A lone sunfish at an aquarium in southwestern Japan lost its appetite, began kicking the side of the tank and appeared unwell several days after the facility was closed for renovations last month. As a last-ditch measure to save the popular fish, its keepers hung up their uniforms and placed human cutouts outside the aquarium.

The next morning, the sunfish ate for the first time in about a week and was slowly recovering, said Moe Miyazawa, an aquarist at the Kaikyokan Aquarium in Shimonoseki.

The giant sunfish arrived at the aquarium in February 2024 from the southern coast of Kochi in the Pacific Ocean. The sunfish, a member of the blowfish family known for its unique shape and large eyes, has become one of the facility’s most popular attractions.

When the sunfish began to look unwell a few days after the aquarium closed on December 1 for a six-month renovation, its keepers suspected digestive problems, gave it less food and visited the aquarium to comfort the sunfish while there was noise from the work, but no gain .

Then, at a staff meeting, one person suggested that the sunfish might have been affected by the sudden absence of the crowd.

“We were skeptical, but we decided to do everything we could,” Miyazawa said. They hung up their uniforms and placed cutouts of people with photos of smiling faces outside the tanks to cheer on the fish, Miyazawa said.

“I knew (the sunfish) were looking at us when we were putting them in, but I never thought they would start eating the next day,” Miyazawa said, beaming. The staff now visit him more often and wave at the sunfish.

Aquarium keepers say they hope many fans will return to see the sunfish when the aquarium reopens in the summer.