An ocean sunfish stopped eating when the Japanese aquarium it was in was closed for renovations in December 2024. - Shimonoseki_Aq/X
SHIMONOSEKI: A lonely ocean sunfish in a Japanese aquarium, which seemed to be missing its human visitors and caretakers during the facility’s closure, has found a surprising source of comfort.
In a post on social media platform X, the Kaikyokan Aquarium, located in the western Japanese city of Shimonoseki, shared a photo of the sunfish gliding past a lineup of staff uniforms with cardboard pictures of human faces attached to them.
According to posts on the aquarium’s X account, the usually sociable sunfish stopped eating jellyfish, and started rubbing against the walls of its acrylic tank after the aquarium closed for renovations on Dec 1, 2024.
Initially, staff suspected digestive issues or parasites, but one creative team member suggested that the sunfish might simply be feeling lonely, Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun reported.
On Dec 8, they decided to test this theory by decorating the tank with the staff uniforms and cardboard pictures of human faces. Remarkably, the sunfish began eating jellyfish again the very next day and progressively showed signs of recovery.
Mai Kato, 26, an exhibit staff member, described the sunfish as “popular among visitors” and “curious,” often swimming up to greet people through the tank.
The oblong-shaped fish quickly became a favourite among visitors before the aquarium closed. The facility has announced on X that it will reopen in summer in Japan – which falls between June and the end of August.
“I hope many people take interest in the sunfish, and when the renovation work is finished, I’d like visitors to wave to it in front of the tank,” Kato told Mainichi Shimbun in a report on Jan 20.
The aquarium’s post about the sunfish’s condition on X struck a chord online, garnering over 12.6 million views. Users flooded the comment section with messages like, “Such a smart idea!” and “The cute fish must have been feeling lonely before this.”
The sunfish arrived at Kaikyokan Aquarium from Kochi Prefecture in February 2024, measuring 79.5cm in length and weighing 27.65kg. The fish has since grown larger, Mainichi Shimbun reported.
Native to tropical and temperate oceans, sunfish are famous for their flat, pancake-like shape and can grow to over 3m in diameter and weigh over 2,500kg. - The Straits Times/ANN
