SHIMONOSEKI, Yamaguchi -- A sunfish at a municipal aquarium undergoing renovation in this west Japan city became unwell, but recovered after its tank was decorated with staff uniforms and pictures of peoples' faces, leading aquarists to suspect the animal was lonely.

The ocean sunfish arrived at Kaikyokan from off the coast of Kochi Prefecture in February last year. When it first arrived, it measured 79.5 centimeters in length and weighed 27.65 kilograms. It has since grown slightly larger. Its gender is unknown.

The aquarium has been closed since Dec. 1, 2024, for renovations. The sudden absence of visitors, along with vibrations and sounds from the construction, may have contributed to the sunfish's health problems. The animal stopped eating jellyfish and began rubbing its body against the acrylic tank.

While parasites and digestive issues were suspected, one staff member suggested that the sunfish might be lonely without visitors. On Dec. 8, staffers tested the idea and attached their uniforms and photos of people's faces on the tank. The next day, the animal began eating jellyfish again and showed gradual signs of recovery. "It may have become lonely due to the sudden absence of visitors, which could have contributed to its health issues," an aquarist said.

Mai Kato, a 26-year-old exhibit staff member, told the Mainichi Shimbun, "The sunfish was popular (among visitors) before the renovations. It's curious and would swim up to visitors when they approached the tank."

A post by the aquarium about the sunfish's condition on their official X (formerly Twitter) account received more than 12.5 million views and comments such as, "I'm glad it's doing better," and, "It must have been lonely because it's so friendly."

Kato added, "I hope many people take interest in the sunfish, and when the renovation work is finished, I'd like visitors to wave to it in front of the tank." The aquarium is scheduled to reopen this summer.

(Japanese original by Yasuhisa Yamamoto, Shimonoseki Bureau)