Staff at Kaikyokan Aquarium in Shimonoseki, Japan, faced an unusual challenge when their sunfish fell ill after the aquarium closed for renovations in December 2024. In a post on X, the aquarium explained that the sunfish stopped eating, rubbed its body against the tank, and appeared to suffer from health issues.
After trying various solutions, one staff member speculated, “Maybe it’s lonely because it misses the visitors?” While skeptical, they decided to attach staff uniforms and cardboard cutout faces to the tank. To their surprise, the sunfish’s health improved the very next day.
A photo shared by the aquarium shows the sunfish gazing at the makeshift “people” while staff waved to cheer it up. The aquarium noted that the sunfish is naturally curious and often interacted with visitors at the tank before the closure.
Ocean sunfish, known for their unique bullet-shaped bodies and long fins, are found worldwide in temperate and tropical oceans. While wild specimens can grow up to 3.3 meters (11 feet) and weigh over 1,900 kilograms (3,300 pounds), the Kaikyokan sunfish is smaller but equally distinctive.
This isn’t the first time Japanese aquariums have shown creativity in supporting their animals. During the 2020 Covid lockdown, Tokyo’s Sumida Aquarium asked volunteers to FaceTime their spotted garden eels to keep them accustomed to human interaction.
Source: Swifteradio.com
