Author: bloomberg.70

Artist Yusei Nagashima’s muse is fish. His fascination began as a child and has manifested itself into detailed watercolor paintings of a diversity of species. He claimed that he was, “captivated by the form of the fish,” when he was young and, “how it carried itself in the water, the sparkle of its eyes and scales; the lively movements of its muscles when it was caught, its intimidating, expression as its throat swelled.”(Weeks). At age eight, his first interest in fish was peaked during a visit to a tropical fish store, where he saw baby piranhas. He expressed the contrast in the way that they are typically viewed as, being vicious and brutal, compared to the way he viewed them, as “delicate and beautiful.”(Gestalten). From that point forward, he found his art focusing on fish over everything else.

Yusei’s interest in fish does not stop in his artwork. He enjoys fishing and reflects on fond memories of fishing with his father as a child. He expressed the mixture of emotions that he felt during one particular experience where he lost his favorite rod to a large fish while angling in the ocean. He recalled being disappointed and frightened in the moment but when his father caught a fish that happened to be the one attached to his rod, he realized how impressive of an experience that was, “during which I felt both great fear of and respect for the depths of the ocean.”(Gestalten).

Three years ago Yusei began posting one painting each Friday on his blog (Yusei Nagashima). On his blog you are able to view his watercolor works that encompass a wide diversity of fish. He feels that his art can be an aid in teaching people about the importance of not only fish, but the natural world as a whole. “Nature is something that we must protect…We must think about our position as humans in nature and we should live alongside nature. I think fish and fishing reveal such a relationship.”(Gestalten).

Citations
Gestalten US Shop. “Meet Yusei Nagashima of the Fly Fisher.” Gestalten US Shop, https://us.gestalten.com/blogs/journal/meet-yusei-nagashima-of-the-fly-fisher.

Weeks, David, et al. “Japanese Artist Creates Delicate Watercolor Paintings of Fish Every Week.” My Modern Met, 16 June 2016, https://mymodernmet.com/yusei-nagashima-fish-watercolor-paintings/#:~:text=Tokyo%2Dbased%20artist%20Yusei%20Nagashima,his%20beautifully%20detailed%20watercolor%20paintings.

Yusei Nagashima Uonofu.sblo.jp, http://uonofu.sblo.jp/index-6.html.

I want to fart so hard

Despite what this meme says, this puffer fish does not have to fart. What causes these fish to look like they have really bad gas? It is a defense mechanism that they perform when threatened. The goal of inflating is to multiply the size of the fish and to present their spines. This makes the puffer fish more difficult to bite which makes them less appealing to predators. It’s not a fart, its fear! (Seattle Aquarium, 2021).

“Why Do Pufferfish ‘Puff up’?” Seattle Aquarium, https://www.seattleaquarium.org/blog/why-do-pufferfish-puff#:~:text=Pufferfish%20will%20%E2%80%9Cpuff%20up%E2%80%9D%20as,very%20appetizing%20to%20a%20predator.&text=Most%20puffers%20are%20toxic%20to%20eat.

Image: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/fish-memes.712836/page-2

 

They gave me a friend once…

Betta fish are infamous for being solitary and territorial creatures that do not get along with others. What many people do not know is that there is a reason that betta fish are so prone to fight. In the 1800s people discovered these fish and found that some of them were very aggressive and prone to fight, so they began to be bred for their aggression, for the purpose of betta fighting (Bryan, 2018). As a result, aggression has been maintained in their genetic makeup to this day.

Bryan, et al. “Why Do Betta Fish Fight?” Bettafish.org, 8 Aug. 2018, https://bettafish.org/faq/why-do-betta-fish-fight/.

Image: https://aminoapps.com/c/betta-keepers/page/blog/betta-fish-memes/V01d_rPqU7uMzn3V45BJVXnWvNdvjEapjvn

 

You see right through me

The specimen pictured in this meme is the larval form of an eel, from the suborder Elopomorpha. There are many species of eels that have transparent larva, including the conger, moray eel, and the garden eel. These larvae are transported throughout the ocean by currents from their spawning grounds to intertidal areas, where they morph into their adult form (Science Direct, 2021). Once in their adult forms they do not have the same transparent physical characteristic.

“Leptocephalus Larvae.” Leptocephalus Larvae – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/leptocephalus-larvae.

Image: http://www.quickmeme.com/transparent-fish

 

In 1974 a man by the name of Keith Allies, won two goldfish at a fair and named them Fred and George. Little did he know, the fish would become his companions for the next 44 years of his life. Keith was able to share many monumental milestones with his two fish friends, including his marriage, moving into his first home, and becoming a first time father. Sadly, Fred passed away in 2017, which led to the decline of health in his friend, George, who passed away two years later, in 2019 (Middleton, 2019). Throughout their lifetime, these two old fishy souls have been mascots of the community, and one can argue, for all of Britain.

The real question is, how did those fish live for so long. It is known that most animals who live in captivity live longer lives than those in the wild but 44 years is a longgg time. Scientists and pet enthusiasts have given some helpful tips on how to extend your fish friend’s life including:

• Use the largest tank possible
• Provide enrichment for the fish
• Increase oxygen diffusion into the water
• Keep tank clean
• Allow water temperature to change as seasons change
• Properly feed your fish (Robert, 2021)

RIP George and Fred

 

Middleton, Lucy. “George, Britain’s Oldest Goldfish, Dies Aged 44.” Metro, Metro.co.uk, 15 Apr. 2019, https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/15/george-britains-oldest-goldfish-dies-aged-44-9210539/.

Robert. “How Long Do Goldfish Live? 5 Ways to Increase Their Lifespan.” Fishkeeping World, 28 Sept. 2021, https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/how-long-do-goldfish-live/.