Shanghai Metro Eels: Live Fish Escape on Subway Train

A routine commute on Shanghai's Metro Line 10 turned into an unusual spectacle when more than a dozen live rice eels escaped from a blue plastic bucket and began wriggling across the subway car floor. The passenger carrying the container struggled to recapture the slippery creatures as fellow riders looked on in surprise.

The eels, which the woman had been transporting in the bucket, managed to escape their container during the journey. Once free, they spread throughout the train car, their mucus-covered bodies making them extremely difficult to grasp. Despite the passenger's repeated attempts to catch them, the eels repeatedly slipped from her hands.

Video footage from the incident shows the eels sliding and twisting on the car floor while the woman attempted to regain control of the situation. Several other passengers joined the effort, trying to help recapture the animals and return them to the bucket.

Despite their snake-like appearance, rice eels, also known as Asian swamp eels, are actually fish, not reptiles. Their elongated, slender bodies give them a striking resemblance to serpents at first glance, which may have added to passengers' alarm.

The incident also drew attention to Shanghai Metro's passenger regulations. According to reports, rules that took effect on March 1, 2025, prohibit bringing live poultry and certain animals, including dogs and cats, into the metro system. The regulations also restrict items that could cause significant discomfort to other passengers or affect the safety of transit operations.