Two anglers went fishing in the waters of the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia. However, the last fish they caught during this fishing trip turned out to be a very strange creature with a red color and bulging eyes.
Despite being the owner of the Cavy Fishing YouTube channel, which has nearly 500,000 subscribers, the angler who pulled the fish up was unsure about the identity of this fish and speculated that it might be a grouper (scientific name: Epinephelus itajara).
The angler unexpectedly pulled up this bizarre creature
The creature had its eyes and stomach protruding from its mouth, making it look even more peculiar. In reality, it was just a rockfish, also known as Pacific rockfish (scientific name: Sebastes). So why did this fish have such a strange appearance?
A fish affected by barotrauma. (Photo: Pinterest)
The main reason is the change in pressure. The term used by professional anglers for this phenomenon is barotrauma, which refers to organisms living in deep-sea environments being pulled up to the water’s surface.
| Barotrauma occurs when there is an excessive pressure differential due to rapid changes in environmental pressure, and the body cannot equalize the pressure. The air-filled cavities in the body are the most vulnerable parts affected by this phenomenon. |
When a fish from deeper waters is pulled up, its swim bladder—a crucial organ that helps fish adjust their depth while swimming—is suddenly affected by the pressure change, causing it to expand excessively and protrude from the fish’s mouth.
Explaining the phenomenon of barotrauma
The fish’s eyes are also similarly affected by this physical phenomenon. Normally, recreational sport fishermen would release the fish they catch back into the sea; however, in these cases, that is not possible.
Fish affected by barotrauma find it very difficult to return to the ocean floor and can only float near the water’s surface, making them easy targets for other marine predators or even seabirds.
