moving in. “I’ve always kept exotic fish and all sorts of exotic animals,” he explains, “so when we moved into the house I immediately knew I was turning it into a fish pond, and eels were always one I wanted to keep in a pond-type setup.” Tobler started with some minnows, crayfish, and goldfish before adding seven American eels in late spring 2022. Since then, he’s added more creatures to his eel pit including gar and sturgeon. Throughout it all, he is generous with his knowledge and routinely gives pit tours to his social media fans across the world.
Scroll down to get a peek into Tobler’s underground eel pit, and then be sure to follow along on his Instagram.
Nick Tobler knew what to do with the rainwater cistern in his new house. He would make it an eel pit and share it with the world.
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Tobler turned an unused rainwater cistern into an eel pit that houses American eels as well as other types of fish and crustaceans.
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In fascinating videos, he shares tours of the pit, its creatures, and its upkeep.
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Nick Tobler: Instagram | YouTube
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Nick Tobler.
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