Electric eel lights Tennessee aquarium's Christmas tree

Dec. 6 (UPI) -- A Tennessee aquarium is harnessing the power of an electric eel to illuminate the lights on a Christmas tree placed next to its tank.

The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga said a special system was rigged up in the tank housing the eel, named Miguel Mattson, that causes the Christmas tree next to the tank to light up whenever the aquatic creature discharges electricity.

"Whenever Miguel discharges electricity, sensors in the water deliver the charge to a set of speakers," said Joey Turnipseed, the Aquarium's audio visual production specialist. "The speakers convert the discharge into the sound you hear and the festively flashing lights."

The aquarium dubbed the project "Shocking Around the Christmas Tree."