Apr 15, 2025

All about Mola Mola: A fish that looks depressed and suffers from loneliness

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The Mola Mola

Mola Mola, also known as Ocean sunfish, is a unique but rather odd-looking fish found in the depths of the sea and also on the surface. But one thing that strikes most people is its sad, lonely, and rather depressed look.

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The unusual appearance

The Mola Mola is one of the strangest-looking fish in the ocean owing to its round, flattened body that looks like a floating head with fins. It has no tail like other fish, but just a short, stubby clavus at the back.

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Its massive size

Although it is oddly shaped, the Mola Mola is one of the heaviest bony fish in the world. The adult fish can weigh over 1500 kilos, sometimes even more.

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The deep ocean home

Mola Molas are deep ocean dwellers and swim hundreds of feet below the surface of the ocean or seas. They prefer cooler waters and come up occasionally, and stay far from the shore.

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Swimming style

Like most fish, Mola Molas are not quick or smooth in swimming. Instead, they are slow and clumsy owing to their bodies. Most of the time, they can be spotted just floating along the water beds.

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Their diet

Mola Molas mainly eat small jellyfish that are usually spotted on the sea beds. They also eat other soft-bodied creatures like small fish, squids, and zooplankton.

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Are they harmful?

Even though Mola Molas are large and heavy fishes, they pose no significant threat to humans. They are rather gentle, do not have any sharp teeth, and some Mola Molas grew sad when they did not encounter any humans.

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Fewer hunting cases

Mola Molas are not exactly a fisherman’s dream, and they are hunted in very minimal locations around the earth. It is believed that Mola Mola’s meat is difficult to process.

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Their sunbathing habits

One of the most interesting things about these fishes is that they have a habit of floating on their sides near the surface of the water in order to get some sunlight. As they live in deep, cold water, they need some time for sunbathing too.

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They are also sensitive to the sun

While sunbathing is liked by the Mola Molas, it is believed that the sun is pretty bad for them! Some even claim that too much sun could harm the Mola Mola.

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The sad Mola Mola

In a Japanese aquarium, it is said that when the place closed down for renovations, the Mola Mola grew sad and stopped eating. To help it, the keepers had to install pictures of humans to the fishtank.

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Thanks For Reading!

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