An aquarium has stuck pictures of staff members on a display tank to cheer up the glum fish refusing to eat out of loneliness.
It closed for renovations last month and is not scheduled to reopen until the summer.
However, keepers noticed that the ocean sunfish appeared depressed without visitors passing through the aquarium.
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They were so miserable that they even stopped eating their favourite food, jellyfish.
As a result, staff members at the Kaikyokan Aquarium in Shimonoseki, west of Osaka, Japan, pondered how they could cheer the sunfish up.
Veterinarians first thought they could be suffering from indigestion so they reduced their food intake.
When things didn’t change, they realised that the sunfish may be missing the daily visitors.
Aquarium spokesperson Miyazawa Moe explained: “After we closed, the sunfish appeared listless and had no appetite, they stopped eating jellyfish.
“You may find it hard to believe, but the sunfish on display are very curious.
“Before, when there were tourists, the sunfish liked to get close to them.
“Now that the aquarium is closed, there are suddenly no visitors, so the sunfish are sad.
“Maybe the change in the environment has affected their mood.”
Similar incidents of animals feeling lonely in empty zoos were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff placed several makeshift mannequins in front of the tank to give the fish the impression they have constant company.
The situation improved the very next day, with the sunfish suddenly appearing more energetic.
Their appetite also returned.
Miyazawa said: “At first, everyone said it was 99% impossible.
“But they decided to give it a try and put the employee images on the tank.
“As a result, the situation improved the next day!”
One local said: “That’s funny.”
Another wrote: “They must have been lonely.”
“Sunfish love their job,” commented someone else.
The aquarium, famous for its dolphin shows and collection of pufferfish, will reopen to the public in July, as reported by What’s The Jam.
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