Archive · 22 Aug 2025
Doomsday Fish: Oarfish Sightings and Scientific Explanations
The oarfish, a long, ribbon-like fish, is sometimes called the "doomsday fish."
People used to think seeing one meant a disaster like an earthquake was coming.
They live very deep in the ocean and are rarely seen.
They eat small things like plankton and krill.
Scientists don't think they predict disasters.
Instead, changes in the water or sickness could cause them to come up.
So, they're interesting, but not dangerous to us.
Oarfish, known as "doomsday fish," are the longest bony fish.
Folklore associates oarfish sightings with impending disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis.
Scientists suggest oarfish surfacing is related to factors like temperature changes or illness.
Oarfish inhabit deep oceans and surface when sick, dying, or breeding, with recent sightings in various locations.
Oarfish consume plankton, krill, small fish, squid, and jellyfish; they are not dangerous to humans.
- Who
- The subject of the article is the oarfish.
- What
- The oarfish, also known as the "doomsday fish," is the longest bony fish.
- When
- Oarfish sightings have been reported recently, since May 2025.
- Where
- Oarfish live deep in the ocean and have recently been spotted near India, Australia, New Zealand, and California.
- Why
- The article discusses the myth of the oarfish as a disaster predictor versus scientific explanations.
Folklore
Science
Predicting Disasters
Folklore
Oarfish sightings predict earthquakes and tsunamis.
Science
No scientific proof links oarfish appearances to seismic events; other factors are likely.
- Common Name
- Oarfish, Doomsday Fish
- Length
- Up to 30 feet (9 meters); some reports up to 50 feet
- Habitat
- Deep ocean, 200-1,000 meters below surface
- Diet
- Plankton, krill, small fish, squid, jellyfish
- Behavior
- Rarely seen; surfaces when sick, dying, or breeding