Weekly Fish fact
On a late summer evening off the coast of Japan in the early 1600’s, a group of sailors noticed something swimming near the water’s edge. As the ship approached this mysterious creature they instantly noticed it’s long bright red mane, silvery skin and serpent like body. It’s the Ryugu no tsukai, a messenger from the dragon king. It’s message was simple yet beautifully delivered, with it’s long silvery body on the surface it could only mean two things, an earthquake or tsunami. With no time to despair, the sailors raced home to prepare.
The countless stories that could be told about this fish and it’s mysterious nature are incredible. The “Ryugu no tsukai” is also known by another name, the Oarfish. Legends and myths have stemmed from this gorgeous creature in ways like I have just described. In many cultures around the world the legends about seeing this creature are numerous but some include good fortune, good health, or the extreme case of impending disaster. In Japanese culture it is known as “Ryugu no tsukai” which means ,”messenger from the palace of the Dragon King”. They believed that when this creature presented itself, that an earthquake or tsunami was imminent. Stories about this fish have been passed down in Native American, African, Asian, Celtic, and many more cultures around the globe.
Credit to the Dragon King though because the Oarfish does have a habit of beaching itself just before an earthquake. Scientists are still studying this phenomenon but due to the elusiveness and the depth at which they live. Many facts about the Oarfish remain a mystery. We do know however they get about 36 to 50ft long with an average length of about 13-15ft long with an average weight of roughly 100 to 300lbs and a max of 600-800lbs. It is known to be one of the longest boney fish in the world. The reason you don’t see these creatures often is because they are a pelagic fish that lives in the mesopelagic zone. The Mesopelagic zone stretches from 660ft to 3’300ft below the ocean’s surface. They do however come up to the ocean’s surface in search for food. These massive creatures are carnivorous but thankfully they only eat tiny things like plankton. Which is why they come to the surface every once in a while to feed on the plethora of micro-organisms that swim on the surface soaking in the sun. Oarfish do not really have teeth but they do have “graspers” in their throat which helps them hold down food and to work it down to the stomach. Since we cannot easily observe these fish, we do not know the actual population so conservation efforts are difficult to put into place. Oarfish are not commercially sought after but they do have a habit of ending up in fishing nets. When those fish are caught in nets I believe it should be standard practice to measure and photograph them so we can better understand the fish and it’s habits. Information like water temp, depth, ocean currents, atmospheric pressure and time of year could provide crucial information that could provide us with the knowledge to help these creatures prosper. They are a vital piece to the ecosystem and losing it’s presence in the deep could impact a wide variety of species. I appreciate the time it took to read this and I hope you walk away knowing something new. Please come visit us every week for more interesting fish facts.
CNC machined woodworks
With the help of a CNC machine these beautiful products have come to life. All our items are ocean themed and inspired by the majestic creatures that live below the surface. Our passion has always been sharing our love of the water and educating people about the ocean. These items help people connect with the sea and all the fond memories of playing in the waves. We want to bring you high quality items that’ll bring life to your home by adding some ocean flare.
The origins of the blue
We are Primal Blue Origins, a father and son with a passion for the water and the creatures that inhabit it. That passion droves us into the depths of our imagination. Within those depths were ideas that could bring our love of the water back onto dry land with us. Our first couple prototypes did not turn out the way we wanted, but success comes from many hardships. Through trial and error we started to make quality products and were finally able to bring our ideas into fruition. We are entirely grateful for this opportunity to share our ideas with the world. We thank you, truly.
