The Internet Is in Tears Over the Fate of a Rare Deep-Sea Anglerfish

A black anglerfish has captured the world's attention after swimming up from the depths of the ocean to feel the sun's warmth for the first time. While the journey itself is more than enough to captivate millions, this little fish is getting attention for what happened after he was photographed in the Sunlight Zone.

People on social media have become downright obsessed with this anglerfish. Keep reading to learn what his story is, including what happened after he reached the surface of the ocean, an absolute rarity for these deep sea-dwelling creatures.

The anglerfish shocked the world after a photographer was able to take a video of the rare creature. The fish — which is technically called a black seadevil anglerfish, according to the IB Times — was spotted by a group of researchers who were swimming in the waters surrounding the Canary Islands on Jan. 26, 2025.

Researchers were astounded because these fish typically live 650-6,500 feet below the surface of the sea.

A photographer from the group floated with the fish for more than an hour, capturing as much footage as he could of the unusual find. The resulting images quickly went viral on social media, giving the masses a glimpse at the anglerfish's strange look.

People originally reacted to the fish's appearance: his face features sharp and ominous-looking teeth that sit inside a massive mouth and a glowing orb that floats in front of his face. Then, others quickly began to speculate about the beast's size.

Concerns over swimming alongside an admittedly terrifying-looking creature quickly dissipated when another set of images made the rounds, showing just how small the fish was compared to a human.

The rollercoaster of emotions didn't stop at discovering that these fish are basically the same size as fish you'd expect to see in a tank.

Instead, people had big feelings about the fish's story when they learned that he made the lengthy swim to the surface of the ocean, only to bask in the warmth of the sun for a brief time before dying.

People online were not okay after learning that little part of the story, and many expressed extreme upset over learning about the fish's death. One woman even filmed herself explaining the story to her partner, becoming unable to get through the details of his long trek before breaking down in tears about his ultimate sacrifice.

Another person shared their perspective on the fish, asking followers to imagine how it must've felt for the anglerfish to finally feel a light other than their own for the first... and last... time.

People are very upset that the anglerfish may have known he was dying and decided to make the trip to the surface to see the sun as a final act.

While we don't yet know the exact reason why he made his trip, it seems like this little anglerfish has developed quite a following along the way. I just hope that he enjoyed his journey as much as he enjoyed finally reaching his destination.