In Japan, they made cardboard people for bored fish (2 photos)

After the aquarium closed, the fish began to have health problems. It turned out that the reason was the lack of communication with visitors.





At the Kaikekan Aquarium in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, staff helped a sunfish get rid of its feelings of loneliness while its aquarium was closed for repairs. During this period, workers installed cardboard human figures that seemed to be looking at the fish.

The aquarium staff took this step in order to solve the fish's health problems, which, according to one of the workers, were caused by loneliness.

After the aquarium was closed for renovations in December, the sunfish stopped eating jellyfish and began rubbing its body against the tank. Some staff initially suspected that the fish had parasites or was suffering from digestive problems, but one suggested that the fish might have been lonely without visitors.

After staff installed human dummies, the fish "felt better" the next day and even "flapped its fins."

The sunfish was reportedly introduced to the Kaikekan Aquarium a year ago. It currently measures 80 cm (31 in) in length and weighs nearly 30 kg (66 lb). When it first arrived, staff noted its "curious" nature and how it "swam toward visitors as they approached the tank."



The aquarium broadcast the story of the sunfish's "recovery" on its page on the social network X (formerly Twitter). The audience greeted the series of posts with enthusiastic support. Some shared photos and videos they had taken during previous visits to the sunfish, while others promised to go and see it when the aquarium reopens.

The average lifespan of a sunfish in captivity is believed to be about ten years. However, it is rarely found in aquariums due to the careful care that not every aquarium can provide.