A Man and a Lovely Fish Became Besties for Nearly 30 Years After He Helped It Get Back to Life

Dogs are often considered our best friends, but hold on puppies, because a Japanese diver has discovered an unusual and special friendship with a fish. Yes, you heard it right, a fishy friendship that will make you believe in underwater miracles. Read the article because this dynamic duo is making waves!

Underwater friendship is real.

During one of his dives over 25 years ago, Hiroyuki Arakawa encountered Yoriko, an enigmatic Asian sheepshead wrasse. Their meeting sparked a remarkable connection, defying boundaries between humans and the aquatic realm.

From their initial encounter, the bond between Arakawa and Yoriko flourished into a deep and enduring friendship. Whenever Arakawa approaches the shrine, a simple tap on a piece of metal summons Yoriko, who swiftly arrives by his side. In a video, Arakawa can be witnessed sharing a gentle kiss with his aquatic companion, a symbol of their extraordinary friendship.

Arakawa nursed the sheepshead wrasse back to health by feeding it crabs daily.

To make things even more amusing, our adventurous friend claims that the creature, named Yoriko, possesses a face eerily reminiscent of a human—well, from a specific angle, at least. And here’s the best part: he swears that she recognizes him. It’s like they share some inside joke or secret understanding.

He went on explaining: “I guess she knows that I saved her and that I helped her when she was badly injured. I think anyone can get an animal’s attention by feeding them.” Decades have passed since Yoriko’s health struggles, but she’s thriving. With limited info on their lifespan, Asian sheepshead wrasse can reach 3.2ft.

A study even revealed that fish are capable of facial recognition.

In the study, tropical archerfish were trained to recognize human faces by spitting water at chosen images on a monitor. Even when faced with new faces, they accurately picked the previously learned face, surpassing expectations.

A researcher at the University of Oxford, said: “Fish have a simpler brain than humans and entirely lack the section of the brain that humans use for recognizing faces.” However, numerous fish exhibit remarkable visual behaviors, making them ideal candidates for testing whether simple brains can accomplish complex tasks.

The world beneath the waves never ceases to amaze us. And just by that, there are real superhumans with the unusual ability to live practically like fish. These people could confidently imagine swimming 200 feet below the ocean’s surface for up to 13 minutes. It turns out these abilities aren’t merely the result of dedicated training.