This 1-ton fish was caught by Lebanese fishermen off the coast of Tripoli yesterday. It was so massive that they had to use a crane to pull it out of the water. The sea creature belongs to the Mola Mola species which is known to be one of the heaviest bony fish in the sea. The Mola Mola fish is also known as the “weirdest fish in the ocean” or referred to as the “swimming head.” It’s also called an “Ocean Sunfish” and is often seen floating on the surface of the water. After cutting up the fish into pieces, the fishermen said it is toxic and that it can’t be eaten. The main reason is because this fish serves a very specific role in the ocean…
This massive fish eats jellyfish!
Yes, its purpose in life is to clean up the sea by eating the jellyfish. They need to bulk up quite a bit since their diet is mainly jellyfish – so they actually eat A LOT of them. Basically like a hoover in the sea. The Mola Mola fish is quite important especially in Lebanese waters where there is a lot of jellyfish (due to population). Now, I’m sure you’re thinking.. the fishermen taking one out of the ocean won’t make THAT much of a difference… but the thing is that the female species of this fish can produce around 300,000,000 eggs. The only things that pose a danger to them, other than humans, are sea lions, sharks and killer whales. The Mola Mola fish is considered a delicacy and are consumed in countries like Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Despite being absolutely massive, this fish is not dangerous to humans. There was an instant in the UK in 2005 where a Mola Mola fish jumped out of the water and onto a boat. It landed on a 4-year-old boy but he lived. Here’s an image of one caught in 1910, with an estimated weight of 1600 kg (3500 lb): There are a couple videos from 2015 of a couple guys from New Jersey who come across a Mola Mola fish. Just as a
warning
, there’s about a million swear words and a very heavy accent:
