LOOK: TikTok star builds eel pit in basement of his house

WILDER, Ky. (WLWT) – A Kentucky man has set up an eel sanctuary in his home and made a name for himself on Tiktok.

Each home on his block has an underground rain cistern. It was originally used to store rainwater which could then be turned into fresh drinking water.

Nick Tobler has found a much different use for it that’s making waves on the internet.

From a leopard gecko, to a polypterus endilcheri and some Goyder River rainbowfish, Tobler’s home has the look of an aquarium.

He’s known on TikTok as “CowTurtle.”

Also among Tobler’s pets is an Australian lungfish, Indian star tortoises and tarantulas.

Tobler said he has always been collecting these critters.

“Ever since I was a kid,” Tobler said. “I was just out in the woods catching stuff, bringing stuff home.”

The recent Northern Kentucky University grad said he’s always worked in pet stores and when he and his brother moved into his grandmother’s old home, he found a new use for the bottom part of the house.

“The very first video I posted was a week before we moved into this house, I see the manhole corner in the corner of my garage, I was like, ‘Oh cool, my house comes with a future eel pond,’” he said.

When Tobler posted about putting in his eel pond, his followers went from about 200 to over 400,000 followers and millions of views.

So far, his eel pond with almost a dozen eels and several goldfish is flourishing.

The eel pond is by far the most popular part of his menagerie on social media.

You can see more on his TikTok account.