A sunfish gets sick!
At the Kaikyokan Aquarium in Japan, a big, funny-looking sunfish got sick! This happened after the aquarium closed for repairs on 1st December 2024. The sunfish, with its big eyes and unique shape, stopped eating and bumped into the tank walls.
The sunfish was very popular with visitors because of its funny and adorable look. But after the visitors left, the fish seemed sad. The loud noises from the construction made it feel worse.
The aquarium keepers were very worried. They thought the fish might have a stomach problem. They tried feeding it less food and staying near the tank during the loud noise. But nothing worked! The staff had a meeting to find a way to help the sunfish.
Solution found!
The staff had a new idea. They thought the fish missed seeing people! The sunfish liked watching visitors every day. To help it, they put big pictures of smiling faces near the tank. After a few days, the sunfish started eating again and looked happy!
Now, the keepers hope that when the aquarium opens again, many visitors will come to see the happy sunfish.
Not the first instance.
This is not the first time an aquarium in Japan has helped animals in a fun way. During the COVID-19 pandemic, another aquarium had a problem. The spotted garden eels there were hiding because they forgot what people looked like!
The staff asked people to make video calls to show their faces to the eels to make them feel safe and come out of hiding. Isn’t it amazing how animals can miss people?
