fish

Animal rescue stories are always heartwarming, but you might not expect a fish rescue story to be. Despite people getting fish as pets so commonly, most people don't know how hard taking care of a pet fish can be. And in this story, unfortunately, the family who had the now not-so-ugly 'Ugly Ivan' not only didn't take care of him well but neglected and abused him. 

Most people probably wouldn't work so hard to rescue a fish, but NotaScientologiston imgurdid. Surprisingly, people responded with more love than any of us expected, with Ugly Ivan going viral over and over again. People wanted to know more about his story, and people wanted him to survive, and luckily, people are getting both of these things. 

Here's an interesting story you don't read or see everything. Apparently, there is a rare fish out there known as the "penis fish." Why is it called the "penis fish," you might ask? Well, we think that's pretty self-explanatory. 

Off the coast of Rye Front Beach in Victoria, Australia, one lucky diver got incredible images of the ever-elusive "penis fish." It's known to be incredibly rare to come across, even though thousands of the fish washed up on the California shore some years ago. The free diver, Josie Jones, was scouring the waters when she came across the strange and unique look moniker. 

To be fair, it is scientifically called a 'priapulida', but "penis fish" just sounds more accurate. Josie Jones shared the images on the Facebook page, Marine Research Group of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, with the caption, "Now we're all adults right?"

Yes, we are. But such a thing will never not be funny, even to adults. 

For some reason, fish are considered to be one of the easiest pets to raise, but if you've ever had a fish, you know that is so not true. The sudden horror of seeing your fish floating upside down... not many things compare. My first pet was a fish, and for a long time afterwards, it discouraged me from having any pets at all. I mean, if I couldn't handle raising fish, how could I ever handle anything more complicated than that?

Eventually, I got over myself and got a different "more difficult to raise" pet and realizes that fish were by far more difficult to keep. And apparently, I'm not the one the only who thinks that, considering the sudden influx of tweets about the difficulties of raising fish. Thank you, twitter, for yet again making me feel better about myself. 

Turns out, baby Puffer Fish are heckin' adorable! Why didn't any of you tell us?! They either have this cute little smile and look like a wee baby or somehow look like an adorable old man. Either way, they are precious and must be protected. 

We don't often feature fish and it's a shame because some of them are really cute and deserve a chance in the spotlight! And now it's time for the Puffer Fish to shine! Baby Puffer Fish, that is. 

Honestly, we're not entirely sure all the fish images below are in fact Puffer Fish, but their cuteness got to us anyways and we felt the need to share. 

The last creature you would ever think would need a life jacket is a fish, but for this fish, a life jacket is exactly what it needed to keep it from swimming upside down. 

According to Daily Mail, this poor fish "found himself living upside at the bottom of his tank after a bout of swim bladder - a disorder which affects buoyancy - was found to be untreatable." Luckily, this fish had the most loving caretaker who went out of her way to make a tiny life jacket for the fish that now allows it to swim freely and happily. 

Read more and see the viral video below!

The winners of the 2020 Ocean Photography Awards have been announced and we're in awe of the breathtaking photos of the world we don't see often - the world under the sea. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, each photograph is simply superb.

Each year, Oceanographic magazine holds the Ocean Photography Awards in a celebration of "our beautiful blue planet, as well as a platform to highlight the many plights it is facing." Such as the difficult photographs of the Conservation Photographer award, images of incredible sea life being tormented by waste. It's heartbreaking to see but important to share and be aware of. 

The photographer awards are open to everyone, from amateurs and professionals to everyone in-between. There are six categories and the overall winner which receives the title of 'Ocean Photographer of the Year.' 

The awards were streamed live from an extended reality stage in London, UK, you can watch the awards on YouTube. 

We can't wait to see what remarkable photographs are waiting to be discovered next year! 

It's the beginning of Spooktober and what's spookier than creatures of the deep sea? So much is unknown and the information we do know can be just as scary as the unknown! 

Sharks. If someone tells you, while in shark-infested waters, that they aren't afraid of sharks... they're definitely lying to you. Sharks are terrifying! Yes, they're also amazing and very important to the balance of the ecosystem but that doesn't change the fact that they are essentially dinosaurs. They've got this haunting movement and look, those black eyes... and all those teeth! 

As part of our Spooktober special, we bring to you 25 shark facts that are pretty unnerving. Enjoy! 

We share a lot of animal-related memes. A lot. 

What we don't often feature are fish memes! Why you might ask? Fish are animals, too. Truthfully, there aren't too many of them floating around but every so often, we manage to dive deep and scrap up some ocean dwellers! 

This is a small, yet humble, shoal of fish memes, with a few crustacean memes to spice it up a bit. Besides, who doesn't love shellfish? 

Enjoy this scaly gathering of memes! 

Every week, we bring you a new collection of animal pictures that are simply too incredible to describe in anything less than 1000 words. Some pictures are just like that, the stories behind them are too vast and complex. And many times, even though we may not know the story, it takes all but one glimpse to know that it's there. Something must have led to this special moment in time being caught, either something hilarious, adorable, or shocking. 

So, look at these incredible photos and let your imagination take over. Who knows? Maybe you'll see one that will inspire you and have you wanting to make something incredible of your own.

Comin' at you hot with some funny animal memes! 

The start of the week, so everyone needs a little pick me up. Some giraffes, some fishes, and a whole bunch of dank doggo memes to hopefully make your week a little easier to get through. So, get 'em now, and if you let one breathy laugh out through your nose, then we have been successful! And if laughing is not what you're going for, here are some adorable and wholesome otter memes to get you through the day.

Ahh, meme-ories. Does anyone remember this classic meme, "The Shy Shark?"

It's no secret that a majority of us are terrified of the giant fish, regardless of the classic film "Jaws". I mean, a prehistoric ancient fish lurking in the water, with just it's fin popping up now and then? It's a terrifying image and anyone who says otherwise is flat out lying to you. 

That's why the 'Shy Shark' makes us so happy. With its confused and oddly adorable expression, for a moment, we aren't as afraid as we usually are. 

How lovely is that? Imagine your country bing as clean as Japan to the point where you see fish living and swimming in the street drain canal? 

When it comes to cleanliness, Japan is at a whole other level. The Japanese are known to practice cleanliness regardless of location and we're taught to do so at a young age. Children volunteer monthly to pick up litter from the streets surrounding their schools. Neighborhoods even have street-cleaning events! 

If you're a tourist in Japan, you'll notice you cannot find a single garbage can on the streets. Each person is responsible for their trash and carries a plastic bag to fill with their daily trash which they can dispose of at any department store or subway station.

If only the rest of the world to step up and meet at Japan's level. In the meantime, enjoy these videos and images of koi fish living in Japan's drain canals: