Is the electric eel really electric?

yes...

The electric eel (Electrophorus electricus), which is found in South American tropical regions, has the ability to produce powerful electric charges. The low intensity charges emitted by the eel range from 5 to 10 V. The higher intensity charges vary by the size of the eel. Smaller eels (about 10 cm in length) can produce charges of up to 100 V. Larger eels (over 1 m in length) can produce charges of 450 to 650 volts of electricity. The discharging system of the electric cells was first explained by a Martins-Ferreira, Altamirano and Keynes in 1953.
The electric organs of the eel are located in its tail, which is roughly 4/5 of the animal's body. The electric organs are made up of a large number of electric disks (as many as 200,000 in one tail) piled in vertical or horizontal rows. The nerve endings located at the end of the electroplax discharge the electricity.