Loneliness almost broke this fish at Japan aquarium until staff found a creative fix; Viral video will leave you smiling

Aquariums and zoos don’t just look after animals’ physical health; their mental well-being is just as important. This was evident recently at Japan’s Kaikyokan Aquarium, where a sunfish’s unusual behaviour caught everyone’s attention. The poor fish wasn’t its usual lively self, and the staff soon realised that loneliness was the surprising culprit. Their creative solution? Human face cutouts!

A Lonely Sunfish’s Struggle

The trouble began when Kaikyokan Aquarium temporarily closed for renovations. One of their sunfish started acting strangely. Usually healthy and active, the fish stopped eating and began rubbing its body against the tank walls. At first, the staff thought it had a parasite problem. But after some careful observation, they noticed the issues had started only after the closure.

Missing the Visitors

The lack of human visitors seemed to be affecting the sunfish’s behaviour. With the usual buzz and interaction gone, the tank felt eerily quiet, and the fish wasn’t coping well. It turned out that the sunfish was used to the lively environment and, surprisingly, the presence of people.

A Creative Fix

The aquarium staff came up with a bizarre but brilliant idea. They printed out large photos of human faces, stuck them onto uniforms, and placed them around the tank. It might have looked odd, but it worked! Within days, the sunfish began eating again and looked much happier. The team concluded that the absence of visitors and the noise from the construction had upset the fish, but the “faces” helped restore its comfort.

A Fish That Loved Company

This wasn’t just any fish—it was a favourite at the aquarium. Visitors loved it, and the sunfish seemed to enjoy their company too. It often swam up to the glass to greet people, almost as if it wanted to make friends. The staff’s creative care showed how much they valued the fish’s unique personality.

Not the First Time

This isn’t the first instance of a Japanese aquarium getting creative for their animals. Back in 2020, during the pandemic, Tokyo’s Sumida Aquarium faced a similar problem with their garden eels. The eels, used to human interaction, started hiding in the sand during the lockdown. The staff allowed people to make video calls to the eels to remind them what humans looked like!

Inputs from TOI