Fish have feelings too – at least if a lonesome sunfish in a Japanese aquarium is anything to go by.
Animal caretakers at the Kaikyokan in the southern city of Shimonoseki were concerned when Mambo the sunfish appeared to fall ill, shortly after the facility closed for renovations in early December.
Staff took various measures to perk up the creature, with limited results.
They initially suspected parasites and digestive issues as Mambo stopped eating jellyfish and began rubbing its body against the acrylic tank, reported the Mainichi Shimbun.
But a breakthrough came when an employee suggested that the sunfish may be lonely due to the lack of visitors, the aquarium said in a social media post earlier this month.
Despite being convinced of the “99 per cent” probability that it would not work, employees decorated the fish tank with photos of human faces and aquarium uniforms.
An image shared by the aquarium showed cutouts of heads stuck to the enclosure, alongside uniforms draped on clothes hangers and a rack.
It worked – Mambo’s health improved the very next day.
“I honestly can’t believe it, but the individual currently on display was quite curious and often came close to the front of the tank when visitors were present,” said the aquarium, adding that it was possible that the sudden disappearance of visitors did indeed affect health.
Thanks to further observation and more waving from staff members, Mambo’s health returned to normal.
There is still some time to go before the fish gets a regular stream of real human visitors as the facility is slated to reopen sometime in summer this year.
MOLA MOLA
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, Mambo arrived at Kaiyokan from off the coast of Kochi Prefecture in February 2024. At the time, it was 79.5cm long and weighed about 28kg.
It has since grown slightly larger and Mambo’s gender is unknown, said the report.
The ocean sunfish, also known as mola mola, can grow up to 335cm long and weigh up to 2.5 tons.
According to the National Geographic, the omnivorous fish can live up to 10 years in captivity.
Despite their size and unusual appearance, sunfish are harmless to humans. They primarily feed on jellyfish but will also consume small fish and algae.
It is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
