Japan: Aquarium sticks photos of humans in tanks for ‘lonely’ sunfish

After the aquarium closed for renovations in December, the sunfish stopped eating jellyfish and started rubbing their bodies against the tank, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Monday.

Several staff members initially suspected a case of parasites or digestive problems, but one suggested that the fish might just be quiet without visitors looking into their tank.

Sunfish, found in every ocean in the world, is a delicacy in Japan. They are believed to live up to 10 years in captivity, although they are not commonly found in aquariums due to the careful care required to host them.

Sunfish in Kaikyokan are about 80cm (31in) long and weigh almost 30kg (66 lb).

Mai Kato, a staff member, told the Mainichi Shimbun that the sunfish, which arrived at the aquarium a year ago, has a “curious” personality and “will swim towards visitors when they approach the tank”.

After the photo and uniform went up, the fish “felt better” the next day and were seen “flailing their fins” in the tank, the aquarium said in its X post.

The post has been received with huge support from social media users. Some shared photos and videos they had taken of the sunfish on previous visits, and others promised to see them when the aquarium reopened.

This is not the first time that Japanese aquariums have come up with innovative solutions to entertain the animals they keep.

During the pandemic, as zoos around the world report that their animals are becoming quiet due to a lack of visitors, an aquarium in Tokyo is holding an “emergency” video call event for its eels, which they believe have become uncomfortable with humans after not seeing them. they are for a long time.